Wilderness Bill to Protect Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain Introduced
"Certainly the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the very essence of the word 'wilderness,'" Wilderness Society President Bill Meadows told a Washington DC rally in early February. "If passed, this legislation would make the Coastal Plain completely off limits to oil rigs and pipelines." The rally was in support of newly introduced bi-partisan legislation (S. 261 and H.R. 567) to win wilderness protection for the Refuge's arctic coastal plain, its biological heart.
Hundreds joined Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Rep. Ed Markey outside the Capitol last week as the two announced legislation to forever protect the Arctic Refuge coastal plain from oil drilling. Also on hand were Norma Kassi, with the Gwich'in Steering Committee and Bill Meadows, president of The Wilderness Society. Since introduction of the bill, more than 100 House members and more than 20 senators have signed on.
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