This is Good News for Us Phyllis Mains-
ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY DAILY (portions)
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
SPOTLIGHT
1. BUDGET
Gibbons strikes mining language from reconciliation
Allison A. Freeman, E&E Daily reporter
Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-Nev.) gave in last night and decided to remove his
changes to mining law in the budget reconciliation bill, saying he
realized it could not survive in the Senate.
Gibbons had successfully included language in the House version that
would have allowed mining companies to purchase public lands, but it
faced opposition from hunting and environmental groups, as well as some
Western governors and senators who said it could lead to a "fire sale" of
public lands. The Senate bill did not contain a similar provision.
Gibbons struck one portion of the title earlier this week in an effort to
gain support, but admitted last night that even his scaled-down proposal
would not survive.
"Unfortunately, it has become clear that the integrity of the mining law
modernization policy I authored in the House could not be maintained
while also complying with Senate procedural rules of the reconciliation
process," Gibbons said.
Resources Committee staff said their negotiations with senators broke
down when they realized the mining language could not survive the
Senate's "Byrd Rule," which bars extraneous provisions in budget
reconciliation bills. It requires 60 votes to waive the rule.
The proposal also seemed to lack any staunch Senate supporters. Gibbons
yesterday praised Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) as a "strong ally" in
efforts to revamp the law. "I applaud his efforts and look forward to
expanding our partnership as we build a broad coalition of support for
mining law modernization," Gibbons said.
But Craig said yesterday morning that he wanted to pull the mining
provision from the budget, in part to keep other things in the measure,
like oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. House
and Senate negotiators are trying to find agreement this week on the
conference report.
"I am doing things personally to try to jettison things that shouldn't be
in it," Craig said, naming the mining language specifically.
Gibbons vowed to work to move legislation to revamp the 1872 Mining Law
through Congress next year as a standalone bill. And Craig released a
statement last night saying he would like to work with Gibbons and Sen.
Harry Reid (D-Nev.) next year to make changes to the mining law.
"This entire process has brought recognition to the critical need to
update mining law," Gibbons said, noting he would use the budget's mining
language as a start for a standalone bill.
ON THE HILL
2. ANWR
Arctic drilling battle continues amid talk of budget delay
Ben Geman, E&E Daily senior reporter
Business groups continued pressing for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
oil drilling yesterday even as a top House lawmaker acknowledged it will
be tough to include ANWR in a final spending reconciliation package.
House Majority Leader Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) told reporters yesterday that
drilling supporters face a challenge as the chambers seek a deal on
spending cut bills. Leaders have been gunning for a reconciliation deal
before the holidays, but Blunt said yesterday that consideration may
bleed into next year.
"I don't hold the opinion that it [ANWR] would be impossible, but it is
clearly something that is very difficult for us to do inside
reconciliation," Blunt said, quickly adding that leaders "haven't given
up." He also said, "We haven't given up on looking at alternatives."
ANWR has emerged as a key sticking point between dueling House and Senate
spending cut packages. The Senate measure authorizes oil and gas leasing
on ANWR's coastal plain; the House measure does not.
ANWR presents a vexing problem because a reconciliation bill immune from
filibuster is seen as the best -- and perhaps only -- way to advance ANWR
through the Senate, which is closely divided on the issue. But in the
House, Democrats are united thus far against GOP spending cut plans, so
opposition to ANWR drilling by a coalition of moderate House Republicans
has forced the leadership in that chamber to dump it from the bill.
Blunt also said the entire budget measure may be delayed until after the
holidays. Asked if it was essential to pass the spending cut measure this
year, Blunt appeared to indicate he would prefer debate continue into
next year rather than conceding on a number of thorny issues.
"Not so essential that we would have to give up, that we would give up
our negotiating position on a number of issues," Blunt said. "I think it
is better to get that right than to get it quickly." But he also said he
hoped and believed it could done before the break. The House's $50
billion spending cut package is more agressive than the Senate's $35
billion measure, with differences on health entitlement spending cuts and
other issues.
A business group, the Alliance for Energy and Economic Growth, released a
Dec. 13 letter sent to all members of Congress that pushes for inclusion
of the ANWR provision. The alliance's steering committee includes the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, oil and gas producer groups such as the
American Petroleum Institute, utility groups, the chemical sector,
manufacturers, and several other business interests.
"Our members believe that ANWR is one more critical part of securing
America's energy future," the letter states. "While ANWR alone can't
provide us with all the domestic energy we need, combined with the rapid
development of other domestic oil and natural gas supplies, ANWR would
make a tremendous difference, especially when coupled with greater energy
efficiency, conservation and diversification."
It cites estimates that ANWR could hold 10 billion barrels of recoverable
oil. "ANWR's coastal plain holds the nation's greatest potential for
another Prudhoe Bay-size discovery," states the letter, which argues it
would be developed with tough environmental safeguards.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) has been seeking a way around the ANWR
impasse, perhaps by winning support from House Democrats who back
drilling but have stood against the spending cut bill for other reasons.
Efforts to win over House Democrats reportedly include sweetening the
package with aid for Gulf coast areas devastated by the hurricanes.
It is not clear how a delay in the measure would affect chances of ANWR
passing. If the budget issue is addressed after the House reconvenes --
which Blunt has said he expects to be in late January -- many members'
constituents will have experienced high home heating costs this winter.
Jennifer Zuccarelli, a spokesperson for Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.),
declined to speculate as to how a delay might affect the ANWR debate
specifically, but said the higher costs will put pressure on Congress.
"People will hear more and more calls for doing something to address
energy supply," she said.
Athan Manuel of U.S. PIRG said that including ANWR only gets harder as
time goes by. "It is closer to the midterm elections, and so many of
these moderates are even less likely to want to even debate this thing in
an election year," he said. In reference to Blunt's comments about the
difficulty of passing ANWR through the budget process, he credits Blunt
with understanding "the moderates are sincere about taking down a
conference that includes ANWR."
Conferees for the spending cut package are expected to be named as soon
as today.
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