Dear Friend of Alaska,

While many are discussing how the November 7 election will greatly change the dynamics on Capitol Hill, I’d like to entertain another question:  what does the election mean for Alaska’s wild lands?  I’m happy to report that the tide of change that has just hit DC will bring progress and exciting new opportunities to our Alaska campaigns. 

The Democrats have reclaimed control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.  From an environmental perspective, these changes should be incredibly positive.  In addition to a more favorable congressional body, we will soon find ourselves with more friends in committee chairmanships.  In many cases, a proponent of Arctic drilling and clearcutting in the Tongass will be replaced as chairman by a sound environmental advocate.  For example, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) will likely be replaced as chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources committee by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).  And in the House Energy and Resources committee, Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) will likely be replaced by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV).   Further demonstrating this exciting air of change, Rep. Pombo, largely because of his extreme anti-environmental stances, was actually voted out of Congress. 

With a friendlier political climate, our campaigns will start moving away from the defensive posture we’ve been forced into over the past six-years.  Without constant legislative threats, we will be able to aggressively pursue pro-active legislation during the 110th Congress that would permanently protect many of the wild places that we care about, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Tongass National Forest, and Teshekpuk Lake.  We will also discover new opportunities to work with the committees in both chambers that have oversight authority to examine oil and gas operations and pipeline safety.  Change, indeed, is in the air.

With such exciting changes underway, the time to act for Alaska is now.  Contact your representative and senators.  Congratulate them on their victories.  Enlist their support now for Arctic Wilderness, Tongass protection and an end to leasing in the special areas of the Western Arctic.  And remember, Alaska's wilderness has no party affiliation.  To find your members of Congress and their contact info, follow this link and click on your state.
 
What the Election Means for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

While ten House races are still undecided, there will be at least 53 new members of the House of Representatives and seven new senators.  The majority of these members will likely support protection for the Arctic Refuge, but not all of them have stated this position publicly.  We need your help.  Please call your newly elected members of Congress, congratulate them on their victories, and ask them if they support protecting the Arctic Refuge.  To find your members of Congress and their contact info, follow this link and click on your state.  Let us know what you find out.

Unfortunately, some of the representatives who lost their races were good friends of the Arctic Refuge and unequivocal leaders of the fight to protect the Refuge from legislative sneak-attacks.  Sadly, Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and Rep. Charlie Bass (R-NH) are two of these ousted leaders. 

With the change of leadership in both chambers of Congress, we hope to no longer fight defensive battles on budget and appropriations bills.  The 110th Congress will thus mark a turning point in our campaign.  While Arctic champions introduce permanent protection legislation in every congressional session, the 110th Congress will present one of the best opportunities in years to increase the number of cosponsors and move towards establishing a strong majority of representatives and senators in favor of designating the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge as Wilderness.

What the Election Means for the Tongass National Forest

In 2006, the House passed an amendment to eliminate taxpayer subsidies for building new logging roads in the Tongass.  With new leadership in the House and Senate, we will have the opportunity to work towards extending this success to the Senate and ultimately putting the legislation on the president’s desk to sign into law. 

The new congressional climate will also reinvigorate our efforts to permanently protect ecologically significant areas of the Tongass, including its remaining roadless areas and old-growth stands.  The pro-active legislative strategy coincides with other opportunities in 2007 to protect the Tongass.  The Forest Service is currently engaged in a process of revising the land management plan for the Tongass due to a previously overestimated demand for timber.  And while the Roadless Rule has been restored for all national forests except the Tongass, there is a growing movement requesting that the administration remove the Tongass exemption.

You can help by calling your newly elected members of Congress, congratulating them on their victories, and asking them if they support protecting the Tongass and eliminating taxpayer subsidies for Tongass timber programs.  To find your members of Congress and their contact info, follow this link and click on your state.  Let us know what you find out.

What the Election Means for You

This election proves that you have a voice and that our government listens.  Change, in large part because of people like you, has come.  And progress will follow.  Now is the time to work harder than ever, because now is the time that we can move towards permanently protecting the most important wild lands in Alaska.  Please contact all of your members of Congress and ask them to do everything in their power to protect the Arctic Refuge, the Tongass National Forest, and special areas of the Western Arctic, like Teshekpuk Lake.  To find your members Congress and their contact info, follow this link and click on your state. 

Thanks for helping keep Alaska Wild.

Sincerely,

Cindy Shogan
Executive Director
Alaska Wilderness League
http://capwiz.com/awc/utr/1/NSDBGKNZSG/HUPPGKPNWN/951902981