---

from The Wilderness Society March 1, 2003

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Wyoming's Upper Green River Valley is a magnificent
western landscape of broad sagebrush plains surrounded
by towering snowcapped peaks. Part of the Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem, it serves as a crucial wintering area for
enormous herds of pronghorn antelope, mule deer, elk,
and moose. Every spring and fall antelope complete
the longest big-game migration in the lower 48 States
travelling between Grand Teton National Park and the
Upper Green.

The BLM has begun the "scoping" process, which will
determine what issues the agency will consider as it
revises its land use plan for the area. The pivotal
question is whether the BLM will write a balanced plan
that includes protection of free-ranging wildlife and
clear vistas for our children to enjoy, or allow full-scale
industrial development of this magnificent valley for
the benefit of energy companies.  

Your comments will help shape the answer to that question.
The deadline for comments is April 1, 2003. You can
take action immediately from http://ga1.org/campaign/pinedale_tws

********************************
BACKGROUND
The Upper Green River Valley of Wyoming is Greater
Yellowstone's crucial link. It connects the stunning
mountain ranges that spill out of Yellowstone and Grand
Teton National Parks with a unique and spectacular
landscape of the Red Desert.  

The Valley nestles between the high peaks of the Wind
River, Gros Ventre and Wyoming Ranges. It is home and
habitat for impressive herds of pronghorn, mule deer
and elk, as well as golden eagles, peregrine falcons
and the increasingly rare sage grouse.

********************************
IMPORTANT WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
Each fall, more than 100,000 animals travel on ancient
paths from their summer homes in Greater Yellowstone's
mountain highlands in the vicinity of Grand Teton National
Park to the grasslands of the Upper Green River Valley
and beyond to the Red Desert. Many other unique and
sensitive species find refuge in the Upper Green River
Valley, including sixteen species of fish which occupy
the Green River, the largest tributary to the Colorado
River.  

But amidst this magnificence is trouble: energy companies
and government officials tout the Upper Green River
Valley as becoming one of the major natural gas-producing
region in the United States. In addition to the thousands
of wells that already scar and fragment the landscape
and the many additional wells already authorized, industry
recently proposed to drill up to 210 new coal bed methane
wells in the foothills of the Wyoming Range.

And that is the most serious threat to these public
lands. The industry is pressing for unrestricted access
to the natural gas deposits that underlie this ecologically
rich and historically significant landscape.  

********************************
OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE YOUR CONCERN
The decision on whether to open these public lands
to massive energy development lies in the hands of
the Pinedale Field Office of the BLM. And given the
emphasis the Administration has placed on opening even
more public lands to drilling, the risk is clear and
present. Past, present and proposed actions leave little
doubt about the impact of full-scale development in
the Upper Green.

For example, the BLM has already approved six major
oil and gas projects that have fragmented hundreds
of thousands of acres of the Valley. In addition to
these already approved gas fields, the energy industry
recently proposed a new project which would bring coal
bed methane (CBM) development to the Valley. With the
"South Piney Gas Project" industry is hoping to get
approval to drill up to 210 new CBM wells in the foothills
of the Wyoming Range on the western edge of the Upper
Green River Valley.  

Before these proposals can advance, the BLM must first
update its land use management plan for the Pinedale
Resource Area, which includes the 1.2 million acres
of public lands in the Upper Green River Valley. A
first step in that process (which will eventually lead
to drafting of an environmental impact statement) is
called "scoping"-asking the public what issues and
concerns it has and wants reflected in the plan revisions.
Our comments now, during this important phase, will
influence management of this Valley for the next 10-20
years. It's a vitally important opportunity to tell
the BLM that it must craft a management plan that protects
the wildlife resource and carefully controls ongoing
energy development. In addition, we must tell the BLM
that it cannot develop the new South Piney Gas Project
until it has considered your concerns and made final
the revision of the Pinedale RMP.  

The outcome of the process is pivotal to the health
of the Upper Green's public lands, wildlife, and communities.
If the Administration and industry prevail in their
push to open up essentially the entire Valley to oil
and gas exploration and development, and to give this
use priority over all other uses, the southern reaches
of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will be transformed.
What is today a place of vast open spaces with free-roaming
wildlife herds, critical big-game migration corridors,
clean air and water, and outstanding recreational opportunities
would likely become a sprawling industrial zone.

******************************
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Take Action Now!
You can send your comments immediately by hitting the
reply key or go to our website to take action at:
http://ga1.org/campaign/pinedale_tws
Or if you prefer to send your own letter, please feel
free to draw from the sample letter below. Remember,
though: your own words are the best words. And if you
have ever visited the Upper Green River Valley, please
say so in your comments. The deadline is April 1, 2003!

You can mail comments to:

Kellie Roadifer, Pinedale RMP Team Leader
Prill Mecham, South Piney Natural Gas Development Project

Bureau of Land Management
P.O. Box 768
Pinedale, WY 82941

And you can email comments to comments@pinedalermp.com

Thank you for your help and thank you for being a part
of WildAlert, our online community of wilderness advocates!

*******************************
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Ms. Mecham:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Pinedale
Field Office's Resource Management Plan revision process.
I strongly urge that, as you move forward with that
process, and also as you consider whether to proceed
with development of South Piney Gas Project or other
energy development, you ensure that such plans adequately
protect the Upper Green River Valley's other outstanding
values. Among them are the Greater Yellowstone's big-game
herds and clean air and water. They also include unsurpassed
recreational opportunities and community values such
as the survival of the area's ranching operations.

With that in mind, I specifically urge you to:  

-Prohibit oil and gas leasing and development in environmentally
sensitive areas. These include big-game migration corridors,
bottlenecks, winter and transitional ranges, sage grouse
nesting habitat, the Green and New Fork River corridors,
the scenic Wind River and Wyoming Fronts and areas
of critical environmental concern;

-Delay the environmental analysis of new gas projects,
such as the South Piney Gas/CBM Project until the RMP
is complete. This is essential since the current RMP
fails to evaluate the impacts of CBM and because, without
an updated RMP, the BLM cannot properly complete an
impacts analysis or adopt mitigation measures;

-Cluster oil and gas development in concentrated areas
and fully reclaim them before developing any other
gas fields such as new CBM wells in the foothills of
the Wyoming Range;

-Protect the air and water quality of local communities
and of adjacent mountain ranges, where pollutants can
be deposited in alpine waters;  

-Adopt and strictly enforce meaningful mitigation and
monitoring requirements;

-Protect the rights of surface owners where the federal
government owns the mineral rights underlying private
lands; and,

-Require industry to reclaim all disturbed areas and
provide sufficient bonds to protect taxpayers from
cleanup and restoration costs.

Thank you for your consideration of my comments and
concerns. Please add my name to your mailing list so
I can remain involved in this process.

Sincerely,
(Your name and address)

**********************************

WORDS TO INSPIRE:
If people destroy something replaceable made by mankind,
they are called vandals; if they destroy something
irreplaceable made by God, they are called developers.
-Joseph Wood Krutch

**********************************
CONTACT US AT: action@tws.org

You can take action on this alert either via email
(please see directions below) or via the web at:
http://ga1.org/campaign/pinedale_tws/inbx8bz47xx3

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about
this.
http://ga1.org/campaign/pinedale_tws/forward/inbx8bz47xx3

We encourage you to take action by April 2, 2003

Upper Green River Valley: Wildlife Haven or Industrial
Gas Field?  

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action
on this alert by going to the following URL:

http://ga1.org/campaign/pinedale_tws/inbx8bz47xx3  

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:
Just choose the "reply to sender" option on your email
program.

Your letter will be addressed and sent to:
Kellie Roadifer, Prill Mecham  

----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Pinedale
Field Office's Resource Management Plan revision process.


I strongly urge that, as you move forward with that
process, and also as you consider whether to proceed
with development of South Piney Gas Project or other
energy development, you ensure that such plans adequately
protect the Upper Green River Valley's other outstanding
values. Among them are the Greater Yellowstone's big-game
herds and clean air and water. They also include unsurpassed
recreational opportunities and community values such
as the survival of the area's ranching operations.

With that in mind, I specifically urge you to:  

-Prohibit oil and gas leasing and development in environmentally
sensitive areas. These include big-game migration corridors,
bottlenecks, winter and transitional ranges, sage grouse
nesting habitat, the Green and New Fork River corridors,
the scenic Wind River and Wyoming Fronts and areas
of critical environmental concern;

-Delay the environmental analysis of new gas projects,
such as the South Piney Gas/CBM Project until the RMP
is complete. This is essential since the current RMP
fails to evaluate the impacts of CBM and because, without
an updated RMP, the BLM cannot properly complete an
impacts analysis or adopt mitigation measures;

-Cluster oil and gas development in concentrated areas
and fully reclaim them before developing any other
gas fields such as new CBM wells in the foothills of
the Wyoming Range;

-Protect the air and water quality of local communities
and of adjacent mountain ranges, where pollutants can
be deposited in alpine waters;  

-Adopt and strictly enforce meaningful mitigation and
monitoring requirements;

-Protect the rights of surface owners where the federal
government owns the mineral rights underlying private
lands; and,

-Require industry to reclaim all disturbed areas and
provide sufficient bonds to protect taxpayers from
cleanup and restoration costs.

Thank you for your consideration of my comments and
concerns. Please add my name to your mailing list so
I can remain involved in this process.

----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----

---

from American Rivers March 5, 2003

---

Support your RIGHT TO KNOW if factories and plants in your community
are good corporate citizens or law-breakers.  Please let the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) know that you support their
initiative to keep the public informed.  EPA has created an online
database of compliance records for more than 800,000 regulated
facilities nationwide, including those permitted to dispose of
pollutants in rivers and streams.  The EPA has been trying out this
public information system, and is now accepting comments on whether
or not to continue this service.

To submit your comments to the EPA, visit
http://www.amrivers.org/takeaction/ today!

The Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database,
www.epa.gov/echo, gives the public access to the compliance history
of regulated facilities; it provides inspection, violation,
enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities for the
past two years.  It is important that the EPA hears that this
information is helpful to you for supporting your right to know -
there will undoubtedly be efforts by polluters to limit  the amount
and types of information made available to the public.  

Please let the EPA know you do not want to be kept in the dark.
For more information and to take action, visit
http://www.amrivers.org/takeaction/

Thank you for your continued commitment.

-Kelly Miller
Action Center Manager
American Rivers

---

from American Lands March 5, 2003

---

To:   All Activists
Fr:   Lisa Dix, American Lands
Date: March 5, 2003

UPDATE:  Fire Hysteria Starts Early in the 108th Congress

Several fire bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives over the last two months that suspend environmental laws in order to expedite logging across National Forest and BLM lands in the name of 'fire risk reduction'.  In addition, the House Resources Committee is conducting a field hearing this Friday, March 7, 2003, in Flagstaff, Arizona to launch the Bush Administration's so-called Healthy Forests Initiative.  Resources Chairman Richard Pombo (R-CA), Forest Subcommittee Chairman Scott McInnis (R-CO) and other republican House Resource Committee members will attend the Flagstaff hearing to promote President Bush's very ecologically unhealthy plan. The Bush Administration's Initiative:

· Excludes environmental analysis for any site-specific project the Forest Service and BLM claim will reduce hazardous fuels, including post-fire salvage projects;
· Limits public participation by allowing "hazardous fuels reduction projects" to be categorically excluded and suspends citizen's rights to appeal projects; and
· Allows the Forest Service to give the most economically valuable and fire resistant trees to the timber industry as a payment for fuels reduction logging.

The House Resources Committee's top priority by April of this year is to pass fire legislation that models Bush's Healthy Forests Initiative. In fact, Forest Subcommittee Chairman Scott McInnis recently stated, "My top priority this session is to enact a healthy forest measure…With the next fire season just around the corner, we can't wait any longer to get a handle around this volatile situation brewing in our nation's forests."   

In addition to Representative McInnis' fire legislation proposal, which will likely be announced in the next couple weeks, other fire bills that have already been introduced in the House of Representatives include:

Wildfire Prevention and Forest Health Protection Act (H.R. 387).  This bill introduced on January 27, 2003 by Representative Shadegg (R- AZ) would authorize the Regional Foresters to exempt all "tree-thinning projects" in order to "prevent the occurrence of wildfire likely to cause extreme harm to the forest ecosystem, from laws that give rise to legal causes of action that delay or prevent such projects."  Every single environmental law could be exempted under this bill.

Wildfire Prevention Act 2003 (HR 460).  Introduced on January 29, 2003 by Representative Hayworth (R-AZ) and seven other co-sponsors, this bill establishes Fire Institutes to conduct research on "the prevention of, and restoration from, wildfires in forest and woodland ecosystems of the interior West."  These research centers would be established in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado in cooperation with colleges and universities of the above states and "other organizations and entities in the interior West (such as the Western Governors' Association)."

Wildfire Response Act of 2003 (HR 575).  This bill introduced by Rep. Hefley (R-CO) on February 5, 2003 would "expedite the process by which the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture may utilize military aircraft to fight wildfires, and for other purposes."

Rodeo-Chediski Economic and Forest Health Recovery Act (HR 879).  Representative Shadegg (R-AZ) introduced this bill on February 13, 2003.  The bill would exempt from any and all environmental laws all "tree-thinning projects" and all projects "located in the area of the Rodeo-Chediski Fire on the Apache-Stigreaves or Tonto National Forests that involves the removal of trees that the Regional Forester determines are dead or severely damaged from fire as part of a salvage timber effort."  

Forest Restoration and Fire Risk Reduction Act (HR 1042).  Representatives Mark Udall (D-CO) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced this bill on February 27, 2003. The bill attempts to: (i) refocus the National Fire Plan to "areas of highest risk to people, property, and water supplies," (ii) improve problem solving among people "interested in reducing the risk of unnaturally severe wildfires and restoring the diversity of forested lands," (iii) encourage "sustainable communities and sustainable forests through collaborative partnerships," and to (iv) "develop, demonstrate, and evaluate ecologically sound forest restoration techniques and assist in carrying out forest restoration projects."  The Udall bill is the only bill that does not outright suspend environmental laws to expedite logging for fuels reduction. While some of the goals outlined in the bill are laudable the bill is problematic because it: (i) allows for maximum agency discretion in defining the wildland urban interface (community protection zone), (ii) contains few environmental safeguards for fuels reduction and restoration projects, and (iii) substantially shortens the appeals process.  

Please contact your Representative at 202/224-3121 and urge them to:

1).  Oppose any fire legislation that excludes environmental analysis, limits public participation and citizen's rights to appeal projects; and allows the timber industry to be given trees instead of cash as payment for fuels reduction logging on public lands.

2). Support community protection as the top priority of the fuel reduction program. This requires focusing fuels projects in the Community Protection Zone, which is defined as 200 feet from an individual inhabited structure to provide defensible space and up to a maximum of 1/4 mile from a community’s inhabited structures to provide community and firefighter protection.  Government research has found this is the only proven method to protect homes and communities.  

3). Support directing a majority of the fuels budget to private, state and tribal lands where the vast majority of the lands within the community protection zone exist.

For a full copy of the above bills go to: http.thomas.loc.gov.  For more information contact: Lisa Dix, Campaign Coordinator, American Lands.  Mailto:ldix@americanlands.org; phone: 202-547-9105.

---

from Defenders of Wildlife March 5, 2003

---

A Bi-weekly Update from Defenders of Wildlife: Working to Save Wildlife and Wild Lands WOLF ALERT: New federal rule threatens comeback canids DRILLING DANGER: Report confirms environmental damage on Alaska's North Slope SAVING FORESTS: Help stop latest Bush administration attack on environment DEN VICTORY: New Jersey, Delaware restrict horseshoe crab harvesting NEW BENEFIT: With Defenders credit card, help wildlife with every dollar you charge WESTERN LANDS: Administration targets fragile wildlife habitat POISON HAZARD: EPA about to undermine wildlife protections AND THE WINNERS ARE: Kids win savings bonds in our wolf essay, poster contests 1. WOLF ALERT: New federal rule threatens comeback canids A new federal rule – classifying many wolves as merely threatened rather than endangered – is imminent. It's the first step by Interior Secretary Gale Norton toward putting wolves under the control of states where politicians want to eradicate these magnificent animals. Wyoming's state wildlife agency has recently gone on record for allowing wolves to be killed like skunks or jackrabbits. And some Montana politicians want to let citizens shoot wolves on sight by the end of this year. WHAT YOU CAN DO: To send a petition to Secretary Norton urging her to protect wolves for future generations, go to www.savewolves.org . 2. DRILLING DANGER: Report confirms environmental damage on Alaska's North Slope A long-awaited report to Congress on the impacts of oil and gas development on Alaska's North Slope today confirmed what conservationists have said all along: Oil development in the Arctic is incompatible with efforts to preserve key wildlife habitat and sensitive species such as caribou and migrating birds. The report, compiled by the National Research Council, has found that the environment and culture of the North Slope of Alaska has been "significantly affected by oil infrastructure and activities." Read more: http://www.defenders.org/releases/pr2003/pr030403.html . 3. SAVING FORESTS: Help stop latest Bush administration attack on environment Our Defenders' Environmental Network has generated more than 230,000 e-mails to the Forest Service and Congress protesting the administration's latest attack on the environment – an attempt to gut the National Forest Management Act and throw open America's national forests to more unsustainable logging. But if we're going to stop this outrageous proposal, we need the support of everyone who cares about wildlife and its habitat. Because of the strength of public reaction, the deadline for comments has been extended until April 7. So please join our campaign today and tell your friends about this threat to our national forests. To send a petition to Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth, go to www.SaveNationalForests.org . 4.  DEN VICTORY: New Jersey, Delaware restrict horseshoe crab harvesting Thanks to e-mails from DEN members in New Jersey and Delaware, those states have banned harvesting of horseshoe crabs from Delaware Bay during the spring spawning period and will limit access to certain beaches. The measures are aimed at protecting the imperiled red knot and other shorebirds that feed on horseshoe crab eggs during their annual migration north. Nearly a million shorebirds migrate through the Delaware Bay area each spring. 5.  NEW BENEFIT: With Defenders credit card, help wildlife with every dollar you charge Choose the rewards that are right for you, including cash, travel, great merchandise, and even gift certificates. You can earn one point for every purchase dollar you charge when you use your Defenders no annual fee Platinum Plus(R) Visa(R) Credit Card with WorldPoints Rewards. Besides enjoying your rewards, you'll be helping to save America's imperiled wildlife, its habitat and the environment we share. MBNA America Bank, the issuer and administrator of our credit card program, makes a contribution to Defenders for every purchase you make - at no additional cost to you. To learn more about the rates, fees, costs, and exclusive WorldPoints benefits and services associated with the use of the card, go to www.applyonlinenow.com/us/LDI8-A000000X6E 6.  WESTERN LANDS: Administration targets fragile wildlife habitat The Bush administration wants to open fragile wildlife habitat in Wyoming to destructive energy exploration projects. The Bureau of Land Management is now targeting the Upper Green River Valley and the Great Divide in south-central Wyoming. These proposals would destroy the habitat of a number of threatened species, including the pronghorn antelope, burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk and Canada lynx. These areas also serve as crucial wintering grounds for pronghorn antelope from Grand Teton National Park. To send an e-mail urging the BLM not to move forward with these projects, go to: www.denaction.org and click on alerts #214 and #215. 7.  POISON HAZARD: EPA about to undermine wildlife protections The Bush administration is considering undermining protection for wildlife from harmful pesticides. This proposal would severely weaken one of the bedrock provisions of the Endangered Species Act. That provision requires the Environmental Protection Agency to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to ensure that no action is undertaken jeopardizing the continued existence of any endangered or threatened wildlife. To send an e-mail urging the EPA not to undermine the Endangered Species Act, go to www.denaction.org and click on Alert # 213. 8.  AND THE WINNERS ARE: Kids win savings bonds in our wolf essay, poster contests With more than 1,600 entries received for our national wolf essay and poster contests, it wasn't easy to pick winners, but the judges have made their selections. Brian Fullwood of Michie, Tenn., Raven Sanders of Baton Rouge, La., and Keisha Uhl of Stanley, Idaho, won first, second and third place respectively in the essay contest. Winners of the poster contest were Catherine Rivard of Arlington, Minn., Seung-Yea Shin of Duluth, Ga., and Hollyann Popp of Salem, Ohio. Students submitted interesting, innovative essays on "Protecting Wolves in the United States" and posters based on "Wolves in Wild Places." The contests helped raise students' awareness about this important species and how they impact their ecosystem, and winners received $1,000, $500 or $250 savings bonds. To see the winning submissions, go to www.kidsplanet.org . And be sure to check back for a new national essay contest on dolphins this spring. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO DENLINES DENlines is a bi-weekly update of Defenders of Wildlife, a leading national conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. It is known for its effective leadership on endangered species issues, particularly predators such as brown bears and gray wolves. Defenders also advocates new approaches to wildlife conservation that protect species before they become endangered. Founded in 1947, Defenders is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with more than 400,000 members and supporters. To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to denlines@den.defenders.org and put the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Defenders of Wildlife 1101 14th Street, N.W. Suite 1400 Washington, DC 20005 Copyright Defenders of Wildlife 2003

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from Alaska Rainforest Campaign March 5, 2003

---

VOICE YOUR SUPPORT FOR WILDERNESS!

1. Bush Administration Plan for Tongass Wilderness – A “Leave-No-Tree-Behind” Policy
2. Action: Voice Your Support – We Can Gain Permanent Protection for Tongass Roadless Areas! Click here (http://www.akrain.org/action/default.asp?news_id=149), or on the “Take Action” button at the top of the Alaska Rainforest Campaign website, to send a letter to your Members of Congress.

* * *

1. BUSH ADMINISTRATION PLAN FOR TONGASS ROADLESS AREAS – A “LEAVE-NO-TREE-BEHIND” POLICY

Last Friday (2/28/03), the Bush Administration failed to heed the American public’s demand to protect Alaska’s magnificent Tongass National Forest, signing off on a controversial forest plan revision.  The Forest Service reviewed over nine million roadless acres and determined that not a single acre deserved long-term protection, leaving open to logging much of what’s left of the largest and oldest trees in the rainforest.

The Forest Service’s final decision for the Tongass builds off a bad draft plan which failed to recommend any new wilderness and drew widespread criticism in Alaska and nationally. During a public comment period on the draft plan, testimony at Alaska-based public hearings on the plan ran at almost ninety percent in favor of new wilderness protections. In addition, over 175,000 Americans from across the country submitted comments in support of new Tongass wilderness.

At the same time as announcing its Tongass decision, the Forest Service reaffirmed a decision made last May to decrease Wilderness recommendations on the Chugach National Forest to levels below protection recommended by the Reagan Administration.

The Forest Service announcements last week represent a systematic disregard for protections overwhelming supported by Americans – in and out of Alaska.


2. ACTION: VOICE YOUR OUTRAGE AT THE “ANTI-WILDERNESS” DECISIONS

* Click here (http://www.akrain.org/action/default.asp?news_id=149), or on the “Take Action” button at the top of the Alaska Rainforest Campaign website, to send a letter to your Members of Congress.

We need Senators and Representatives to seek additional protections for rainforest and continue to oppose any efforts to exempt the Tongass and Chugach National Forests from the Roadless Rule – a critical line of defense FOR the rainforest! A stealth attempt last month in Congress to exempt Alaska’s forests from the Roadless Rule - a critical measure of protection - was thwarted thanks to the overwhelming mobilization of calls and letters to Congress from across the country.

Our calls, letters and emails do make a difference. Sending a letter to today will help increase support in the House of Representatives for the Alaska Rainforest Conservation Act (HR 979) and cultivate rainforest champions in the Senate.


*Send a Letter to Editor of your local paper. Visit the following site – www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/ - to send a letter to the editor by email. Here are a couple of suggested letters that you should feel free to personalize!

SAMPLE LETTER 1
Dear Editor,

I was deeply dismayed to learn that the Bush Administration has chosen to ignore overwhelming public opinion and scientific research in its decision to recommend no new Wilderness protection for roadless areas in the Tongass National Forest and to reduce recommended protections in the Chugach National Forest.

These are our two largest national forests and represent one of the rarest places on earth – a coastal, temperate rainforest. And while they are located in Alaska far from where most of us live, they are National Forests which belong to all of us.

The decisions made last week are short-term political decisions benefiting special interests like the logging industry, they are not policies worthy of one of the Earth’s most spectacular places. It’s time for Congress to step in and make sure what remains of the wild, roadless forests in Alaska are permanently protected for future generations to enjoy.

Sincerely,
Full name and address

SAMPLE LETTER 2

Dear Editor,

I am very angry about last week’s (2-28-03) news that the Bush Administration has decided to keep open up most of the remaining roadless areas on the Tongass National Forest in Alaska for logging and road building.

More than 175,000 people from around the country, including more than 70 members of Congress and 86 percent of the people who testified at hearings in Alaska, told the Forest Service they wanted the agency to keep logging and logging roads out of big blocks of virgin rainforest known as roadless areas.  

Despite the overwhelming support of the public, the Forest Service under President Bush’s watch decided that not one acre of the more than 9 million acres of undeveloped wild forest deserved to be protected as Wilderness. Furthermore, the Bush Administration has indicated that the landmark national Roadless Rule should not include the Tongass.

I am hopeful that we will be able to count on Congress to stem the assault on the rainforest which is truly a one-of-a-kind national treasure.

Sincerely,
Full name and address

****

For more information on this alert or other issues relating to the Tongass and Chugach National Forests contact: Laurie Cooper, Forest Program Director, Alaska Coalition (laurie@alaskacoalition.org).

If at anytime you wish to unsubscribe please visit http://www.akrain.org/howtohelp/default.asp where you can easily remove yourself from the list.  

Thanks for your support.

Alaska Rainforest Campaign Staff.

---

from Care2 alerts March 6, 2003

---

ThePetitionSite has worked hard
to provide you with monthly Environment alerts, keeping
you up-to-date on the latest happenings in world around
you -- including information on important campaigns across
the country and what you can do to help! Today we are proud
to bring you a special environmental update with even more
opportunities to take action on behalf of the environment.

What's inside:

1.  At Risk: Mountain Lions, Eagles, Coyotes...
2. Survivor: Who Can Really Take the Heat?
3. Fact or Fiction: Did you know...?

___________________________
1.  At Risk: Mountain Lions, Eagles, Coyotes...
You can take action now to save the Red Desert! It's F*REE
to sign, and we're trying to collect over 10,000 signatures.
C*lick here! http://www.care2.com/go/z/4743

Over 350 species of wildlife including; pronghorn antelope,
a rare desert elk herd, mountain lions, coyotes, golden
eagles, ferruginous hawks, and bands of wild horses make
their home in the stunning desert landscapes of the Red
Desert's multi-colored buttes, rolling sagebrush bluffs, and
mysterious hoodoos.

Unfortunately, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
decided to give priority to oil and gas development in the
heart of the Red Desert. The BLM's plan would allow several
hundred new oil and gas wells to be drilled in sensitive
wildlife habitats. If the plan is finalized, it would ensure that a
spider-web of new roads, utility lines and drilling rigs would
slowly be woven over the next thirty years, destroying the wild
character of this spectacular desert and endangering wildlife
habitat.

There is a better alternative: the Citizens' Wildlife and
Wildlands Alternative. This balanced plan would protect the
irreplaceable resources and ensure that oil and gas development
and other resource extraction activities do not destroy the Red
Desert and its wildlife!

The Bureau of Land Management can not ignore us! Demand
a Management plan that reflects the priorities of conservation
and wildlife protection. Sign our F*REE petition and your
comments will be sent to the BLM. http://www.care2.com/go/z/4743

___________________________
2. Survivor: Who Can Really Take the Heat?

What is a desert? Deserts are areas of extreme heat and
dryness, just as most of us envision them. Deserts and
Semiarid regions average less than 20 inches of annual
precipitation. When people think of deserts, they often think
of barren dunes-- a wasteland. But deserts are anything
but barren. Deserts are filled with a plethora of flora and
fauna... uniquely adapted to survive in the extremely hot and
arid conditions of the desert.

Fortunately, most desert animals have evolved both
behavioral and physiological mechanisms to survive in
desert conditions. Among the thousands of desert animal
species, there are as many behavioral and structural
adaptations to make it possible to deal with excess heat
and little water.

Many animals, to avoid heat, restrict all their activities to
the cooler temperatures of the evening and night. Some
animals use burrowing techniques to protect themselves
from the heat of the day. A few desert animals hibernate
when the days become too hot and the vegetation too
dry. They sleep away the hottest part of the summer.

Desert creatures have also learned when and how to find
water when they need it! Many animals get water directly
from plants, particularly succulent ones, such as cactus.
Many species of insects thrive in the deserts this way. The
abundance of insect life permits insectivorous birds, bats
and lizards to thrive in the desert.

In addition to behavior, animals have evolved survival
mechanisms. The enormous ears of jackrabbits, with their
many blood vessels, release heat when the animal is
resting in a cool, shady location. Their relatives in cooler
regions have much shorter ears. In addition, many desert
animals are paler than their relatives elsewhere in more
moderate environments.

One spectacular example of desert ingenuity is the
Kangaroo rat! They live in underground dens which they seal
off to block out midday heat and to recycle the moisture from
their own breathing. They also have specialized kidneys that
extract most of the water from their urine and return it to the
blood stream. And much of the moisture that would be exhaled
in breathing is recaptured in the nasal cavities by specialized
organs!  

So next time you see those images of desert dunes, remember...
there's more to it than meets the eye!
___________________________
3. Fact or Fiction: Did you know...?

Did you know that...
**The world's largest desert is the Sahara. It stretches across
North Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea and covers
about 8 million sq km ( 3 million sq miles ). The highest air
temperature, 58 degrees C (136.4 degrees F ), was recorded in
Libya, in the Sahara.
**During the day many deserts are very hot. Temperatures in
excess of 100 degrees fahrenheit are not uncommon. Yet at
night, the same deserts can have temperatures fall to close to
freezing. Other deserts, such as the Gobi in China and Mongolia,
the Great Basin in the United States or the Atacama in Chile all
have bitterly cold winters.
**Deserts are the driest places in the world, with less than 25 cm
( 10 in ) of rain per year.
**Deserts cover about one-fifth of all the land in the world. Most
deserts lie between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.
**Deserts are second only to tropical rain forests in the variety
of plants and animals that live there.
**The world's deserts are growing through desertification. This
happens when grasslands that border the desert become as dry
as the desert. Desertification can also be caused by intense farming.

---

from Natural Resources Defense Council March 7, 2003

---

Dear NRDC BioGems Defender,

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not the only Alaskan
wilderness endangered by President Bush's "drain America first"
energy plan. Right now, the Bush administration is pushing a scheme
to promote oil development in Alaska's Western Arctic, a sprawling
land of snow-clad peaks, glacial valleys, rolling tundra meadows, and
unsurpassed wildlife populations.

Please register your opposition to this destructive plan today by
going to
http://www.savebiogems.org/watchlist/takeaction.asp?step=2&item=1492

The Western Arctic is the calving ground for a caribou herd numbering
450,000, as well as the summer nesting ground for millions of birds
from six different continents. Many Native Alaskans, who have lived
here for thousands of years, depend on the area's caribou, waterfowl,
and fish for their survival.

Known formally as the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, this vast
Western Arctic wilderness was set aside in 1923 for oil production in
time of pressing national need. But not even during the darkest days
of World War II or the oil embargo of the 1970s was it ever
developed.

Now, though, the Bush administration is targeting this pristine
Arctic ecosystem for rampant development. Two of its
proposed "alternatives" would lease between 96 and 100 percent of the
reserve for oil and gas development.

The NRDC BioGems Campaign is advocating full protection for 35
percent of the reserve that encompasses critical wildlife habitats.
Oil drilling would be prohibited in these habitats, which include a
polar bear denning area, a lagoon inhabited by spotted seals and
beluga whales, and a river nesting area for peregrine falcons.

The Bush administration is taking public comments on the fate of the
Western Arctic through March 18th. Please tell the administration to
adopt a plan that responsibly balances energy development with
protecting Arctic wildlife.

Take one minute to send your message right now by going to
http://www.savebiogems.org/watchlist/takeaction.asp?step=2&item=1492

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
President
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)

. . .

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

---

from Environmental Defense March 10, 2003

---

Stop Loophole From Spoiling Organic Food Labels

 Backroom deals in Congress threaten the integrity of our nation's organic food.
  Send a message to your Representative, Maurice Hinchey, supporting the repeal of

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Your Congressperson

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: Repeal Organics Rider

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I urge you to support H.R. 955, a bill to repeal a rider inserted into the February 2003 Omnibus Appropriations Bill on behalf of a Georgia poultry company. This rider undermines the integrity of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) new standards for organic foods. It allows organic meat, poultry, egg and dairy producers to evade a requirement that animals be fed 100% organic feed, if organic feed is more than twice as expensive as conventional feed.

Producing, selling and purchasing organic products are voluntary actions. Selling products as "organic" however, should require compliance with rigorous government organic standards. Compromised standards will undermine the success of the USDA's organic program, which depends on close adherence to organic standards so that consumers trust and value organic labels. Recognizing the critical importance of consumer trust, many groups and individuals including small farmers, big companies such as Tyson Foods, USDA Secretary Ann Veneman, and consumers such as myself, strongly oppose the organic feed rider. Please lend your support to H.R. 955 to repeal the organic feed rider and ensure that organic standards mean what they imply.

---

from 20/20 Vision March 10, 2003

---

Stop the Republicans¹ March To Nuclear Proliferation!

What¹s At Stake:

The longstanding US ban on research, production, testing AND USE of nuclear
weapons

The average citizen would be shocked to learn that Congress is quietly
calling for greater US capacity to use nuclear weapons. Sadly, it¹s true. A
new report by House Republican leaders recommends: underground nuclear tests
within 18 months, use of nukes against ³hardened² underground targets; a
revitalized capacity to produce nuclear weapons, and repeal of the current
ban on research for low-yield nuclear weapons. (Less than five kilotons,
these weapons could be used in conventional battle situations). Yikes!

These steps would weaken international security and further jeopardize US
credibility as it prepares for war with Iraq. Publisher of the Bulletin of
the Atomic Scientists Stephen Schwartz said, "It would be impossible to
maintain the nonproliferation regime we now haveŠ The whole system would
break down if you took these steps."  The Bush administration¹s inaction
against North Korea¹s nuclear program further weakens the multilateral
disarmament framework.

We are truly at a historic moment. The longstanding US ban on underground
tests and low-yield nukes are about to be thrown out the window. Members of
20/20 Vision helped hold back a repeal of the ban on low-yield nukes last
November, but this will be harder to save with full Republican control of
Congress.

We must move in the exact opposite direction‹reducing and eliminating all
nuclear weapons. Don¹t sit this one out folks, because the non-proliferation
regime could be in serious danger. Do it now and then please pass on this
card (or better yet‹multiple copies) to everybody you know!

Action: Urge your Representative in the House to oppose the leadership¹s
nuclear policy. Tell him/her that this is NOT the time to resume research,
production, testing or use of nuclear weapons.

€ If your Representative is a Republican, ask if he/she really supports the
Republican nuclear policy and why.  If yes, ask for reconsideration of this
dangerous unilateral approach to nuclear weapons.

€ If your Representative is a Democrat, ask for a public statement, floor
speech or op-ed opposing the new Republican nuclear policy. Urge strong
support for a multilateral approach for eliminating nuclear weapons.


Write:     Representative __________

               U.S. House of Representatives

               Washington, DC 20515

Call:        (202)-225-3121


--------------------------
20/20 Vision
1828 Jefferson Place, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036

Phone: (202)833-2020
Fax: (202)833-5307
Web: http://www.2020vision.org

"20 Minutes a Month to Save the Planet"

---

from The Wilderness Society March 11, 2003

---

This issue of WildAlert includes:

1. Update on Arctic Wilderness
2. Update on Tongass and Chugach Wilderness
3. Update on Yellowstone snowmobiles
4. ***Call to Action to help protect wild lands in
western Alaska
Take action now at: http://ga1.org/campaign/npra_tws
***

***********************************************
1. FIRST THE GOOD NEWS: A WILDERNESS BILL FOR THE ARCTIC!
Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) on March 5 announced the
introduction of legislation to protect the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain as wilderness. Joining
Sen. Lieberman in the announcement were Sens. Russell
Feingold (D-WI), Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Frank Lautenberg
(D-NJ); to date, 21 senators have cosponsored the Lieberman
wilderness bill. Wilderness designation of the coastal
plain would place it permanently off-limits to oil
development. The announcement came on the same day
as the National Research Council issued its report
on the cumulative impacts of oil drilling and production
on the North Slope of Alaska.

***********************************************
2. THEN THE BAD: NO NEW WILDERNESS ON THE TONGASS,
LITTLE FOR CHUGACH
The Bush Forest Service announced on February 28 that
it will recommend no new wilderness on the Tongass
National Forest in southeast Alaska. The Tongass is
the nation's largest national forests and one of its
wildest. The Chugach National Forest of Alaska faired
slightly better in the wilderness review. The Chugach
is our second largest national forest and 98 percent
of its 5-million-plus acres are roadless. Still, the
Forest Service recommended wilderness protection for
only 1.4 million acres, 300,000 fewer acres than even
the Reagan Administration recommended in 1984. Alaska
conservationists support wilderness protection for
3.8 million acres on the Chugach.  

An immediate consequence of the decision is to allow
four proposed timber sales on the Tongass to move forward.
The public voice in the Tongass decision is twice silenced.
First, the Forest Service ignored 170,000 comments
(out of 175,000 received) that strongly supported additional
wilderness protection for the forest, claiming they
were form letters and do not count. Second, owing to
a rider that Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) attached to an
appropriations measure, citizens may not appeal the
agency's wilderness decision.  

***************************************************
3. YELLOWSTONE PROTECTION ACT INTRODUCED
Thousands of WildAlert subscribers asked their senators
to support legislation to protect Yellowstone from
snowmobiles. Last week, bi-partisan legislation was
introduced in both houses of Congress by Sen. Harry
Reid (D-NV), Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) and Reps. Rush
Holt (D-NJ), Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Nick Rahall
(D-WV), along with dozens of co-sponsors.

The legislation would make law the National Park Service's
own rule, implemented in January of 2001, to phase
out snowmobile use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national
parks. The Park Service suspended the rule and last
week announced its plans to issue a new rule to permit
snowmobile use. The EPA has called the phase out of
snowmobile use "the best available protection" for
Yellowstone and human health. Yellowstone park rangers
currently wear gasmasks to protect themselves from
snowmobile pollution.  

We'll bring you more about this issue in future Wildalerts.

*********************************************
4. ACTION: HELP PROTECT THE WESTERN ARCTIC
Like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the east
of it, Alaska's Western Arctic is a priority oil-drilling
target for the Bush Administration. The Western Arctic's
formal name, the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska,
gives no hint of the area's extraordinary wildlife,
wilderness, and natural values and the Bureau of Land
Management appears willing to sacrifice them.

The agency has issued a terribly lopsided draft environmental
impact statement for oil and gas drilling on an 8.8-million-acre
area. The draft ignores the special places of the Western
Arctic and the wildlife they support. We ask your help
in protecting them. The deadline for comments is April
2, 2003. You can take action quickly and easily from
http://ga1.org/campaign/npra_tws

*****************************************************
BACKGROUND: OVER AN OIL BARREL
On January 17th the Bureau of Land Management released
a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for more
oil and gas leasing in the northwestern part of the
nation's largest remaining block of unprotected land,
the sterilely misnamed National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.


In the DEIS the agency proposes a one-sided development
plan that would endanger the Reserve's special places
and undermine responsible environmental safeguards.
Of the three alternatives outlined in the DEIS, two
propose development in all or nearly all of the northwest
planning area. Drilling is the only priority in the
document. Wildlife, subsistence, cultural and wilderness
values that would be damaged or permanently lost get
far less consideration by an Administration obsessed
with energy resource development.

WETLANDS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
The Reserve's extensive network of wetlands supports
a world-class population of golden eagles, peregrine
falcons, and other birds of prey, along with millions
of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Grizzly bears,
wolves, caribou and moose roam the foothills. Beluga
whales and spotted seals swim freely in icy coastal
lagoons. Arctic poppies and cotton grass dance in the
wind. There is more here, and of more enduring value,
than oil.

At least five special areas within the northwest planning
area deserve permanent protection because of their
unique wilderness and wildlife: Meade River/Dease Inlet,
Teshekpuk Lake, Peard Bay, Kasegaluk Lagoon, and Colville
River.

The BLM seems to have confined its analysis to a too-literal
reading of the area's name and ignored the splendid
natural values that thrive within it. The point is
not that no oil and gas development should occur. The
point is that such development as does occur must respect
the natural values of the place whose loss would echo
for generations after the oil is gone. The agency should
develop a common sense, middle-ground alternative that
will provide protection for the most special places
of the region and set in place strong environmental
safeguards are for areas that are opened to development.


***********************************
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Take Action Now!
We need your help to transform the Bush Administration's
latest plan to allow a massive drilling scheme in America's
Western Arctic wildlands. Please take a few minutes
to urge the Bureau of Land Management to exercise restraint
and impose some sensible balance on the development
of a final oil and gas leasing plan for America's Western
Arctic. The deadline for comments is April 2, 2003.
You can take immediate action at http://ga1.org/campaign/npra_tws

If you'd prefer to send your own letter, the sample
letter below includes the major points we need to make.
Feel free to use it, but please use your own words
where you can. The mailing address for comments is:

NPR-A Planning Team
Bureau of Land Management
Alaska State Office
222 W. 7th Avenue, #13
Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7599

Or you can email them to: nwnpr-acomment@ak.blm.gov

Thanks for your help with this urgent issue. And thanks
for being so important a part of WildAlert, our online
community of wilderness advocates!

*****************************************

SAMPLE LETTER

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft
environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the northwest
planning area of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.


From the foothills of Alaska's Brooks Range north to
the Arctic Ocean, the Reserve encompasses a vast, largely
pristine area of extensive coastal plain wetlands,
rolling foothills, and wild rivers. Alaska Native communities
depend upon the wildlife in this area for subsistence.
Unfortunately this DEIS is a one-sided development
plan that endangers the Reserve's special places and
undermines responsible environmental safeguards where
development would proceed.  

Oil development should be off-limits in the areas most
important for wildlife, wilderness and subsistence
values. There are at least five special areas within
the northwest planning area that should be permanently
protected for their unique values: Meade River/Dease
Inlet, Teshekpuk Lake, Peard Bay, Kasegaluk Lagoon,
and Colville River.

I urge you to develop a common sense, middle-ground
alternative for the northwest planning area of the
NPR-A. We deserve a balance between energy development
and environmental protection. That balance is best
achieved by instituting stronger environmental safeguards
and making oil development off-limits in the areas
most essential for wildlife and subsistence use.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

You can take action on this alert either via email
(please see directions below) or via the web at:
http://ga1.org/campaign/npra_tws/inbx8bzh73ek

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about
this.
http://ga1.org/campaign/npra_tws/forward/inbx8bzh73ek

We encourage you to take action by April 20, 2003

Protect the Western Arctic

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action
on this alert by going to the following URL:

http://ga1.org/campaign/npra_tws/inbx8bzh73ek  

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:
Just choose the "reply to sender" option on your email
program.

Your letter will be addressed and sent to:
NPR-A Planning Team  

----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft
environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the northwest
planning area of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.


From the foothills of Alaska's Brooks Range north to
the Arctic Ocean, the Reserve encompasses a vast, largely
pristine area of extensive coastal plain wetlands,
rolling foothills, and wild rivers. Alaska Native communities
depend upon the wildlife in this area for subsistence.
Unfortunately this DEIS is a one-sided development
plan that endangers the Reserve's special places and
undermines responsible environmental safeguards where
development would proceed.  

Oil development should be off-limits in the areas most
important for wildlife, wilderness and subsistence
values. There are at least five special areas within
the northwest planning area that should be permanently
protected for their unique values: Meade River/Dease
Inlet, Teshekpuk Lake, Peard Bay, Kasegaluk Lagoon,
and Colville River.

I urge you to develop a common sense, middle-ground
alternative for the northwest planning area of the
NPR-A. We deserve a balance between energy development
and environmental protection. That balance is best
achieved by instituting stronger environmental safeguards
and making oil development off-limits in the areas
most essential for wildlife and subsistence use.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----

---

from 20/20 Vision March 11, 2003

---

Action Alert

Stop the Republicans’ March To Nuclear Proliferation! WHAT’S AT STAKE: The longstanding US ban on research, production, testing AND USE of nuclear weapons The average citizen would be shocked to learn that Congress is quietly calling for greater US capacity to use nuclear weapons. Sadly, it’s true. A new report by House Republican leaders recommends: underground nuclear tests within 18 months, use of nukes against “hardened” underground targets; a revitalized capacity to produce nuclear weapons, and repeal of the current ban on research for low-yield nuclear weapons. (Less than five kilotons, these weapons could be used in conventional battle situations). Yikes! These steps would weaken international security and further jeopardize US credibility as it prepares for war with Iraq. Publisher of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Stephen Schwartz said, "It would be impossible to maintain the nonproliferation regime we now have… The whole system would break down if you took these steps." The Bush administration’s inaction against North Korea’s nuclear program further weakens the multilateral disarmament framework. We are truly at a historic moment. The longstanding US ban on underground tests and low-yield nukes are about to be thrown out the window. Members of 20/20 Vision helped hold back a repeal of the ban on low-yield nukes last November, but this will be harder to save with full Republican control of Congress. We must move in the exact opposite direction—reducing and eliminating all nuclear weapons. Don’t sit this one out folks, because the non-proliferation regime could be in serious danger. Do it now and then please pass on this card (or better yet—multiple copies) to everybody you know! ACTION: Urge your Representative in the House to oppose the leadership’s nuclear policy. Tell him/her that this is NOT the time to resume research, production, testing or use of nuclear weapons. •If your Representative is a Republican, ask if he/she really supports the Republican nuclear policy and why. If yes, ask for reconsideration of this dangerous unilateral approach to nuclear weapons. •If your Representative is a Democrat, ask for a public statement, floor speech or op-ed opposing the new Republican nuclear policy. Urge strong support for a multilateral approach for eliminating nuclear weapons. Write: Representative __________ U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Call: (202)-225-3121

---

from Environmental Defense March 12, 2003

---

March 12, 2003

Dear Environmental Defense Friend,

-------------------------------------------------
We're asking everyone concerned about global 
warming to sign our on-line petition.


http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition?source=ednews4?hdr1

-------------------------------------------------

You know the story about Global Warming:  human 
pollution is causing the earth to warm, which in 
turn is already changing the planet's weather, 
spreading infectious diseases, and multiplying 
health risks to humans, animals, and plants 
across the planet. The question is no longer 
about the science, it's about what can be done.

Now there is a REAL chance to DO something to 
stop global warming.  Right here, right now, in 
just a few clicks, sign our free global warming 
Petition:

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition?source=ednews4?hdr2

-------------------------------------------------
Background:
-------------------------------------------------

In January, U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and 
Joe Lieberman (D-CT) teamed up to introduce 
groundbreaking, bipartisan legislation to reduce 
America's greenhouse gas emissions, a leading 
cause of global warming.

Environmental Defense is pulling out all the 
stops to support this legislation. We're 
launching an unprecedented two-year grassroots 
campaign to enlist ONE MILLION Americans as 
"citizen cosponsors" of the McCain-Lieberman 
initiative.

-------------------------------------------------
Help Us Make it Happen:
-------------------------------------------------

In just a few clicks, you can help us make it 
happen. It's as simple as 1, 2, 3:

1) Sign the petition in support of the McCain-
Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act; 


http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition?source=ednews4?hdr3

2) After you sign it, tell all your friends, 
colleagues, and family members to do the same; 
and...

3) Make a special contribution to this campaign.


https://secure.environmentaldefense.org/Donate/member.cfm?pcd=NMWYFEBP

Your help is important. Together, we can promote 
McCain-Lieberman and reduce the threat of global 
warming today and for all future generations.

Thank you.