[BCNnet] Fwd: Special Issue Audubon Advisory

[Judy Pollock]

Hi Bird Conservationists,

I'm passing along information about Audubon Advisory, a regular e-mailed
bulletin with information about national conservation legislation and
information about how you can help.  This advisory is available to anyone
interested by contacting the address at the bottom of this message.  When
you receive the bulletin, it is in the form of an easy-to-read attachment.
Here is a sample (except it's  a difficult to read e-mail message!!).  If
you can occasionally make time in your day to call or fax an elected
official about critical conservation measures, I encourage you to sign up.

Judy Pollock
bobolnk@ix.netcom.com

>Subject: Special Issue Audubon Advisory
>Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 17:19:47 -0400
>X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19)
>
>FYI - attached you'll find the "special issue" of the Audubon Advisory.
>Next week could be huge for the Arctic in the Senate, and the Farm Bill in
>the House.  Please let me know if you have any questions, or if you need
>more information. Thanks!
>
>(Attachment at the bottom -- copied here for those folks who have asked for
>it.)
>
>
>SPECIAL ISSUE!
>AUDUBON ADVISORY 
>Audubon's Twice-Monthly Update From Washington, D.C.
>Friday, September 28, 2001
>(Vol. 2001, Issue 18)
>
>SENATE MAY VOTE
>ON ARCTIC THIS WEEK
>
>Even as Senate leaders try to keep their chamber focused on addressing
>anti-terrorism and national security issues, a handful of pro-drilling
>Senators are not giving up on passing legislation to open the Arctic
>National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.  Oklahoma Senator James
>Inhofe (R) stated his intention to attach the House-passed energy bill to
>the Defense Authorization bill (a top-priority measure the Senate was
>working on) unless the Senate agreed to take up the energy bill as a
>separate measure by the end of the year. The Senate adjourned on Wednesday,
>September 26 prior to taking any final action on either measure. They'll
>return to action on Monday, October 1 - and so will this debate!  
>
>The first vote on this measure will likely come on Tuesday, and will be a
>vote on  "cloture" -- a procedure to limit debate on the Defense
>Authorization bill.  One goal of this cloture vote is to keep the
>pro-drillers from attaching the House-passed energy bill (and its Arctic
>drilling provisions) to the Defense bill.  If closure is invoked (passes)
>the Senate has 30 hours to debate and pass the Defense bill -- a time frame
>that will make it much harder to attach energy or Arctic provisions.  If
>cloture fails, energy legislation may be attached to the bill.
>
>As you know, the House-passed energy bill includes a provision that opens
>the Arctic Refuge to oil drilling.  Not only is Audubon opposed to drilling
>in the Arctic, we're opposed to lawmakers using critical national security
>legislation like the Defense bill as a vehicle to pursue special interests. 
>
>Don't believe the misleading claims of the pro-drilling special interests.
>The facts are oil and gas prices are going down - in some cases, quite
>drastically. It's also important to know that drilling the Arctic Refuge is
>not an answer to our country's use of foreign oil: increasing our energy
>efficiency and developing alternative technologies will make us less
>dependent on foreign oil and increase our national security.  Keep in mind

>that: 
>
>1.	We have an oil reserve for national security emergencies. It is the
>Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPRO). It is available now. We have invested
>millions over the past decade. Responding to the national crisis facing us
>is exactly why the SPRO was created. 
>
>2.	Investing in long-term energy independence, security, and
>self-reliance means we should immediately make substantial investments in
>energy efficiency. The technology exists and even small gains in efficiency
>would eliminate the need to drill in the Arctic. 
>
>3.	Terrorists struck and destroyed some very special places in America
>- the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We should not let them destroy
>other special places in America like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Do
>not let the terrorists win again by drilling in the Arctic Refuge. They
>export terror not oil. 
>
>4.	A wild and unspoiled Arctic Refuge is a true representation of
>American
>      freedom.
>
>With a vote on this measure coming as early as Tuesday, we need your help!
>Please contact your two U.S. Senators and urge them to stay on track with
>issues of immediate, national concern and to protect the Arctic Refuge from
>oil drilling.  Please call or fax your Senators as soon as possible!
>Utilize our free website to send your faxes immediately:
>http://www.protectthearctic.com.  For more information, or to find out where
>your lawmakers stand on this issue right now, please feel free to e-mail us
>at audubonaction@audubon.org. 
>
>FARM BILL BACK ON TABLE 
>
>While most considered debate on the farm bill over for the year, the
>leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives has decided to bring it to a
>vote next week. The House could vote on the measure as early as Wednesday,
>October 3rd!  
>
>The Agricultural Act of 2001 (H.R.2646), passed by the U.S. House
>Agriculture Committee in July  - and better known as the "farm bill" --
>provides an opportunity to vastly increase conservation spending.  This is
>the biggest farm bill Congress has seen - $170 Billion over 10 years.  But
>the Agricultural Committee's bill contains several anti-environmental
>provisions and dedicates most of the new funding to commodities programs
>rather than conservation.
> 
>H.R.2646 contains funding for a series of conservation programs that not
>only benefit birds and wildlife, but the land itself by reducing erosion and
>polluted run-off.  Audubon actively engages in this legislative effort to
>encourage Congress to enhance and expand those conservation programs.  At
>first glance, it appeared the bill provided increased funding for various
>conservation programs, like the Conservation Reserve Program and the
>Environmental Quality Incentive Program which deals with animal waste.
>However, after careful review, H.R.2646 actually undermines critical,
>long-standing environmental standards that could weaken these programs!  In
>fact, the bill would eliminate key wetlands protections, weaken longstanding
>wildlife habitat programs, subsidize large open waste lagoons, and greatly
>weaken the nation's conservation network for farmers.  These problems are in
>addition to the bill's more general failure to devote adequate funding to

>help farmers help the environment. 
>
> Four lawmakers, Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI), Wayne Gilchrest
>(R-MD),Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), and John Dingell (D-MI) look to offer an
>alternative to this bill that dedicates additional funds to conservation
>programs contained in the farm bill. Their proposal includes provisions to
>improve water quality by reducing polluted runoff, restore and improve
>wetlands, help preserve working agricultural lands to combat sprawl, protect
>forested lands, and protect and restore grasslands and other habitats for
>birds and wildlife. 
>
>As the House is likely to vote on the farm bill as early as Wednesday, we
>could use your help!  Please contact your U.S. Representative and urge your
>lawmaker to increase funding and other protections for bird and
>wildlife-saving conservation programs by supporting the Boehlert,Kind,
>Gilchrest,  Dingell amendment to the Farm Bill.  Click this link to
>instantly identify and communicate with your Representative on this issue
>today: http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/contact/default.asp?subject=40
>
>
>
>The Audubon Advisory
>National Audubon Society
>Public Policy Division, Grassroots Outreach Department
>Questions? Comments?  Subscribe or Unsubscribe?  Click here:
>Audubonaction@audubon.org
>Phone:  (202) 861-2242
>
> <<ADVISORYSEPTEMBER28.doc>> 
>
>
>