Please call immediately - the senators are keeping a tally. Thanks, Jane Clark at [log in to unmask] From Sioux City activist Kathryn Hughes: As many of you know, Bush's nomination of Gale Norton to head the Department of Interior is being challenged by 18 environmental groups. One of the many reasons centers on Bush and Norton's desire to drill for oil in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge, home to a huge caribou herd, among many other wonderful animals. It has even been called America's Serengetti!! The voices of concerned folks count, even though we may not succeed in keeping her out of the cabinet. Please consider calling or emailing immediately. Sen. Harkin can be reached at 202-224-3254 or [log in to unmask] Sen. Grassley can be reached at 202-224-3744 or [log in to unmask] Dear Senator X: The purpose of this letter is to ask you to vote "NO" on the appointment of Gale Norton as Secretary of the Interior. In my opinion, Ms. Norton is one of the worst persons to be entrusted with our national natural resources. In fact, she has made a career out of trying to derail the very programs she will be asked to enforce. To my way of thinking, that makes her unqualified for the job. Norton, protégée of the infamous James Watt, has not only fought key provisions of the Endangered Species Act (NY Times, 1/12/01), she has close ties to several highly polluting industries, as well (Washington Post, 1/14/01). And in an ironic twist last year, Norton billed the Alaska legislature $270 /hour for her efforts to help overturn a fishing policy set by the very department that should would run, if confirmed (NY Times, 1/12/01). In addition, she has indicated a willingness to expand the use of our national lands to subsidize the interests of the mining, oil, and timber industries. In other words, Ms. Norton seems to believe that private industry is somehow entitled to the use of OUR land as a means of decreasing its cost of production; and that any effort to preserve that land for recreation and future generations is less important. As a fiscal conservative, this looks like a government handout to me! Finally, her eagerness to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is almost palpable. The overwhelming majority of Americans do not favor drilling in that pristine wilderness. ==================================== From Sierra Club Below are talking points and a fact sheet compiled by Nick Cain with great help from Steve Smith in the Colorado field office. If you have any questions, please call any of the members of the media team. - Allen Mattison Message: Gale Norton's extreme anti-environmental agenda would allow big oil and mining companies to destroy the public lands we treasure. Senators should vote against Norton to protect America's wildlands for our families and for our futures. Story: As Interior Secretary, Norton would be responsible for protecting our National Parks, but her background shows she will do the bidding of the oil, mining and logging companies that contributed heavily to President-elect Bush's campaign. Americans reject Norton's extremist agenda because it would destroy the outdoor heritage we want to pass along to our children. We want our Senators to vote against Gale Norton to save America's public lands for our families and for our future. Talking points: Gale Norton would be a natural disaster as Interior Secretary. Norton's nomination is a slap in the face to everyone who wants to protect America's wild lands for our families and for our future. Norton does not support the very laws she is supposed to be upholding as Interior Secretary and her positions are out of step with what Americans want: · She opposes the nation's premiere wildlife protection law - Endangered Species Act. · As Colorado's Attorney General, she pushed to let polluters off the hook without paying fines ? a position strongly rejected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. · She wants to let oil companies drill in the fragile Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ? but scientists at the Fish and Wildlife Agency, an agency which would be under her purview at Interior, oppose drilling that wilderness because it would destroy the pristine habitat. · Norton founded and chairs a Republican group (Coalition of Republican Environmental Advocates) denounced by true Republican environmentalists as "a transparent attempt to fool voters who care about environmental protection." Funded by polluting mining, logging and chemical industries, Norton's group gave one of its first awards to Newt Gingrich. Two-thirds of the senators in the coalition had a League of Conservation Voters rating of zero. Americans rejected Norton's extremist agenda years ago when Newt Gingrich tried to push them on our country. Americans still reject that agenda, which is way out of step with mainstream views on the environment. Americans want to protect our National Parks for our children to enjoy and save endangered species from extinction - we don't want to see our public lands destroyed just so big oil and mining companies can reap bigger profits. Norton's mentor, James Watt, was forced to resign because of his extremism - President-elect Bush should learn from past mistakes and adopt a mainstream vision for protecting our wild lands. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]