FYI: Below is REP’s alert language. Feel free to borrow anything in it that will help with other alerts.
Dave
Arctic Refuge under Assault Again
Some House and Senate leaders, eager to take advantage of concerns over high gasoline prices, have announced intentions to ram through legislation opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil development. The fact that the drilling the Arctic Refuge would have almost no impact on gas prices – a mere penny per gallon 20 years from now – does not prevent them from trumpeting this as a solution.
This threat is serious and urgent! Both the House and Senate may consider Arctic Refuge drilling legislation anytime over the next week or two. The Senate plan being advanced by Senators Ted Stevens (AK), Pete Domenici (NM) and Rick Santorum (PA) combines Refuge drilling with a ploy to give every American $100 for buying gasoline – a slight of hand that takes your tax dollars and funnels them back though you to further enrich the oil industry.
This latest drilling scheme isn't about reducing gas prices and helping consumers – it's about giving oil companies another big taxpayer-financed gift when they're already rolling in record profits. With only 2 percent of the world’s oil, no amount of domestic drilling will be sufficient to reduce gasoline prices or dependence on foreign oil. The only proven way to force prices down is to significantly reduce the use of oil though fuel efficiency and a shift to alternative fuels.
If drilling proponents are successful, they will be emboldened to continue obstructing real progress towards clean energy solutions that enhance our energy security, lower prices and help address the problem of climate change.
Please contact both of your Senators and your Representative as soon as possible! Urge them to vote against any legislation that would allow drilling in America’s Arctic Refuge and pursue real solutions that will wean us off our dangerous and expensive oil addiction. The letter below provides a quick and easy way to do this. Customizing the letter a bit will increase its impact.
David Jenkins
Government Affairs Director
Republicans for Environmental Protection
Ph: (703) 785-9570
Fax: (703) 354-1097