Polar bears are on thin ice, literally

Dear Friend,


Polar bears are on thin ice, literally. The Arctic sea-ice habitat on which they rely is melting, the earliest and most drastic victim of global warming. With one fifth of sea ice habitat in Alaska already lost, we must act quickly to save these magnificent polar bears from extinction. Top government officials, however, have delayed the decision to list polar bears under the Endangered Species Act, precisely when protections are needed most.

At the same time, the Bush administration is charging ahead with efforts to open pristine Arctic areas in the Chukchi Sea for oil exploration and drilling and plans to begin leasing territory for this purpose in a matter of weeks. Oil and gas development operations typically emit tons of greenhouse gas pollutants into the atmosphere, discharge toxics into the ground, and dump wastewaters into the marine environment. Activities associated with the proposed leases would directly and negatively affect polar bears and other Arctic wildlife species that are already under stress from rapidly disappearing sea-ice. Listing polar bears would require federal agencies to consider the effects of oil exploration on polar bears and their habitat.

Should the government allow the Chukchi Sea oil lease sales before protections for polar bears are in place, the impacts will not have been fully considered before the leases move forward. Oil companies could then argue that they are exempt from measures that protect polar bears passed after they bought their leases.

Oil spills are another huge threat to polar bears. The Minerals Management Service says the odds are as high as fifty-fifty of a 1,000-barrel-or-more oil spill in the Chukchi Sea. A spill of that size could be fatal for polar bears and yet the government has no clear plan for responding if a spill does occur.

Last Thursday, Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA) held a hearing in his House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming to examine the Administration’s decision to delay the polar bear listing decision. He also introduced legislation that would prohibit the lease sale from going forward until the Secretary of Interior determines whether to list the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act and designate critical habitat.

The Arctic environment is fragile, and one of the few remaining habitats left for polar bears. Moving ahead with risky oil and gas development without considering the effects on the environment is a bad idea and emblematic of our continued march down the path of fossil fuel dependence and increased global warming.

Please take action now! Contact Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and tell him to act quickly to list polar bears under the Endangered Species Act, and to delay a decision on the oil lease sale until impacts on polar bears and their habitat have been fully evaluated.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Vicki CornishVice President,
Marine Wildlife Conservation Ocean Conservancy
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Additional Information:

Environmental Impact Statement on Lease Sale 193
(Chukchi Sea, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region):
http://www.mms.gov/alaska/ref/EIS%20EA/Chukchi_feis_Sale193/feis_193.htm

Information from recent studies on relationships of polar bears to present and future sea ice environments:

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/special/polar_bears/


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