Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Once and for All
Called "America's Serengeti" for its tremendous biodiversity, the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most stunning and pristine ecosystems in America.
The coastal plain supports more than 150 species of birds, such Tundra Swans, which return year after year to nest in the rich Arctic tundra. It is also home to polar bears, brown bears, musk oxen, wolves, and nearly 200,000 caribou during the calving season. Yet this unparalleled 1.5-million-acre habitat has never received Wilderness protection, leaving it vulnerable to harmful oil and gas development.
Please ask your members of Congress to support a new bill that would protect the vulnerable coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge permanently.
Dear Decision Maker,
The Arctic Refuge is a national treasure. On the coastal plain--the heart of the Refuge--birds such as the Tundra Swan return year after year to nest, while one of the world's largest caribou herds travel 1,500 miles to give birth on these grounds, which are considered sacred by the native Gwich'in people. Polar bears, musk oxen, and wolves roam the tundra, and over 40 species of fish swim in its pristine lakes and rivers.
The continual pressure for oil drilling threatens to cause irreversible damage to the Refuge. Drilling would create a spider web of infrastructure that will lead to a long list of destructive impacts. It will eliminate and degrade habitat, lead to harmful cumulative impacts to birds and other wildlife, expand predation on birds, create a significant risk of a devastating oil spill, and contribute to climate change, which will only further harm the fragile tundra.
[Your comments here]
The Arctic Refuge is an iconic, American landscape. I urge you to cosponsor legislation (HR 239/S 2341) to allow the Refuge to continue to be an irreplaceable sanctuary for wildlife and the Alaska Native communities that depend on it.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
