The Arctic Ocean is home to unique species like bowhead and beluga whales, walruses and polar bears. Currently, 3.8 million acres of this fragile area are leased for oil and gas activity, and the Department of the Interior is now considering leasing even more.

But before this sensitive marine ecosystem is exposed to more oil and gas activity, several steps are needed, including:
- more research to help us understand the Arctic marine ecosystem, especially as it changes with the warming climate;
- protections for areas considered biologically important or necessary for subsistence;
- spill response technology for oil spilled in broken ice proven to work in the U.S. Arctic.

These needs have not yet been met. Tell Interior Secretary Salazar not to offer new lease sales in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas in the 2012-2017 plan.

Dear [Decision Maker],

I write to urge you to offer no new lease sales in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas for the proposed 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program.

[Your comments will be inserted here.]

The Arctic Ocean is unique and home to bowhead and beluga whales, walrus, various types of seals, and numerous sea birds that thrive in this cold, sometimes harsh, environment. We still don't understand clearly just how an increase in industrial activity will affect this sensitive, productive ecosystem.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) has a responsibility to balance the uses of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) - but the scale has historically tipped in favor of oil drilling. Recently, DOI initiated a number of positive reforms in the OCS offshore drilling program. DOI now has an opportunity to further its commitment to reform and weigh the many uses and values of the Arctic equally, including subsistence use and healthy ocean ecosystems, when making this crucial decision.

DOI should work with the U.S. Arctic Research Commission and other relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive and integrated science and monitoring plan that not only collects data but utilizes it to improve our understanding of how Arctic ecosystems work and help guide management decisions regarding offshore drilling.

Such recent events as the Deepwater Horizon disaster and the tanker spill in Norway's icy waters provide two reasons to take notice - one, blowouts happen; two, we still do not have sufficient techniques or tools to clean up oil in broken ice. These incidents should give DOI reason to pause before expanding leasing in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, which lack the infrastructure to respond to spills. Industry and the Coast Guard should have the technology, techniques and capacity to respond to a major spill in broken sea ice before additional leasing and oil and gas activities continue.

The federal government already has leased 3.8 million acres in U.S. Arctic federal waters. Before DOI leases additional acreage, they need to take a precautionary approach to existing leases, including filling the critical gaps in our understanding, locating and withdrawing important biological and subsistence areas from leasing consideration and conducting drills to prove spill response capability in extreme Arctic conditions.


Sincerely,
[Your name here]