The Energy Bill was an abomination.  However, I fear the unknown more than
the known.  It had some bad stuff.  The MTBE liability waiver for one thing.
But it did not call for drilling in the Arctic National Wilflife Refuge.
There will be another Energy Bill, probably sooner rather than later.  And I
will bet it will have a provision for drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge.
    Robert R. Eidsmoe     now in Rio Verde, Arizona.  Formerly Sioux City,
Iowa
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Winterwood" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 3:49 PM
Subject: ENERGY BILL DEFEATED IN SENATE


> MASSIVE "POLLUTER PARADISE" ENERGY BILL
> DIES ON SENATE FLOOR: ARCTIC SAFE FOR NOW
>
> Good news! Hours ago, in the most significant
> environmental victory this year, the US Senate voted
> to kill the Energy Bill -- this is a tremendous
> victory! Thanks to steadfast opposition from
> supporters like you, the Bill's backers failed by a
> mere three votes to force a vote to ultimately pass
> the bill through the Senate this year.
> As you may know, late last week, bill proponents
> removed the U.S. House-passed provisions to open the
> Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas
> drilling. They had hoped that this concession would
> have helped push the bill through. But they were
> wrong.
> Even without the Arctic drilling provisions, the bill
> still included dangerous provisions granting oil and
> gas companies exemptions from adhering to portions of
> the Clean Water Act, provisions delaying the deadline
> for large cities to come into compliance with the
> Clean Air Act, and provisions neglecting obvious
> energy-saving issues that should be addressed! The
> bill did not call for an increase in the fuel
> efficiency of cars and trucks. It did not include
> measures to diversify America's energy supplies with
> renewable power sources, nor did it address meaningful
> ways to reduce global warming pollution. It would have
> rolled back existing environmental safeguards for oil
> and gas drilling on public lands and expanded
> development to areas currently off-limits due to their
> environmental fragility. And while we celebrate this
> victory today, this fight is far from over. Rest
> assured, we'll be ready if and when proponents bring
> this bill back. For now, let's celebrate this victory.
> Many, many thanks for contacting your lawmakers by
> letter, phone, and personal visits, and urging them to
> protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil
> and gas drilling and opposing this enormous, dangerous
> and habitat-destructive energy bill. Your help made
> all the difference.
>
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