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
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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) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your voice heard! Find out how to get Take Action Alerts and other important Sierra Club messages by email at: http://www.sierraclub.org/email