Tell Congress to protect our lands from another drilling disaster

Tell Congress to protect our lands from another drilling disaster
Residents of the Gulf coast are bracing once again for a tropical storm headed their way. Such a storm could make the BP oilspill - already a disaster - much worse, bringing poisoned waters further inland.
This sort of environmental catastrophe must never happen again. Please join The Wilderness Society in urging Congress to pass Rep. Rahall's CLEAR Act (HR 3534), which will bring critically needed reforms to oil industry practices, onshore and offshore.
Thanks for all you do!
Bob Fertik

The devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may be capped for now, but the crisis is far from over. Big Oil and Gas continue to seek access to beloved lands across America.

Places like Utah's Red Rock country, the magnificent Wyoming Range, and the incomparable Arctic Refuge, could all suffer catastrophic damage from oil and gas drilling. During the next few weeks we have new, quickly moving opportunities for long-term protection of these places, and others.

Please urge Congress to pass the CLEAR Act, and establish real reform of Big Oil and Gas. Action in the House is imminent. Help us reach our goal of 50,000 letters in support of changing the way Big Oil and Gas does business!

We managed to stave off the Bush administration's attempt to open up 80 percent ofUtah's Red Rock country to oil and gas leasing. But it's up to us to ensure that safeguards are enacted to prevent the oil and gas industry from drilling anywhere and any way they want again.

Supporters like you helped pass the Wyoming Range Legacy Act last year, which put parts of the Bridger Teton national forest off limits to new leasing. Unfortunately, existing leases still remain and the Plains Exploration & Production oil company is trying right now to get permits to drill more than 100 new wells in roadless country.

And for more than two decades, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been one of the most highly sought after areas by Big Oil. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (the outspoken proponent of "drill, baby, drill") recently suggested that drilling in the Arctic Refuge would be safer than deep water drilling. But with your continued support, we won't allow that to happen. The consequences of drilling in this pristine wild place would be disastrous for the delicate habitat and wildlife that call it home.

The Wilderness Society is working in Congress, in the courts and with federal agencies to protect these and other areas from drilling.

You can help by writing Congress in support of comprehensive reform of Big Oil and Gas. We want to change the way the Oil and Gas industry does business on federal lands and in offshore waters, requiring tougher environmental reviews, better audits to ensure proper royalties are paid to taxpayers, and protections for communities. Please, make sure that message gets delivered.

Congress's summer recess is right around the corner. The House could vote at any time. Please make sure your representative hears from you. Our goal is to deliver 50,000 letters to Congress in support of oil and gas reform.

Send a letter to your representative in support of reforms today.

The disastrous oil spill in the Gulf is a keen reminder of how urgent it is that we protect our wild places that are still untouched by drilling.
Sincerely,
Kathy Kilmer
The Wilderness Society
Big Oil is still trying to drill in wild lands across the west.
Send a letter to Congress by Monday, August 2 demanding real reform of Big Oil
http://mail.democrats.com/CT00044701MjE1NjI3Mg==.HTML?D=2010-07-22