[Think] FWD: Message from Robert Redford on Senate Energy Bill

[Fen Labalme]

Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2002 20:05:09 -0800 (PST)
From: Robert Redford <biogemsnews@savebiogems.org>
Subject: Message from Robert Redford on Senate Energy Bill 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Dear Friend,

Last fall, in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, I asked for 
your help in turning back repeated attempts by the Bush administration 
and pro-oil senators to rush through an energy bill that would have 
opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling under 
the pretext of national security. Hundreds of thousands of us deluged 
the U.S. Senate with messages opposing this blatant attempt by the oil 
lobby to use our national tragedy as an opportunity to advance their 
own narrow interests. We succeeded because of our collective action. 
Our voices were heard.

Your voices are needed once again. Please, take one minute to speak 
out at 
http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/takeaction.asp?step=2&item=1123
on NRDC's BioGems website.  

This week, the Senate begins debate on a far-reaching bill that will 
determine whether America's energy policies will save or destroy our 
natural heritage. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has introduced 
legislation that would protect the Arctic Refuge and reduce our 
nation's dependence on foreign oil by making our cars and trucks more 
fuel efficient. But the Bush administration and a powerful pro-oil 
block of senators are pulling out all stops and continuing to 
aggressively push an energy plan that is patently not in the public 
interest, vowing to pass amendments that would open the Arctic Refuge 
to drilling and block new fuel-efficiency standards. 

Because we possess a paltry 3 percent of the world's oil reserves but 
consume 25 percent of the world's oil supply, we can never drill our 
way to energy independence. If we raise the fuel-economy standards for 
new cars and light trucks to 40 miles per gallon over the next ten 
years, we could save 15 times more oil than the Arctic Refuge is 
likely to produce over the next half century. By the year 2012, fuel 
efficiency would be saving us nearly two million barrels of oil a day 
-- more than all the oil we imported from Saudi Arabia last year. As 
an added benefit, we'd be cutting millions of tons of global warming 
pollution and smog-forming air pollution.
					
Only the oil giants could argue that despoiling the Arctic Refuge 
makes more sense than this cheaper, cleaner, more self-reliant path of 
fuel efficiency. Don't let the U.S. Senate cave in to their pressure! 
These will be the most important environmental votes your senators 
cast all year. Tell them to vote NO to Arctic drilling and YES to 
increased fuel efficiency.

Your voice is now more critical than ever. Go to 
http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/takeaction.asp?step=2&item=1123
and send an email or fax to your senators. And if you want to do more 
to help our cause, please forward this message to as many people as 
you can. 

If we speak with one voice we can preserve our natural heritage AND 
make America more energy independent. We can make a tremendous 
difference in stopping this arrogant attack on our public lands. 
Raising fuel-efficiency standards will lessen our dependence on 
foreign oil. Drilling in the spectacular and pristine Arctic Refuge 
will not. The facts bear this out. It's that simple.

Sincerely yours,
Robert Redford

=====

BioGems: Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org

Note: If you don't want to hear from our environmental partners, send 
an email message to biogemsnews@savebiogems.org with "Please remove my 
name" in the subject line.