Environment America is the new home of U.S. PIRG’s environmental work.
We applaud the
bipartisan leadership of Representatives Ed Markey (D-MA) and Jim Ramstad
(R-MN), who joined today to introduce H.R. 39, a bill to permanently designate
the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a protected
wilderness area.
In particular, this
is great news for the 130,000 caribou and a declining number of polar bears who
call the Refuge home.
The Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge has long been the target of multinational oil companies and
narrow-minded energy policies, but drilling in pristine wilderness areas is not
the answer to our energy problems.
Instead of continuing taxpayer handouts to massive oil
companies, Congress should invest in clean energy like solar, wind and
biofuels, and make our cars go farther on a gallon of gas.
This is a defining moment for America
to own its energy future, and we look forward to working with Representatives
Markey and Ramstad on the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge Protection Bill.
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U.S.
PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), takes on
powerful interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete
results for our health and our well-being.
