Bush opening North Slope up to drilling, let wildlife be damned.

[xray s]

Wow. The Dom Perignon laced vomit in the Big Oil hospitality suite at Bush's inauguration has barely been wiped up and out comes BushCo with a big bouquet to their dear friends in "the business". We have to fight this one folks...HARD!


http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/01/22/us_to_allow_oil_exploration_in_protected_area_of_alaska/

US to allow oil exploration in protected area of Alaska
By Associated Press | January 22, 2005

WASHINGTON -- Citing a need for domestic energy sources, the government plans to open for exploratory drilling thousands of acres on Alaska's North Slope that have been protected for decades because of migratory birds and caribou.

The Bureau of Land Management has concluded that oil and gas exploration in the northeastern corner of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska can be conducted with ''minimal impact" on the area's wildlife.

While most of the 22 million-acre reserve is open to oil development, its lake-pocked northeastern corner has been fenced off, dating back to the Reagan administration, because of environmental concerns. That area also is viewed as having the highest oil and gas potential within the reserve.

Interior Secretary Gale Norton is expected to sign off on the bureau's recommendation next week, said a department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because a final action has not been announced.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. He's living down to everyone'w worst expectations of him.

[candice]

2. Snow geese molting habitat, caribou birthing area

...this is an area that will be destructive to essential habitat for snow geese and caribou. What "need for domestic energy sources"? Just make Detroit autos more efficient and mandate a transition to hybrid cars.

Everything possible needs to be done to stop this!

[TheFarseer]

3. I thought that got voted down?

The biggest tragedy in all of this is that it allows us to ignore our problem. After oil, we've got NOTHING. And the 6 month supply we get from screwing up Alaska won't change that.

[StClone]

4. And they wonder what would drive people to be Eco Warriors

The last places will be no more by the power of a man that wouldn't of made a good dogcatcher.