We have a rare opportunity right now to save a vast Arctic wilderness from rampant oil development — forever.

For the first time ever, the Obama Administration is considering a comprehensive management plan for Alaska’s Western Arctic Reserve that would protect key wildlife habitat from destructive oil and gas development.

Tell the Bureau of Land Management to safeguard the Reserve’s most special areas from industrialization.

The Western Arctic Reserve is less well-known than the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but its different wildlife populations are every bit as spectacular and endangered.

Since the Western Arctic Reserve was set aside as a “National Petroleum Reserve” almost a century ago, it remains one of our continent’s most extraordinary — and threatened — expanses of wilderness.

It includes the prized Teshekpuk Lake region, which provides critical calving grounds for a large caribou herd that is essential to the Inupiat way of life, as well as summer habitat for polar bears. A staggering variety of birds also take refuge in these wetlands, some migrating from as far south as Antarctica.

Along the northwestern coast of the Western Arctic Reserve, up to 3,500 beluga whales gather in the Kasegaluk Lagoon every year to feed and bear their young.

One of the options now being considered by the Bureau of Land Management could permanently protect 11 million acres of the Reserve from being turned into an oil and gas wasteland.

Urge the Bureau of Land Management to adopt Alternative B and grant the Western Arctic Reserve the strong protection it urgently needs and deserves.

Act now … before
Big Oil does.

The Obama Administration is considering a management plan for the Western Arctic Reserve that would protect vital habitat for caribou, polar bears, beluga whales and millions of migratory birds. Help save this natural treasure from oil and gas drilling!

Thank you for taking action to keep the Arctic wild and free.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke

President

Natural Resources Defense Council

• signatures: 32,770
• signature goal: 30,000

• Target:

US Fish and Wildlife Service SW Regional Director Tuggle and US Senators Udall and Bingaman

• Sponsored by:

Southwest Environmental Center

There are only about 50 Mexican gray wolves (”lobos”) in the wilds of New Mexico and Arizona–not enough to ensure their survival. More than 300 lobos are in captivity, waiting to be released into the wild as part of a reintroduction program. Releasing wolves directly into New Mexico–where the best remaining unoccupied habitat exists–is critical to quickly boosting numbers and gene diversity in the wild population, but for bureaucratic reasons the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) won’t do it, citing an outdated rule that prevents direct releases into New Mexico. The FWS could easily change this rule by issuing an Environmental Assessment and putting it out for public review, but it refuses to do so. Tell the FWS to take action before it’s too late for Mexican wolves.

Sign Petition!

The diving horse show at the Atlantic City Steel Pier was shut down in the 1970’s, but the event is set to return this summer. Riders mount horses and then dive from the tall pier into the water below. This dangerous and cruel event is terrifying for the horses and causes injury to both the animals and their riders. There is plenty of summer fun to be had at the pier without harming these horses. Please ask Atlantic City Steel Pier President Anthony Catanoso and others in a position of influence to cancel plans to bring this event back after so many years.