Speak Up for Arctic Wilderness

Right now, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is asking for your input on a plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that, for the first time, could recommend wilderness protection for the entire refuge, including the coastal plain. The 19-million-acre refuge is the heart of the Arctic, boasting rich biological diversity and breathtaking landscapes. Despite its crucial biological importance and natural beauty, oil companies and their friends in Congress have been pushing to drill in the refuge for decades. Now is our chance to stop them: This plan will guide how the Arctic Refuge will be managed for the next 15 years or more.

A wilderness recommendation could protect this unparalleled area and the abundant wildlife that depends on it -- including polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, musk oxen, caribou and millions of birds from around the globe. But to make sure the final version of the refuge plan includes a wilderness recommendation, we must demonstrate overwhelming support for protecting the refuge. If we speak with a loud and united voice, we'll be sending a strong message that Secretary Salazar can't ignore.

Visit http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8460 to find out more and take action now.