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Oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is closer than ever to becoming a reality, but the fight isn’t over yet. By razor-thin margins, on April 28th, the U.S. Senate and House voted for a budget including Arctic-drilling language.
“This fight is not over – we still have a strong chance of winning,” says Athan Manuel, an Arctic advocate in Environment Colorado’s Washington, D.C., offices. “Congress still has to pass the budget one more time, the reconciliation act – something that will be difficult to do.”
Eleven Republicans defied their leadership and voted against the budget because it included drilling language. BP and ConocoPhillips, two of the largest oil interests, have already dropped out of Arctic Power, a lobbying group funded by the oil industry and state of Alaska, due to advocacy by Environment Colorado and its allies.
Manuel expects at least two more votes on drilling in the Refuge. Environment Colorado will be lining up legislative support in the coming weeks to counter the pro drilling lobby. |
