Onward Toward OCEAN SANCTUARY

by Richard Charter and Helen Barrington

Thanks to everyone who wrote letters, called and sent telegrams, the House Appropriations Committee has passed, by the largest margin ever, a moratorium on 84 million acres of off-shore oil lease sales. This action delays funding for the following lease sales until October 1990:

* 91, along the Mendocino and Humboldt coasts,

* 95 in Southern California,

* Georges Bank off of New England,

* all lease sales off the Mid-Atlantic, (excepting North Carolina),

* all leasing south of the 26 degrees Latitude Southeast of the Florida Keys,

* all exploration in Bristol Bay.

*In addition, this moratorium stops all pre-lease steps for 119 along the Central California Coast.

This measure now goes before the full House, where it is expected to pass easily, and then to the Senate, where some difficulty is expected. The Senate language is not yet drafted, so keep in touch with the MEC (468-1660), Ocean Protection Coalition (895-3741), Ocean Sanctuary Coordinating Committee (937-0700), Ocean Sanctuary League (882-2549) or Coast Conservation Committee of the Sierra Club (937-4376) for the latest information on action needed for the Senate bill.

In the meantime, please write, call or send telegrams to the delegates to the Conference Committee, who will be the final voice regarding the moratorium (funding ban) following the vote in the Senate (see adjoining box).

For our convenience, a "Moratorium Hot Line" is being set up; you can send a pre-worded message to the key Senators, for $5.75 per telegram. The hot line # is: 1-800-257-4900. Ask for operator 9548, who will read the message to you, and ask how many you wish to send. You may select specific Senators, or send to all of them, as you choose.

Senator Patrick Leahy, SR 433 RS
224-4242

Senator Robert Byrd, SH 311HS
224-3954

Senator Quentin N. Burdick, SH 511HS
224-2551

Senator Dale Bumpers, SD 229DS
224-4843

Senator Earnest F. Hollings, SR 126RS
224-3573

Senator Thad Cochran, SR 326 RS
224-5054

Senator Warren B. Rudman, SH 530 HS
224-3324

Senator Pete Domenici, SD 434 DS
224-8621

Senator Dennis DeConcini, SH 328 HS
224-4521

Senator Ted Stevens, SH 522 HS
224-3004

Senator Jake Garn, SD 505 DS
224-5444

Above all, continue writing to these, and other Senators and Congress People, asking them to sign on to Barbara Boxer's Ocean Sanctuary and Fisheries Enhancement Bill, HR 48. (The MEC has a current complete list of Congressional Addresses, Phone and Fax numbers available for $1.00, or by mail for $1.25.) Now, more than ever, we need Ocean Sanctuary!

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Email: Mendocino Environmental Center
Last Update: 2/26/03