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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/