INPIRG drills for awareness

An oil derrick was in the middle of Dunn Meadow Thursday, but it wasn't drilling for black gold. Instead, the derrick was drilling for support for the Indiana Public Interest Research Group's efforts to stop potential drilling in the Alaskan Arctic Wildlife Refuge. During the demonstration, INPIRG supporters spread their message and handed out flyers that included Indiana Senator Richard Lugar's office contact information.\nINPIRG is one of a nationwide network of research groups that work to lobby public involvement in politics. INPIRG operates on the IU campus, but is not affiliated with the University.\nAmanda Roll-Pickering is the organizer of INPIRG's committee for energy. Roll-Pickering, originally from London, said she is deeply concerned with the disappearance of wildlife areas. \n"One of the amazing things about the U.S. is that you have huge tracts of wilderness that can be preserved," Pickering said. "Once drilling starts in the refuge, we've lost (that) wilderness forever." \nINPIRG's Dunn Meadow protest was intended to inform students of the impending vote on the Arctic Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. Senate. The bill is to allow oil drilling in the currently protected Arctic Wildlife Refuge. Supporters of drilling contend that it will provide energy and jobs to the American people, bringing the nation out of economic trouble. Opponents of drilling say that the little amount of oil in the refuge is not enough to justify destroying one of the last true wilderness areas in the world. \nINPIRG members advocate a vote in the Senate against the drilling. \n"Indiana is very key (in the voting)," said Roll-Pickering. "Senators Bayh and Lugar have very influential votes on this issue."\nAccording to an INPIRG statement, Senator Evan Bayh, D-Ind. has decided to vote against the bill and will filibuster (speak continuously to hold off a vote) if necessary to keep the bill from passing. But Lugar has not decided which way he will vote. INPIRG wants to make sure Lugar hears their message.\nRobert Peak, student coordinator for INPIRG, worries that the Arctic Refuge won't be the bill's only target.\n"They want to do other drilling in the Great Lakes and offshore as well," Peak said. "With the Great Lakes, that would be damaging drinking water, not to mention the wildlife involved." \nINPIRG is pushing an alternative bill, written by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D--S.D. Daschle's bill would not allow drilling in protected areas, and it would set a national mandate for 20 percent of the country's energy to come from renewable resources by the year 2020.\nAccording to Peak, now is a critical time for action. \n"Right now at this point there are nine undecided senators," Peak said. "The bill has already passed the House. It is a very tight race."\nThe Senate has returned from recess and will vote on the issue in about two weeks.