Bush energy plan heading for
Congressional debate
[7-27-01]
For
an update, click here.
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation shares this legislative
alert:
The League of Conservation Voters is working with
other environmental groups "to persuade wavering members of
Congress to oppose the worst elements of the Bush administration's
energy plan. Bush's proposal to dramatically increase domestic oil and
gas production at the expense of environmental and public health
protections is headed for scrutiny next week on the House
floor."
FYI, alert. This is time to send personal
letters/make phone calls to your congressional representatives. Let
them know about the "Let There Be Light" May statement
signed by the heads of 39 religious organizations representing 60
million Americans (the one released right as the Wash DC NCCC
Environmental Justice Conference began) -- the text for it is posted
on the PRC Website.
Janet Adair Hansen, PRC Publications
***********************************************
Biggest Environmental Test of the Year Heads to
House Floor
From League of Conservation Voters
Tuesday, July 24, 2001
WASHINGTON, DC - Today the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and other
national environmental groups unveiled a campaign to persuade wavering
members of Congress to oppose the worst elements of the Bush
administration's energy plan. Bush's proposal to dramatically increase
domestic oil and gas production at the expense of environmental and
public health protections is headed for scrutiny next week on the House
floor. LCV released the text and locations of radio and print ads
designed to encourage citizens to voice opposition to President Bush's
plan and his intention to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
"Undecided members of Congress should recognize that the vast
majority of Americans, including most of their own constituents, oppose
drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," said Betsy
Loyless, LCV's political director. "The upcoming House votes on the
dirty, dangerous Bush energy plan will be a big environmental test for
those vulnerable members who are painfully aware that the next elections
are only 17 months away. How these representatives vote on the important
elements of the energy plan will largely determine how voters see them
at re-election time."
The radio ads will run in the media markets of Des Moines, Iowa; St.
Paul, Minnesota; and Hartford, Connecticut, targeting Reps. Greg Ganske
(R-Iowa), Mark Kennedy (R-Minn.), and Rob Simmons (R-Conn.). The Bush
administration proposal to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic Wildlife
Refuge is included in H.R. 2436, a bill that seeks to open new public
lands to oil and gas drilling and weakening federal safeguards that
currently prohibit exploration in environmentally sensitive areas.
Loyless added, "Our ads will help citizens use the power of their
voices to tell those members to say no to a tragically myopic proposal
to drill in one of America's most special places - a wildlife refuge we
should preserve and protect, not drill and destroy."
The environmental community - including the Sierra Club, The Wilderness
Society, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, and the Natural Resources
Defense Council - is going to extraordinary lengths to forestall the
most egregious elements of Bush's energy plan. In addition to radio and
print advertising in selected congressional districts, environmental
organizations will employ other grassroots tactics such as phone banks
and door-to-door canvassing. The community will also promote positive
clean energy alternatives, such as closing the loophole allowing SUVs
and light trucks to skirt fuel efficiency standards applied to other
passenger vehicles.
For more information, contact:
Scott Stoermer
Director of Political Communication
League of Conservation Voters
(202) 785-8683
scott_stoermer@lcv.org
Web site: http://www.lcv.org
