SAVE THE ARCTIC REFUGE TALKING POINTS

* The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's 19 million acres comprise one of the last places on earth where an intact expanse of arctic and sub arctic lands remains protected.

* Drilling in the Arctic Refuge can't make even a small dent in meeting America's energy needs. U.S. Geological Survey scientists estimate that there is very likely only enough oil to supply America's needs for six months. And oil companies admit that, even that, won't be available for at least 10 years.

* An irreplaceable natural treasure, the Arctic Refuge is home to caribou, polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, golden eagles, snow geese and more. Millions of other birds use the Arctic Refuge to nest and as a critical staging area on their migratory journeys.

* Of course, the Arctic Refuge supports more than wildlife. For a thousand generations, the Gwich'in people of Northeast Alaska and Northwest Canada have depended on it and lived in harmony with it. To them, the Arctic Coastal Plain is sacred ground.

why has the results of the only exploratory well drilled in ANWR been kept secret? do the members of congress who are voting on it even know what the estimated deposits are?

and why the hell isn't anyone talking about addressing the demand side of the equation - raising fuel standards, increasing efficiency, etc. - instead of only the supply side as a way of reducing our "dependancy on foreign oil????

Wasn't it last week when Bush said that he wouldn't tap the strategic reserves because it doesn't fix the problem? I wonder what problem he is REALLY referring to then.
Why is it that the #1 oil consuming nation is also the only one that doesn't realize how much death our oil fixation brings on us?