FYI - Senator Grassley voted wrong today, against an amendment that would
have taken Arctic drilling out of the Senate budget. Give him a call and let
him know that his vote was a vote for the wrong kind of energy future, and
Iowans expect better from him:
202-224-3744





For Immediate Release: March 16, 2005
Contact: Annie Strickler, (202) 675-2384

  SENATE TAKES FIRST STEP TOWARD DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE
                                  REFUGE
            Fight to Protect Pristine Wilderness Far From Over

Washington, D.C. -- The Senate today voted by a razor-thin margin to take
the first step towards drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge as part of the Federal Budget Resolution. A bipartisan group of
Senators attempted to safeguard this national treasure and the native people
and wildlife that depend on it, but 51 Senators voted against an amendment
to strip Arctic drilling revenues from the Budget Resolution.

"We deeply regret that 51 Senators voted to pursue special interests instead
of energy solutions," said Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director. "This
is only the opening gambit in the chess game, and a strong, bipartisan
coalition of Senators -- backed by the will of the American people -- will
press on with a vigilant campaign to keep the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge where it belongs: wild and free and out of the budget."

The Bush administration and allies in Congress advanced their plan for
Arctic drilling through the complicated budget process by slipping in an
assumption of $2.4 billion in revenues to the federal treasury from leasing
and development of the Arctic Refuge.  These numbers are speculative at
best. Given that oil leases on the North Slope of Alaska have historically
sold for about $50 an acre, the budget figure voted on by Congress is
inflated to at least 80 times that average.

"Today's vote is an abuse of the budget process that undermines the pillars
of our democracy. It is fiscally irresponsible and would sacrifice one of
America's great natural treasures," said Pope. "This razor-thin vote is by
no means a mandate to drill in the Arctic Refuge."

Even after the vote on the Cantwell amendment, the Senate must still pass
the budget resolution before it goes to the conference committee.  There,
they must iron out their differences with the House spending plan, which
does not assume Arctic drilling revenues.  The conference report is then
subject to a straight up or down vote in both the House and Senate. The next
step is the Budget Reconciliation Bill where Congress must pass the actual
legislation to authorize opening the Arctic Refuge to drilling.

"Even the oil companies know that America's energy future does not lie in
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," said Pope.

Drilling in the Arctic Refuge has long been the centerpiece of the Bush
administration's energy policy, even there are cheaper, quicker, safer and
cleaner energy solutions that allow us to safeguard the wild places
Americans care so deeply about. We cannot drill our way to energy
independence, but we can embrace responsible measures and real, 21st Century
energy solutions that make cars go farther on a gallon of gas, promote
conservation, invest in clean renewable energy, and protect our natural
heritage.

When the Budget was brought to the floor today, Senators Maria Cantwell
(D-WA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and John Kerry (D-MA) offered an amendment to
strip Arctic drilling revenues from the bill, which lost by a vote of 51-49.

"We thank those Senators, both Republican and Democrat, who stood firm
against tremendous pressure from the Bush administration, pro-drilling
members of Congress and their allies in the oil industry," said Pope. "They
recognize that the budget is an inappropriate place to decide controversial
national policy matters like America's energy policy. We urge all members of
Congress to remain steadfast in their belief that the vast, unspoiled
wilderness of America's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is more than a line
item in the Federal Budget."

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