March 10, 2006 Dear Alaska Coalition Members and Arctic Advocates, Because of the good work of millions of Americans who stood up to oppose Arctic drilling last year, the future of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been looking bright. That is, until just hours ago, when the same controversial language threatening the Refuge was included in the Senate budget bill for 2007. By burying Arctic drilling language in the federal budget, drilling proponents have shown a blatant disregard for the American public's desire to keep the Arctic Refuge safe from the destructive impacts of oil development. Even worse this outlandish idea is being introduced just days after Alaska's North Slope was impacted by what appears to have been the biggest oil spill in its long history of drilling. This oil spill clearly demonstates once again that oil drilling is a dirty business and does not belong in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The risks associated with drilling were made abundantly clear just days ago when tens of thousands of oil spilled onto the delicate tundra of Alaska's North Slope. This spill demonstrates that regardless of how advanced our technology has become, accidents do happen and they pose serious threats to the environment. Oil drilling is a dirty business and does not belong in the America's Arctic Refuge. (Click here for more information on the spill).<http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/perp/response/sum_fy06/060302301/060302301_index.htm>(http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/perp/response/sum_fy06/060302301/060302301_index.htm<http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/perp/response/sum_fy06/060302301/060302301_index.htm>) Please take action now to protect the Arctic Refuge: Click here to send your Senators an email.<http://capwiz.com/awc/issues/alert/?alertid=8564936&type=CO> (http://capwiz.com/awc/issues/<http://capwiz.com/awc/issues/>) Urge your Senators to oppose any bill that would open the Arctic Refuge to drilling. Tell them that using the budget to open the Arctic Refuge is an irresponsible and destructive abuse of the budget process. Furthermore, remind them that in light of the North Slope oil spill, we should not be advancing legislation that would threaten the pristine wilderness of the Arctic Refuge. Instead we should start looking for cleaner and more efficient energy sources. We prevailed in defeating this proposal last year because of the incredible support from individuals like yourself. With your help we can do it again. Thank you for your continued support in protecting wild Alaska. Sincerely, Lois Norrgard Regional Organizer Alaska Coalition 10368 Columbus Circle Bloomington MN 55420 ph/fx: 952.881-7282 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp