Norm Bishop sent this CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY advisory that has Interior Secretary Salazar seeking commentary on desgnating the Arctic Wildlife Refuge as Wilderness--protected forever status!

, Right now, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is asking for your input on a plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that, for the first time, could recommend wilderness protection for the entire refuge, including the coastal plain. The 19-million-acre refuge is the heart of the Arctic, boasting rich biological diversity and breathtaking landscapes. Oil companies and their friends in Congress have been pushing to drill in the refuge for decades. Now is our chance to stop them: This plan will guide how the Arctic Refuge will be managed for the next 15 years or more. A wilderness recommendation could protect this unparalleled area and the abundant wildlife that depends on it -- including polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, musk oxen,  caribou and millions of birds from around the globe. But to make sure the final version of the refuge plan includes a wilderness recommendation, we must demonstrate  overwhelming support for protecting the refuge. If we speak with a loud and united voice, we'll be sending a strong message that Secretary Salazar can't ignore. Click here to find out more and take action. If you have trouble following the link, go to http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8460. Sample letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar: Letter subject: Designate the Arctic Refuge as Wilderness Dear Secretary Salazar, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I support Alternative E, which would designate the entire Arctic refuge as wilderness.  This alternative will provide the strongest possible protections for the refuge while allowing the continuation of traditional activities on the refuge by the Gwich'in and  other Alaska Native people.