TELL OBAMA TO STOP THE NEXT DRILLING DISASTER

Obama is allowing an oil company to bypass offshore drilling regulations because they've built an island as their base--so technically, they are drilling underneath "land". But they will drill down and then outwards 8 miles into the sea so it is, in fact off-shore drilling. Ask Obama to regain a little of the honor he ...seemed to have as a candidate. Hold his feet to the fire NOW and sign this petition. Or you can just wait until another Gulf-type spill, the worst in history, happens and boohoo about the oil-drenched marine life. The choice is yours. Obama obviously didn't think the Gulf disaster was that big a deal since he's allowing them to set up another unregulated catastrophe in Alaska.



FROM CREDO ACTION:

Thursday's oil explosion off the coast of Louisiana underscores the terrible risks associated with offshore drilling. Now, with a mile-long oil sheen spreading, and millions of gallons from the Deepwater Horizon tragedy still polluting the Gulf, the Obama administration is setting the stage for yet another offshore oil catastrophe: this time in fragile Arctic waters important to Alaska Native communities and threatened polar bears.

At the end of July, a federal court in Alaska found that the Bush administration violated the law when it approved oil and gas leasing in Alaska's Chukchi Sea without sufficient information and analysis about risks to the Arctic environment. A different court found similar flaws with Arctic drilling plans in 2009.

Yet, President Obama's administration has so far failed to revisit protections for the Chukchi--arctic waters off Alaska's coast that are home to some of America's remaining polar bears and key to the survival of Inupiat Eskimo communities.

The Obama administration has asked the court in Alaska to allow activities that would pave the way for drilling to proceed, potentially jeopardizing an area key to the survival of not only polar bears, but also bowhead whales, Pacific walrus and other wildlife.

The Gulf oil disaster clearly demonstrates the terrible risks of offshore drilling:

* Sea birds coated in oil and unable to fly;
* Seas turtles poisoned by toxic waters; and
* Wildlife habitat fouled by oil.

And it could be much worse in the Chukchi.

The courts and scientists have all said that more information is needed about the Arctic environment before we even consider drilling in its ice covered seas that are cloaked in darkness most of the year.

The recent court decision provides the perfect opportunity for the Obama administration to take that time and really make sure we can protect the environment - before we jeopardize this fragile place, its wildlife and the people who count on it for the survival of their communities.

To avoid another catastrophic offshore drilling disaster like the one now threatening the communities and wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico - and another Exxon-Valdez-like oil spill - we need a responsible approach to protecting the Chukchi.

Sign this petition to tell President Obama to pull the illegal leases sold in the Chukchi Sea and halt seismic testing in the Arctic this summer.



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