1.5 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is now poised for auction then oil and gas drilling. On Monday the Department of the Interior completed its initial review, which sets up the vast coastal plain and birthing grounds for the world's largest caribou herd, the Porcupine herd, for oil and gas drilling. This 19 million-acre wild landscape is flanked by giant peaks and braided rivers that not only sustain the caribou, it is an important polar bear denning site, supports the greatest variety of plant and animal life of any protected area within the Arctic Circle, from arctic fox and musk ox to countless song and shorebirds, which rely on this pristine ecosystem to not just survive, but thrive.
At SITKA, we value ecosystems and believe it's our duty to speak up when we see steps being taken that threaten priceless wild places such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the largest remaining stretch of wilderness in the United States.
We believe that drilling should not be permitted in an area that sustains 187,000 caribou and so much more. The risk posed by drilling for oil and gas is not one to be taken lightly.
Please join us in raising our voices, and speaking up for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This is an ecosystem that must be protected. There's no bringing it back once it's gone.
Please consider signing the petition at
http://bit.ly/Protect_ANWR.
