TV, Print & Internet Ads Target New Jersey’s GOP Congressmen As They Cast Deciding Votes
As the new home of NJPIRG's environmental work, Environment New Jersey can be contacted regarding this news release.
TRENTON–
New television ads calling on New Jersey’s GOP delegation to protect
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling began airing on October 24. The ads, unveiled by a broad coalition of statewide supporters,
are part of a multi-media campaign that includes print and Internet
ads. Together, the ads are an effort to remind New Jersey’s Congressmen
of their rich history of protecting the Arctic Refuge from drilling.
“New
Jersey’s GOP delegation holds a considerable amount of leverage in
deciding the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” stated
Rodger Schlickeisen, President of Defenders of Wildlife. “In previous
votes, they have each championed the refuge and today we are urging
them to continue their principled stand and oppose any attempt to open
the refuge to drilling.”
Representatives
Chris Smith, Jim Saxton, Michael Ferguson, Rodney Frelinghuysen, and
Frank LoBiondo have all voted to protect the refuge when the issue has
come up in the past. Reps. Smith, Saxton, and Ferguson further
indicated their intent to continue that tradition by signing a recent
letter to their leadership asking that drilling language be kept out of
the budget reconciliation bill. It was not.
“Pro-drilling
forces have buried language opening the refuge deep in the budget
reconciliation package under consideration,” stated Julia Shaw of the
Alaska Coalition of New Jersey. “There it is shielded from debate,
filibuster and most importantly, the public eye. What they cannot pass
in broad daylight, they are instead seeking to pass under the cover of
darkness.”
Because
the language is a part of the budget bill, members are under pressure
to support the party’s spending priorities despite the damage the bill
would do to the refuge.
“The
Arctic Refuge is one of our nation’s greatest wilderness areas,” said
Sandy Matsen, past president of League of Women Voters of New Jersey.
“Opening it up to drilling is not a wise way to develop a stainable
energy policy.”
The
TV ads also remind voters that a report from the U.S. Energy Department
found drilling in the refuge would only save about one cent per gallon
– 20 years from now.
“This
will be the most decisive vote to protect the Arctic Refuge in the last
quarter century,” said Doug O'Malley, NJPIRG’s Field Director. “We urge
all of these five Congressmen to reject this budget bill so we can
preserve the Arctic. This will establish a precedent – do we drill in
wild places or do we preserve them?”
“God
and our religious traditions teach us to respect the earth and to be
good stewards of natural resources,” added Rev. Fletcher Harper,
Executive Director of GreenFaith. “Drilling in the Arctic violates that
sacred trust.”
The ads will air on cable stations in each Congressman’s respective districts throughout the state.
