AlaskaWild Update #266 - September 6, 2007
- The Administration Moves Closer to Opening Teshekpuk Lake to Oil and Gas Leasing
- With a Little Help From Our Friends: How Patagonia is Helping to Save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- Drink Coffee, Save Alaska?
The Administration Moves Closer to Opening Teshekpuk Lake to Oil and Gas Leasing
Monday, August 20, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a court-ordered revision to an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Teshekpuk Lake (T-Lake) planning area in America’s western Arctic. The agency was required to analyze the cumulative effects from activities across Alaska’s North Slope on critical caribou and migratory bird habitat surrounding T-Lake, America’s largest arctic lake. Unfortunately, while the plan did consider a number of new factors –from the potentially threatened status of the polar bear to long term impacts on Native health — the BLM failed to offer any different alternatives from their original plan.
The release of the draft supplemental EIS marks another step in the administration’s quest to open the wetlands around T-Lake to the oil and gas industry. These wetlands constitute the only lands still protected in the 4.6 million acre Northeast Planning Area of the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska (the Reserve). While the law that established the Reserve in 1976 called for “maximum protection” for fish, wildlife and other surface values during oil exploration, the Bush administration has disregarded the significance of this internationally renowned wildlife habitat. Instead, it has pushed to open the vast majority of the Reserve to the extractive industries. Their management of T-Lake marks a radical departure from past administrations, including those that few would call friends of the environment.
There is now a 60-day public comment period for the SEIS. After this comment period, the administration must release a final plan before it could offer leases around Teshekpuk Lake to the oil and gas industry. At this stage in the process, it is crucially important that we let the administration know that the American public does not support development in the ecologically sensitive wetlands of Teshekpuk Lake.
Please click here to submit a comment about the SEIS. Let them know that that the SEIS does not sufficiently address the concerns that the courts acknowledged last summer. Let them know that you still want to see the T- Lake wetlands protected for the wildlife, for the local communities, and for future generations.
With a Little Help From Our Friends: How Patagonia is Helping to Save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
For years, Patagonia has partnered with conservation organizations such as Alaska Wilderness League to help in the fight to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Their latest catalogue reveals the next chapter of their involvement in this critical fight. The fall catalogue is all about the Arctic Refuge. It features pictures of the arctic landscape and of some of the lands most recognizable and beloved wildlife. The catalogue also showcases powerful essays, including a poignant piece by Arctic Refuge champion, Rep. Tom Udall.
Patagonia has also set up displays in their stores across the country to educate the public about the importance of protecting our nation’s largest and wildest Refuge. With this display, they will be distributing postcards, urging individuals to contact their members of Congress and ask for the establishment of permanent protections for the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge. Click here to learn more about Patagonia’s involvement in the fight to protect the Arctic Refuge. Also, be sure check out Patagonia’s new Arctic Refuge tee-shirts. Five dollars of each sale support the wilderness campaigns that we, Alaska Wilderness League, help lead!
Check out the latest Patagonia catalogue, swing by a local Patagonia store, and help protect the Arctic Refuge!
Drink Coffee, Save Alaska?
By Ben Greuel, Eastern Great Lakes Regional Field Staff
The Alaska Coalition is incredibly diverse; in fact it is this diversity that is at the heart and strength of the coalition. The Alaska Coalition is made up of an eclectic array of small businesses, labor unions, farmers’ organizations and yes, even breweries. One of the most recent additions to the coalition is also possibly one of the most interesting. In March of this year, John Roos owner, operator and master roaster of Roos Roast Free Speech Coffee of Ann Arbor, MI,– a locally owned and operated coffee distributor –became the first coffee focused small business to join our diverse coalition in support of the protection of Alaskan wild lands.
Go to Roos Roast’s website to order organic coffee that tastes great and helps save Alaska.
Since joining the coalition, Roos has taken his support to a higher level. In late July of this year Roos Roast coffee started donating two dollars of every hand printed bag of “Roos Alaska Wild Coffee” directly to the Alaska Wilderness League. Ben Greuel, Eastern Great Lakes Regional Director for AWL recently sat down with John and asked him about his interest in the Alaska Coalition.
Ben Greuel: What is the best part about supporting an organization like the Alaska Wilderness League?
John Roos: Well, the money, its going towards a good cause, something that I believe in, it’s a real inspired way to run a business, you never know what the direction the relationship is going to go, it builds upon itself. It’s not realistic or conscientious to keep all that you take and not give back.
BG: Have you ever been to Alaska?
JR: No, interestingly enough I have been to every other state, 49 to be exact, even Oklahoma.
BG: So your day job, outside of roasting coffee beans, is selling cars. Can you give us your best Roos Alaska Wild Coffee sales pitch?
JR: Organic, wild, salmon love Roos Roast…drink Roos Roast coffee and help protect Alaska, come on, it’s really that easy!
BG: Did you change your last name to Roos, it just works so well?
JR: No.
BG: If you could design your own bumper sticker what would it say?
JR: Quit your job, drink Roos Roast, save Alaska.
BG: Why are you doing this John, especially if you have never been to Alaska? Why did you choose to support the protection of Alaska wild lands within the realm of your coffee business?
JR: The animals, the trees the fragile tundra they need a leg up, they need a voice …I want my coffee to give them a voice.
If you want to taste some of John’s organic, fair trade, Roos Alaska Wild Coffee all you have to do is go on line to the Roos Roast website. Order it on-line and it will be delivered straight to your door……”come on, it’s really that easy!”
