Apparently a number of people are arguing that because the Arctic Refuge 
doesn't have forests, it's fine to drill there.  A letter to that effect appeared 
in the Ames paper a few weeks ago.  

The myth that only forested land has natural resource value is one of the 
biggest reasons we've lost almost all of the tallgrass prairie in North America.  
For a congressman from the Loess Hills region to be perpetuating that myth is 
maddeningly ironic, especially since many of his farmer constituents are 
being paid to plant native grasses and flowers through the Farm Bill.


Cindy Hildebrand
[log in to unmask]
Ames, IA  50010

"After assending and passing thro a narro Strip of wood Land, Came Suddenly 
into an open and bound less Prarie, I say bound less because I could not See 
the extent of the plain in any Derection...This prospect was So Sudden & 
entertaining that I forgot the object of my prosute and turned my attention to the 
Variety which presented themselves to my view."  (William Clark)

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