Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from Oil and Gas Drilling!
- by: Wildlife Conservation Society
- recipient: United States Congress
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America's last wild places, home to polar bears, caribou, wolverines, musk oxen, and over 200 species of migratory birds.
But now – after decades of fighting to protect it – this special place could be destroyed. Congress has included a provision in the new tax bill that would finally open up the Refuge to oil and gas drilling despite growing evidence that leases issued there will garner only a fraction of the expected revenues.
The truth is, drilling in the Refuge has nothing to do with tax reform and everything to do with permanently damaging an irreplaceable habitat for polar bears, wolverines, and other beautiful threatened species.
The good news is we still have time to defeat this, but we must act quickly. The Senate and the House will vote as soon as next week on a final passage of the tax bill. We must demand our leaders in each chamber reject any legislation that opens up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas drilling.
Sign the petition and tell your Members of Congress to reject any tax bill language that allows drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
But now – after decades of fighting to protect it – this special place could be destroyed. Congress has included a provision in the new tax bill that would finally open up the Refuge to oil and gas drilling despite growing evidence that leases issued there will garner only a fraction of the expected revenues.
The truth is, drilling in the Refuge has nothing to do with tax reform and everything to do with permanently damaging an irreplaceable habitat for polar bears, wolverines, and other beautiful threatened species.
The good news is we still have time to defeat this, but we must act quickly. The Senate and the House will vote as soon as next week on a final passage of the tax bill. We must demand our leaders in each chamber reject any legislation that opens up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas drilling.
Sign the petition and tell your Members of Congress to reject any tax bill language that allows drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Subject Line: VOTE NO on the Tax Bill which allows oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Dear Member of Congress,
As a constituent and supporter of WCS, I am writing to urge you to VOTE NO on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which opens the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development. Opening the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas leases would threaten one of America's last truly wild landscapes. I urge you to oppose this effort.
This landscape was set aside in 1960, prompted by the findings of the Murie Expedition into northeastern Alaska, which included the now-world renowned WCS field biologist George Schaller. Now more than fifty years later, the 19 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to a wide array of wildlife, including caribou, muskoxen, wolverines, Arctic foxes, polar bears, and nearly 200 species of migratory birds that reach six continents and to each of the 50 U.S. states. It is the calving grounds for the nearly 200,000 member Porcupine Caribou Herd, which is an essential subsistence and cultural resource for people who have lived there for thousands of years. It also has the highest density of denning polar bears in Arctic Alaska, at a time where polar bears are facing sea ice loss and are becoming increasingly dependent on disturbance-free places to raise their young.
WCS's George Schaller just released this statement in opposition to the Tax Bill:
America's last wild places deserve special protection. I urge you to VOTE NO on this legislation, which opens the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Sign PetitionSign PetitionDear Member of Congress,
As a constituent and supporter of WCS, I am writing to urge you to VOTE NO on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which opens the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development. Opening the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas leases would threaten one of America's last truly wild landscapes. I urge you to oppose this effort.
This landscape was set aside in 1960, prompted by the findings of the Murie Expedition into northeastern Alaska, which included the now-world renowned WCS field biologist George Schaller. Now more than fifty years later, the 19 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to a wide array of wildlife, including caribou, muskoxen, wolverines, Arctic foxes, polar bears, and nearly 200 species of migratory birds that reach six continents and to each of the 50 U.S. states. It is the calving grounds for the nearly 200,000 member Porcupine Caribou Herd, which is an essential subsistence and cultural resource for people who have lived there for thousands of years. It also has the highest density of denning polar bears in Arctic Alaska, at a time where polar bears are facing sea ice loss and are becoming increasingly dependent on disturbance-free places to raise their young.
WCS's George Schaller just released this statement in opposition to the Tax Bill:
"The actions of the current administration, a majority of the Congress, and oil companies will cause irreparable damage to American's last great wilderness, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. The Refuge is a place of living grandeur, of vast herds of caribou, polar and grizzly bears, and huge flocks of migrating birds. The livelihood of the local native peoples also depends on these. We tend to forget as a nation that if we hurt nature we will ultimately hurt ourselves. Greed, arrogance, and lack of morality toward other living beings still shape our vision of the future. The proposal to drill for an unknown amount of oil in the Refuge, and thereby desecrate one of our natural treasures is wholly unpatriotic because the American public greatly values its wilderness areas."
America's last wild places deserve special protection. I urge you to VOTE NO on this legislation, which opens the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
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