Fw: Opening ANWR is Not a Solution to Katrina Oil Supply Disruption - FCNL

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Guthrie" <kathyguthrie@fcnl.org>
To: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@optonline.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 5:37 PM
Subject: Opening ANWR is Not a Solution to Katrina Oil Supply Disruption -
FCNL

Hurricane Katrina is forcing us all to recognize how dependent our
nation is on oil and gasoline, and how vulnerable we are to supply
disruptions - whether from devastating hurricanes, unfriendly
oil-producing states, or violent extremists.

Many in Congress believe the answer to U.S. oil dependence and high
gasoline prices is to find more oil in the U.S. by opening the
off-shore continental shelf and more public lands to oil exploration
and offering more subsidies and incentives to oil companies that are
already raking in record profits. A final vote on opening the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil drilling is expected this fall.

Opening ANWR to oil exploration will do nothing to reduce U.S. oil
dependence or gasoline prices either in the short- or long-run. Any oil
discovered in ANWR would take years to reach the market, and even the
most optimistic estimates project that ANWR only has enough oil to meet
a small fraction of our country's expected demand 10 to 20 years from
now. Opening ANWR would also fuel our nation's continuing harmful,
dangerous dependence on oil, while irreparably harming a fragile,
irreplaceable ecosystem and the traditional life ways of the indigenous
people who depend upon it.

There is a far faster, cheaper, more effective, and environmentally
friendly way to reduce U.S. vulnerability to oil and gasoline supply
disruptions and sky-rocketing prices: Reduce demand. Our country has
the know-how and the resources to cut demand for oil in half within a
decade, and even more over the longer-term, through conservation,
increasing the efficiency of our vehicles, expanding public
transportation, and increasing the use of renewable fuels. We can do
it, but Congress must act first to make it so.

Take Action Now

Support the Arctic Refuge Action Day, which is happening on September
20. Contact your representative and senators. Urge them to oppose
opening ANWR to oil exploration. You can find a sample letter on FCNL's
web site: http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/AWNHFAMCKY/DCFIFAMDME/

Talking points to help you write your letter:
* Irreparably harming ANWR is not the answer to U.S. oil dependence.
* Opening ANWR will do nothing to reduce gasoline prices or harmful,
dangerous U.S. oil dependence.
* Reducing oil demand is a faster, cheaper, more effective, and
environmentally friendly way to reduce U.S. vulnerability to oil and
gasoline supply disruptions and sky-rocketing prices.
* Our country has the know-how and the resources to cut demand for oil
in half within a decade, and even more over the longer-term, through
conservation, increasing the efficiency of our vehicles, expanding
public transportation, and increasing the use of renewable fuels.
* More information about the Day of Action: www.ArcticRefugeAction.org

Background:

The House and Senate leadership is concerned that it does not have
enough votes to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil
exploration. Recently, 24 Republican House members wrote to their
leadership saying that they opposed opening ANWR to drilling and
opposed including provisions to open ANWR to drilling in the upcoming
budget reconciliation bill.

The House and Senate leadership has chosen to use the budget
reconciliation process as the means to enact authorizing language to
open ANWR. By using the budget reconciliation process, the leadership
hopes to avoid the threat of a filibuster in the Senate (the rules
governing budget reconciliation bills prohibit filibusters) and force
House Republican opponents to abandon their opposition to opening ANWR
in favor of supporting $35 billion in spending cuts.

FCNL's latest newsletter article on U.S.-China oil dependence:
www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1458&issue_id=24

FCNL's latest newsletter article on ANWR:
www.fcnl.org/now/htm_final/apr05_oil.php

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fcnl@fcnl.org * www.fcnl.org
phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330

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