" We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
Native American Proverb.
There is absolutely no way any of those in this adminstration can now purport to be of a "culture of life," when they so recklessly and selfishly set out to destroy a living breathing sanctuary that is a monument not only to the moral character of the people, but is also the only home to so many species which cannot speak out against their greed and insensitivity.
I firmly believe that we are stewards of this Earth, and as a believer in a Supreme Being from which all spiriuality flows I also believe the power that resides in Nature has been given to us by that Supreme Being and we are to be its keeper. Therefore, how we treat this Earth is a reflection upon ourselves and our love for that Supreme Being and is also a moral issue. How we treat this planet also reflects what we think of our people. It is the very outward expression of what resides within us. I always thought that was the Christian belief as well, as I have never read Jesus Christ claiming that polluting the air and water or killing the land was Godly.
Therefore, how can those who enable these bastards be that blinded to not then see that the degradation these environmental policies are causing is not something a Godly man would condone? What does that then say about their credibility as stewards of the word of God and their love for this planet? This isn't about love, but GREED.
We are already pumping oil out of Prudhoe Bay which has been exported to Japan and other Asian countries on and off over the last 25 years. It is said that Alaskan crude oil is heavier in weight and possesses a higher Sulfur content than most other crude oils from around the world, and it cannot be used in the American oil economy without substantial refinement. This country has actually closed refineries, so just where is any oil from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (which is also Alaskan crude) really going to go without the refineries needed to refine it for the American market?
It was also determined that foreign markets such as Japan, Korea, and East Asia would be excellent markets for the Alaskan oil due to those nations' abilities to utilize oils with those characteristics of Alaskan crude. The Governor of Alaska also admitted that they don't even know how much oil is there. So what are they talking about in regards to it solving any energy crisis here? It will not solve anything, and it is unnecessary. It will take a least ten years to get this oil, and estimates only give it as a six month supply.
We also don't need to wean ourselves off of foreign oil only in regards to automobiles, (which we could do if Bush would stop attacking countries in the Middle East that sit on it thus making us more enemies, and focus those billions of dollars on actually researching and marketing alternate energy resources) we need to get off oil, period. Funny though, for all of the talk they do about wanting to get off of "foreign oil,"they never talk about renewable resources, alternate energy sources, conservation, etc. in a SERIOUS manner, not just with words.
Currently in Prudhoe Bay in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, there are 28 oil production plants, 38 gravel mines, 223 production and exploratory gravel drill pads, 1,800 miles of pipelines, and 4,800 exploration and production wells. The scars upon this land because of this will be seen for years as cited by the NSA, and as seen from the many toxic spills that have taken place over the last 40 years. Yet once again we see the lies of this administration in telling us that oil drilling can be done in an environmentally sound way. As far as I am concerned, when you are drilling for oil in such a prisitne delicate environment, environmentally sound just does not exist, and they have proven that handily.
Tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil and other toxic materials are spilled each year on the North Slope. How much is lost economically from these spills? More than 1.9 million gallons of diesel fuel, oil, and other toxic materials have been spilled there, and that is toxic to plants, wildlife, and the people who live there. Forty years of this toxic punishment has left vegetation weak and slow to grow. People have been effected because of lack of fishing, and species that once thrived there no longer do. It has polluted the water, the air, and the land. And for what? Environmentally sound? I THINK NOT.
There are still more than than 100 contaminated sites associated with oil industry operations on the North Slope. These sites contain a toxic materials including acids, lead, pesticides, and diesel fuel. These sites also leak and contaminate surrounding areas. This pristine legacy we were to leave future generations is now defiled for decades. But as some Republicans would ask, why care when you will more than likely never go there? My, what brilliance and morality they show.
And now this:
Oil Drilling Causes Major Crude Spill Near Arctic Refuge
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7 , 2006 CONTACT:
Annie Strickler (202) 675-2384
¡ñ ALASKA WILDERNESS LEAGUE ¡ñ ALASKA COALITION ¡ñ DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE¡ñ EYAK PRESERVATION COUNCIL ¡ñ LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ¡ñ NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY ¡ñ NATIONAL WIDLIFE FEDERATION ¡ñ NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL ¡ñ REPUBLICANS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ¡ñ SIERRA CLUB ¡ñ THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY ¡ñ U.S. PIRG ¡ñ WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES, PARTNERSHIP FOR RELIGION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
DRILLING CAUSES MAJOR CRUDE OIL SPILL NEAR ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE -- POTENTIALLY LARGEST IN ALASKA NORTH SLOPE HISTORY
March 7, 2006. Last week during the Senate Energy Committee¡¯s hearing on the Fiscal Year 2007 Budget, Chairman Domenici praised Secretary Norton and the Department of Interior for promoting "environmentally-gentle" oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Just days after these remarks, America got an unfortunate preview of just how "gentle" oil drilling operations could be if allowed on the Arctic Refuge¡¯s fragile Coastal Plain.
On Thursday, March 2, a BP oil operator discovered signs of an oil spill at a caribou migration site on the snow-covered tundra of Alaska¡¯s North Slope. Three days later, response workers finally uncovered the source of the spill ¨C a breach in an oil transit pipeline feeding into the larger trans-Alaska oil pipeline infrastructure stretching some 800 miles across the state.
Clean-up crews have already vacuumed up more than 50,000 gallons of crude oil and melted snow off the delicate tundra, but at least one report from an industry expert has indicated that up to 798,000 gallons could be unaccounted for, possibly making this the largest crude oil spill in the history of the North Slope, and second in Alaska only to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Oil is still dripping from the breached pipeline and the full extent of the damage and affected acreage are unknown. The multi-agency spill response team will attempt to come up with an estimated spill volume in the next two days.
This weekend¡¯s accident is just one in a long history of substantial spills seen on Alaska¡¯s fragile North Slope since development began there. In fact, despite industry hype about the safety of development and new technology, the Prudhoe Bay oil fields and Trans-Alaska Pipeline have caused an average of 504 spills annually on the North Slope since 1996, according to the Alaska¡¯s own Department of Environmental Conservation. Past spills have included a 300,000 gallon crude oil spill from the Trans-Alaska pipeline that was detected as far as 166 miles away; a 110,000 gallon crude oil spill caused by a bulldozer which created a geyser that spewed oil over 20 acres of tundra wetlands; the infamous 285,000 gallons of crude oil that spilled into the boreal forest after a local hunter shot the pipeline with a high powered rifle; and the disastrous 675,000 gallons that were leaked after a saboteur exploded a two inch hole in the pipeline just a few miles north of Fairbanks.
As crews of up to 70 people work 12-hour shifts around the clock to clean up after this massive oil spill, we are sadly reminded that there is no such thing as "environmentally gentle" oil drilling. Some places, like America¡¯s Arctic Refuge, are just too important to be put at risk for a speculative oil fix.
For More Information, please contact:
Annie Strickler, Sierra Club: (202) 675-2384
Drew McConville, The Wilderness Society: (202) 429-7441
Vinay Jain, National Wildlife Federation: (202) 797-6894
~~~~~
POTENTIALLY LARGEST IN ALASKA NORTH SLOPE HISTORY
POTENTIALLY LARGEST IN ALASKA NORTH SLOPE HISTORY
POTENTIALLY LARGEST IN ALASKA NORTH SLOPE HISTORY
POTENTIALLY LARGEST IN ALASKA NORTH SLOPE HISTORY
POTENTIALLY LARGEST IN ALASKA NORTH SLOPE HISTORY
POTENTIALLY LARGEST IN ALASKA NORTH SLOPE HISTORY
HOW MANY TIMES WILL WE HAVE TO SEE THIS?
WHY, WHY, WHY, do we not have the courage to stop these people regarding any of the damage they are wrecking upon this country and this planet! It is always, "wait until after the election." Well, I'm sorry, but I ran out of patience regarding these usurpers A LONG TIME AGO. Where are all the actions resulting from the words we heard from some Senators regarding this issue in months prior?
Al Gore has commented many times as well in saying that "political will is a renewable resource." Well, I DON'T SEE IT IN THIS CONGRESS. What are they going to do about this administration's blatant and deliberate disregard for this country's environment?!
I know, the environment is a back burner issue especially in an election year, but I will tell you this, YOU ARE WRONG to ignore this issue, and I hope the people show you just how much when the time comes if you all continue to think you can get away with enabling the killing of our planet by these corporate whoring oil warmongers and playing politics with our planet!
Here, take a look at what you are killing:
Alaska Slide Show
Again: How many more spills? How many more species? How many more lives?
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