Read more details and make your thoughts known to your legislators. Our conservation chair, Board member David Voigts believes there is oil that can be pumped without removing the protections that were given to these special areas. Comments are needed before August 4th.
first part of the month and Mars passing below the tail star of Leo (the Lion) at midmonth. Enjoy. -- David Voigts
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
- John Muir
Protect the Arctic Wildlife Refuge
by David Voigts
In President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act that is being considered by the Senate is a provision that would allow oil drilling in the fragile coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Drilling would jeopardize one of the world’s last unspoiled places at a time when we should be shifting to alternative clean energy to reduce the effects of global climate change (and help Iowa’s economy).
It is disappointing that both of Iowa senators support opening the refuge to drilling. One of their reasons is that oil drilling would affect only about 2,000 acres of the coastal plain, but this is not correct. Drilling and connecting infrastructure would extend to every corner of the refuge, impacting the entire coastal plain that has been called “America’s Serengeti” because of the large herds of caribou and other wildlife found there.
A better approach would be to expand the development of alternative energy, of which Iowa is already a national leader. The best way to do this is to preserve the clean energy tax credits that were authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act but are under threat in Trump’s bill. Senators Grassley and Ernst are urged to support clean energy, which they have championed for a long time, instead of opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.
You are now able to access the online concert video and curriculum (see link and password below-posted with permission by the copyright holder).
The link provides the full concert video and online curriculum with activities, lessons, extra musical performances, composer interviews and educational games. This resource will remain active through June 2022 (for one year), so utilize it for your programs, personal edification working with your children or grandchildren to teach them about music and birds!
Password: BFPMC (case sensitive)
Subscribe to the PRAS YouTube Channel if you are interested in watching recordings of our past Zoom meetings for which we have permission to post for viewing.
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