From Jane Clark Take action next week and tell your Representative that drilling in the Arctic Refuge will do nothing to solve our energy problems. The House is expected to vote on this as early as Thursday, July 26. Besides threatening the Arctic, read below for more threats to our natural resources. It's best to call during the week -- only takes a few minutes and doesn't cost much. If you must send your message by e-mail (or do both) be sure to use a clear and unmistakable message in the subject line. The House Resources Committee has approved energy legislation that would mandate oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; give Big Oil companies billions of dollars in relief from royalties they would otherwise owe American taxpayers; and threaten energy development on most other federal public lands, like Wildlife Refuges and National Forests. Next stop is the full House. Demonstrating that it is radically out of step with the majority of the American people, the House Resources Committee approved H.R. 2436, the Energy Security Act, introduced by the committee's chairman, Rep. Jim Hansen (R-1/UT). The vote paves the way for the full House to consider the bill, which is expected as soon as next week -- perhaps as soon as July 26th! Among others, Rep. Hansen's legislation would: - *Mandate* oil and gas drilling in the biological heart of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- the 1.5 million-acres coastal plain. It's hard to imagine a more inappropriate place to drill for oil. - Require the Interior Secretary to inventory "all federal lands," except national parks and wilderness areas, for coal, geothermal, wind, and solar energy. That means all National Monuments, National Wildlife Refuges, Wild & Scenic Rivers, National Forest Roadless Areas, BLM Wilderness Study Areas and Areas Of Critical Environmental Concern, National Conservation Areas, and units of the National Trail System would be open to energy production. - Require suspension of royalties for certain offshore oil and gas leases, handing Big Oil companies a way out of billions of dollars of royalties they would normally have to pay American taxpayers. - Requires the Departments of Interior and Agriculture to determine what regulations stand in the way of energy development on public lands. - Limits the ability of the BLM and Forest Service to require environmental safeguards for oil and gas drilling on public lands. - Disallows the Forest Service from restricting certain areas of National Forests from oil and gas development. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Much of the discussion of energy production from federal lands appears to be driven by the perception that abundant resources have been "locked-up" or put off limits, to the detriment of the country's energy future. This is a myth that should not drive the energy policy debate. In fact, the vast majority of federal lands already are open to energy production. Significant efforts were made in the last few years to enhance, where appropriate, oil and gas production on these lands even in the face of falling prices. Important new areas were opened and are being leased. TAKE ACTION Please contact your Representative -- the full House is expected to vote on Rep. Hansen's energy bill as soon as next week. Contact them directly with this message: - OPPOSE Rep. Hansen's Energy Security Act, HR 2436, because it would: - Mandate oil drilling in America's last frontier, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. - Give Big Oil companies billions of dollars in royalties owed the American people. - Open up what much of what is left of our public wildlands to energy development. It has to stop somewhere. Send your message or call to: Rep. ________ U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 (202) 224-3121 Representative Greg Ganske (R), 202-225-4426, 202-225-3193, [log in to unmask] http://www.house.gov/ganske/ Representative Tom Latham (R),202-225-5476 [log in to unmask] Representative Jim Nussle (R) 800-927-5212, 202-225-2911 [log in to unmask] Representative Jim Leach (R) 202-225-6576 [log in to unmask] Representative Leonard Boswell (D) 202-225-3806 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]