Federal Lease Sale 149 Halted

Our last newsletter in March identified a concern with the proposed oil and gas lease sale planned to occur immediately in front of McNeil River and Kamishank Bay and extending into upper Cook Inlet. We requested our members to write to Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt to express our concern with the proposal and its potential oil spills, which ocean currents would deposit in Kamishak Bay and the mouth of McNeil River.

OUR MEMBERSHIP WAS OUTSTANDING IN RESPONDING TO THIS CALL FOR HELP!!!

I received numerous calls from members advising me that they had written letters and made phone calls to express their concern. One member (sorry I did not write down your name) made approximately 12 calls and spoke to staff people for: Secretary Bruce Babbitt; Alaska Governor Tony Knowles; the Alaska branch of Minerals Management Services; the Washington D.C. office of Minerals Management Services, Alaska's congressional delegation and his states's congressional delegation. Many calls, letters and voice messages were sent in and they did make a difference. Governor Knowles commented on how he had changed his mind and his position because of the public's expression of concern over this lease sale. Thanks to all of you! YOU ARE TERRIFIC!!!

Immediately after the Governor's announcement to not support the continuation of this proposed lease sale, there was very heavy lobbying to just modify the sale. However, your expression of concern was so focused on pinpointing the weaknesses of the proposal, that no one has yet devised a plan that eliminates all the problems. Should a plan be proposed, we will give it close scrutiny and advise you of the changes and protection measures that are included to assure that the bears at McNeil and their habitat are properly protected.

Again, Thanks to all of you for your calls and letters, THEY WORKED!!!!!