Re: Join me in signing the Declaration of Energy Independence

[Guest guest]

I vote for responsible use of energy deposits and restoration of

lands to original condition in any part of the US. We have many

examples of this in recent times. keng@...

> >From: " F. Kennedy, Jr. " <biogemsnews@s...>

> >Subject: Join me in signing the Declaration of Energy Independence

> >Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 13:26:14 -0800 (PST)

> >

> >Dear Friend,

> >

> >There is nothing patriotic about handing over our natural heritage

to

> >the oil industry. But that's exactly what the White House wants to

do

> >in the name of national security.

> >

> >I'm asking you to join me in opposing the senseless destruction of

our

> >environment by going to <A

HREF= " http://www.savebiogems.org/declaration.asp " >

> http://www.savebiogems.org/declaration.asp</A> and

> >signing the Declaration of Energy Independence. The declaration

calls

> >on our government to pursue a sustainable energy future that will

> >preserve -- not destroy -- our last, unspoiled wildlands.

> >

> >We have little time to lose. With the nation's attention focused

> >almost exclusively on the war against terrorism, the Bush

> >administration has moved quietly but aggressively in recent months

to

> >open up fragile wildlands to giant energy corporations. In Utah,

they

> >were in such a hurry to lease millions of acres of our redrock

> >canyonlands for oil and gas development that they skipped the

> >environmental review that is required by law. My colleagues here at

> >NRDC have already gone to federal court to block this illegal

giveaway

> >of redrock country.

> >

> >But that's only the beginning. The Bush-Cheney energy plan --

hatched

> >in closed-door meetings last year with Enron and other energy

giants

> >-- would pave the way for oil and gas companies to despoil an

alarming

> >number of our last wild places: the Arctic National Wildlife

Refuge,

> >the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, Wyoming's Red Desert, and many,

> >many more.

> >

> >President Bush says we need the oil to become more energy

independent.

> >Don't buy it! Using the tragic events of September 11th as an

> >opportunity to advance the special interests of the oil industry

will

> >not enhance America's energy security. Our nation simply doesn't

have

> >enough oil to drill our way to self-sufficiency.

> >

> >If we really want to declare energy independence, then the only

answer

> >is to dramatically reduce our appetite for oil. For starters, we

could

> >increase the fuel efficiency of our cars and light trucks to 40

miles

> >per gallon. That would save nearly two million barrels of oil a

day by

> >the year 2012 -- more than all the oil we imported last year from

> >Saudi Arabia.

> >

> >The Declaration of Energy Independence sets forth plenty of other

ways

> >to slash our dependence on oil. It proves that fighting terrorism

does

> >NOT require the destruction of our own natural heritage.

> >

> >Please do your part by visiting

> ><A HREF= " http://www.savebiogems.org/declaration.asp " >

> http://www.savebiogems.org/declaration.asp</A> and signing the

Declaration

> >of Energy Independence. It will take you less than a minute.

> >Then please forward this message to your family and friends. If

> >millions of us sign the declaration, then the White House and

Congress

> >will be unable to ignore its message.

> >

> >And thank you for helping to save America's last wild places.

> >

> >Sincerely yours,

> >

> > F. Kennedy, Jr.

> >Senior Attorney

> >Natural Resources Defense Council