FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2002

CONTACT:
Wendy Balazik, 202-675-2383

THE FIREMAN SAID WHAT TO PRESIDENT BUSH?!?!
Firefighter Urged President Bush to Protect the Arctic Wildlife Refuge,
Now Calls on Senate to Act

Washington, DC--The Sierra Club began airing radio ads in nine states
yesterday featuring Portland firefighter Ed Hall, an environmental hero.
Hall and four other firefighters who helped with recovery efforts at the
World Trade Center were handpicked to welcome President Bush at the airport
when he visited Oregon in January.  Hall used his face time with the
President to shake Bush's hand and say, "Mr. President, it really is an
honor to meet you, but you don't have to drill for oil in the Arctic."

Hall explains the reasoning behind his message to the President in the ads:
"If you look at maybe being able to recover six months worth of oil ten
years down the road, that's not worth the cost to the ecosystem of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."

The ads target Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Max
Cleland (D-GA), Zell Miller (D-GA), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Peter Fitzgerald
(R-IL), Mike DeWine (R-OH), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and
Fred Thompson (R-TN), who have yet to publicly demand protection of the
Arctic Wildlife Refuge.  The ads ask residents to call their Senator to
urge him or her to oppose Arctic drilling and instead support a balanced
energy plan that promotes conservation and efficiency, raises the miles per
gallon of our cars and SUVs, and uses more solar and wind power.

The Senate plans to start debate on Senator Daschle's energy bill the week
of February 25.  Though the bill does not contain a provision to open the
Arctic Refuge to oil drilling, Senator Murkowski (R-AK) is expected to try
to add this controversial amendment on the Senate floor. The House of
Representatives passed a dirty and dangerous energy bill last summer that
would reinforce our dependence on fossil fuels and open up the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge to oil companies.

"Soon Senators will have the opportunity to vote on an energy bill that, in
stark contrast to the bill passed by the House, is based on the premise
that the best way to ensure our energy security is through higher fuel
economy standards and greater use of renewable energy such as wind and
solar power," said Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope.  "By keeping
drilling out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Senate can affirm
what the American people already know - that we don't have to sacrifice
national treasures like the Arctic Refuge to meet our country's energy
needs."

Hall used his once-in-a-lifetime meeting with a President to speak his
convictions, earning him respect nationwide. In his honor, the Sierra Club
asked internet users what they might have said if they were in Hall's
shoes. To see the responses, please go to
http://www.sierraclub.org/currents/facetime/comments.asp. To read a
transcript of an interview with Ed Hall, visit
http://www.sierraclub.org/currents/facetime/firefighter.asp.

Sample ad script follows. To receive a copy of the ad, please contact Wendy
Balazik at 202-675-2383.

Sierra Club
Radio :60
"Ed Hall Says it All" (ARIZONA)
2/6/02

(Woman Narrator)

To recognize his work at ground zero in New York,
Oregon firefighter Ed Hall was given the honor of meeting President Bush.
He used the opportunity to ask the President to protect the Arctic
National  Wildlife Refuge:

(Ed Hall:)

"I said, Mr. President it really is an honor to meet you, but you don't
have to drill for oil in the Arctic...
if you look at maybe being  able to recover six months worth of oil ten
years down the road, that's not
worth the cost to the ecosystem of the Arctic  National Wildlife Refuge."

(Woman Narrator:)

Drilling the Arctic Refuge won't solve our energy problems.
The answer is conservation and efficiency, raising the miles per gallon of
our cars and SUVs, and using more solar and wind power.
Find out if your Senator, John McCain agrees.
Call him at 520-670-6334.
Ask him not to drill the Arctic and to please pass a sensible energy bill,
for our families, for our future.

Paid for by the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club.




Erin Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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