Congratulations to Phyllis & Mike Mains whose letter on Arctic drilling was 
published in today's Des Moines Register.

Neila Seaman, MPA
Director
Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA  50310
[log in to unmask]
515-277-8868

Conserve now, then vote in '06

We applaud the Izaak Walton League of America "Don't Think About Oil 
Drilling Without Conservation," (Oct. 27) for its insightful solutions for 
the energy crisis. A crisis exacerbated by the Bush administration promoting 
gas-guzzling SUVs with tax rebates and Republican members of Congress 
taunting any mention of conservation only a year ago.

The timely Izaak Walton League article comes as ExxonMobil announced a $10 
billion windfall profit. Other major oil companies were not far behind. 
Congress passed an energy bill, crafted by fossil-fuel companies, which 
created these astronomical profits for gas and oil companies.

It is outrageous that some Republicans in Congress are now demanding major 
oil companies use their windfall to explore in our pristine wilderness 
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off the coasts of our pristine beaches 
in North Carolina, Florida and California. Oil leases on public land are a 
mere $50 an acre.

Because Congress is not listening to the majority of Americans who do not 
want our pristine heritage destroyed, the only recourse is personal 
conservation and the elections in 2006.

-Michael and Phyllis Mains, Van Wert.

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