TAKE ACTION
Contact your elected officials
1. Identify yourself as a resident of their state.
Example: “I am contacting you as a resident of [city, state] and one of your constituents”
2. Include a clear request for change.
Example: “Please support the Arctic Refuge Protection Act to protect the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil and gas development”
3. Tell them why you feel strongly about preventing oil and gas development on the coastal plain.
Example: “My granddaughter loves going to visit the polar bears at our local zoo, and she talks non-stop about going to see them in the wild in Alaska someday. I think we have a responsibility to make sure that they are still there for her and other children in the future.”
4. Keep it short and polite.
Example: “Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns”
Email subject: Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
As one of your constituents and a concerned American citizen, I am writing to ask you to support permanent legal protection for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I urge you to support the Arctic Refuge Protection Act to prevent oil and gas development on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is an important American landscape. It is a home to some of our most iconic wildlife like polar bears and caribou, and supports hundreds of species of migratory birds from around the world. These animals, the Indigenous communities who rely on them, and the landscape itself is a vital part of America’s Arctic coastline. The process of assessing the impacts of oil and gas development in this landscape has been rushed and compromised. Government research bodies have expressed concern that the likely effects of drilling on wildlife, climate, and the local ecosystem have been intentionally removed from public reports.
The American people have consistently indicated that they support the protection of this landscape. 70% of voters oppose oil and gas development in the Arctic Refuge. These lands are our heritage and our responsibility to protect for future generations. Current efforts to open the coastal plain to oil and gas development put short-term monetary gain for energy corporations above the long-term benefit of that landscape for all Americans. Please help to honor the interests of your constituents by voting to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
