House Moderates Serve Blow to Arctic Oil Drilling
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 – After last-minute maneuvering Wednesday night, House GOP leaders agreed to strike a clause from a sweeping multi-billion dollar budget-cutting bill that would allow for oil drilling offshore and in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The debate focuses on a 1.5 million acre section of the 19 million acre refuge. D rilling in the refuge is a key to President Bush’s energy policy, and oil companies have been lobbying for years to secure the legislation, arguing that they can drill without spoiling the environment there. Opponents argue that the area should be left pristine.
Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., played an instrumental role in opposing Artic drilling. She was among the 26 House Republicans who warned GOP leaders they would vote against the budget bill if the oil drilling provision was not removed. Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., and Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., were also among the GOP rebels.
“We’re very pleased with the Connecticut delegation on both sides,” said John Calandrelli, Connecticut chapter coordinator for the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest environmental group.
Calandrelli, who called Johnson’s office Thursday morning to express gratitude for her leadership, said, “Everyone’s wanting to pop champagne already.” But, acknowledging what he calls “middle age skepticism,” he said that Arctic drilling is an issue that’s far from over.
Republican moderates were able to capitalize on all-out opposition by Democrats to the budget bill’s proposed cuts in social programs, and the narrow margin of GOP control in the House. Even so, some analysts predict a backlash by the large majority of Republicans who back drilling.
After the House votes on the budget bill-which was expected as early as Thursday night-lawmakers from the Senate and House return to the negotiating table to hash out differences in their two versions of the bill. The Senate, for instance, narrowly passed the measure allowing for drilling in the refuge, also known by its acronym, ANWR, as a part of its budget package.
“The good news for us is the moderate position makes it unlikely that ANWR will sneak back in,” Calandrelli said.
The Bush administration and backers of new oil drilling say it’s necessary to lessen dependence on foreign oil. Other benefits, they argue, include job creation and big-time revenue.
Backers of drilling in the region say that between 6 and 16 billion barrels of usable oil exists in the area that would be used for drilling.
Calandrelli said Connecticut played a major role in the national boots-to-the-ground effort to halt the drilling measure. Environmentalists faced a big setback when it appeared in the budget-cutting bill. Connecticut residents, Calandrelli said, moved quickly to inundate lawmakers with letters of opposition.
” Democracy reared its ugly head again,” he added with a laugh.
