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JULY 18, 01:41 EST House Supports Arctic Drilling By H. JOSEF HEBERT
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush scored a victory in his campaign to get
congressional approval for his energy plan as a House committee endorsed
drilling for oil in an Arctic refuge. But his critics say the triumph may be
short lived. ``This is just the opening shot,'' declared Rep. George Miller,
D-Calif., after the House Resources Committee late Tuesday approved the first
installment of a broad energy bill by 26-17 vote, including the Arctic
drilling. Another piece of the package, as well as a number of proposed
energy tax breaks, were expected to move through different committees later
Wednesday as the House presses to send energy legislation to the Senate
before leaving for its summer recess in August. The Senate has yet to vote on
energy measures, but plans to consider a bill in September.
Tuesday's vote in the Resources Committee brought to a head the debate over
drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska where
as much as 16 billion barrels oil is believed to be located.
Environmentalists consider protection of the refuge their No. 1 priority and
Senate leaders already have vowed to block drilling there. The House bill
calls for lifting a congressional ban on drilling in the refuge's 1.5 million
acre coastal plain where the oil is located. Oil companies for years had
coveted the refuge and Bush has argued the oil there can be developed while
still protecting the environment. While drilling in the refuge, known
commonly as ANWR, attracted strong Republican — and some Democratic —
support in the Resources Committee, opposition is expected to be much
stronger on the House floor where many GOP moderates are likely to join
Democrats in opposition. ``This is going to be a hard fought battle,'' said
Miller. Bush welcomed the committee's action, calling it and conservation
measures in a separate House bill ``important steps toward implementing a
comprehensive and balanced energy policy.'' Democrats attacked the GOP
legislation, crafted largely by Rep. James Hansen, R-Utah, the Resources
Committee chairman, as a threat to federally protected lands and a gift to
the oil companies. In addition to allowing oil development in the Arctic
refuge, the bill exempts oil companies for two years from having to pay
royalties to the government for oil obtained under new drilling leases in the
Gulf of Mexico. Democrats said that could amount to a $7.4 billion subsidy
for some of the largest, most profitable oil companies. Rep. Nick Rahall,
D-W.Va., called it ``a grab bag of goodies for big oil'' and an
``unprecedented assault on our resources.'' Pro-drilling lawmakers called the
oil beneath ANWR's coastal plain refuge essential to meeting U.S. needs and
reducing America's reliance on foreign oil. And they said the royalty relief
will spur exploration in the Gulf of Mexico — outside of Alaska the most
promising area for oil finds. ``We are like ostriches sticking our heads in
the sand,'' declared Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., alluding to the anti-drilling
arguments. ``We need to produce from places like ANWR.''
In other energy-related action, House Democrats said they reluctantly will
oppose a package of energy tax breaks, proposed by Bush and GOP lawmakers,
when they come up for a vote Wednesday in the Ways and Means Committee. The
tax breaks, estimated to cost $35 billion to $40 billion over 10 years,
include tax credits for hybrid-fuel cars and residential solar systems, as
well as breaks for alternative fuels and domestic production of oil and gas.
Meanwhile, the House Energy and Commerce Committee was expected to finish
work Wednesday on a separate energy bill aimed at boosting conservation.
Democrats said the measure doesn't go far enough to promote energy savings
because it fails to rein in gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles. Rep. Edward
Markey, D-Mass., in opposing the ANWR measure, argued that an increase in the
federal automobile fuel economy standard to a fleet average of 40 miles per
gallon ``dwarfs any energy production from the Arctic refuge.'' Currently,
new automobiles are required to meet a fleet average of 27.5 mpg and SUVs and
minivans 20.7 mpg.
House Members Debate Bush Energy Plan
Dems Unlikely to OK GOP Energy Plan
Study Measures Gov't Energy Research
Energy Secretary Urges Partnerships
RECENT NEWSCheney, Team Fan Out for Energy Plan
Bush Scales Back Oil Lease Plan
Graphic: Offshore Drilling
Report Details Gas Price Increases
Bush Sends Energy Plans to Congress
Bush Demands Energy Efficiency
GOP Ads Try to Blame Davis for Woes
Court Declines Energy Price Cap
Energy Chief Speaks in N.Y.
Californians Prepare for Blackouts
Mass. Tackles Time to Save Energy
Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
"Never cease in the fight for peace, justice, and equality for all people. Be
perisitent in all that you do and don't allow anyone to sway you from your
conscience.".....Leonard Peltier
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