Protect Polar Bears and Safeguard Critical Polar Bear Habitat

Protect Polar Bears and Safeguard Critical Polar Bear Habitat

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<em>Proposed rule would help polar bears survive impacts of global warming, protect the Arctic Refuge</em></p>
<p><b><a href='http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=IV0UexKECgPbYhn3VpRCAUaUdtVuHZ0l'><b>Tell Secretary Salazar to </b></a><b><b><b><a href='http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=IV0UexKECgPbYhn3VpRCAUaUdtVuHZ0l'><b>Protect Polar Bears and Safeguard Critical Polar Bear Habitat</b></a></b></b></b></b></p>
<p>This fall, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed important new protections for the threatened polar bear populations of Alaska. &nbsp;With polar bears drowning as they're forced to swim farther and farther to reach solid ice and starving as the lack of sea ice cuts off access to seals, their main food source, designation of critical habitat is essential to save these magnificent and threatened marine mammals.</p>
<p>The US Fish and Wildlife Service has identified approximately 200,000 square miles of potential critical habitat for the polar bear. This includes marine sea-ice, barrier islands and onshore areas-including important denning areas on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.<br /> <br /> Despite the proposal, the US Department of Interior is attempting to give the go-ahead for Shell Oil to begin drilling exploratory wells in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, a move that would open the door for offshore oil and gas production in the Arctic, impacting not only polar bears, but also threatening Inupiat subsistence culture.</p>
<p><b>By 2050, if current trends continue, 2/3 of the planet's polar bears will be extinct, including those in </b><b>Alaska</b><b>.</b> All will be gone by the end of the century. We must act now and continue to act until permanent protections are in place to protect these amazing animals and their habitat - meaning protecting critical habitat, reversing climate change, and developing a comprehensive plan to protect America's Arctic.<br /> <br /> The administration is seeking comments on its proposed critical habitat now. <a href='http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=%2BK5jBgO6fxXQPgMZB5dzNUaUdtVuHZ0l'><b>Please tell the Obama administration that the proposed critical habitat is essential to the survival of polar bears and <em>must</em> be protected.</b></a></p>
<p>Best,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whit Sheard&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alaska Program Director</p>
<p>please share with your friends!

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