Environment
Senate faces fight over ANWR in defense bill


Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) has inserted a provision to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling in the 2006 defense appropriations bill.

Stevens agreed to the provision after the House passed a version of the bill that authorized drilling. The House passed its version early Monday morning at around 5am.

Senate Democrats slammed the inclusion of drilling in the "must-pass" appropriations bill. They said they would try to remove the provision or block the package altogether.

Alaska Natives are divided on the issue. Inupiat Eskimos, who own surface and mineral rights in ANWR, support drilling. The Gwich'in Nation opposes development out of fear it will harm the Porcupine caribou herd that migrates through ANWR.

The Arctic Slope Regional Corp., which owns the subsurface rights, won't have to share revenues with the other Alaska Native regional corporations due to a secret land deal negotiated with the Reagan administration.

Get the Story:
ANWR Issue Roils Senate Again (The Washington Post 12/20)
pwpwd
Stevens Holds Senate in Session (The Washington Post 12/20)
House Budget Bills Face Senate Fight (The Washington Post 12/20)
Lawmakers Prepare for Showdown Over Arctic Oil Drilling Provision (The New York Times 12/20)
pwnyt
ANWR vote uncertain (The Anchorage Daily News 12/20)
pwpwd
ANWR battle rages in Senate (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 12/20)

Relevant Links:
Arctic Slope Regional Corp - http://www.asrc.com
Gwic'hin Steering Committee - http://www.alaska.net/~gwichin
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Willdife Service - http://arctic.fws.gov
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pro-Development site - http://www.anwr.org

Related Stories:
Column: ANWR debate not only about environment (12/15)
Bush officials make big claims on ANWR drilling (12/13)
Native corporations want share of ANWR revenues (11/29)
GOP removes ANWR drilling from budget measure (11/10)
House scheduled to vote on ANWR drilling measure (11/9)
Senate passes budget measure with ANWR drilling (11/4)
ANWR drilling measure up for vote in Senate (11/3)
Senate panel adds ANWR drilling to budget (10/20)
Gwich'in Nation continues fight against ANWR drilling (09/21)
Senate delays action on ANWR drilling in budget (09/14)
Shareholders want ANWR oil shared with all Natives (07/08)
NCAI's Hall praises Senate passage of energy bill (06/29)
Opinion: Drilling in ANWR would destroy sacred place (06/07)
House panel puts ANWR drilling in energy package (04/14)
Stevens wrong on claim that ANWR will help Natives (4/12)
Gwich'in leader blasts Senate vote on ANWR drilling (03/18)
Senate votes for ANWR drilling in federal budget (3/18)
Senate vote on ANWR drilling said to be very close (3/16)
Letters: Gale Norton still wrong on ANWR drilling (3/16)
Editorial: Norton wrong about drilling in ANWR (3/15)
Gale Norton: Drilling in ANWR won't hurt environment (3/14)
Stevens 'depressed' over ANWR drilling fight (3/14)
House, Senate differ on ANWR energy legislation (3/10)
GOP to include ANWR drilling in budget measure (3/9)
Arctic drilling a sensitive issue for Inupiat Eskimos (3/7)
Senate Republicans optimistic on ANWR drilling (12/16)
GOP says it has votes to authorize ANWR drilling (11/05)
Bush administration prepares for second term (11/04)
Bruce Babbitt: Arctic drilling would harm Inupiats (07/08)
House Republican drop bid to open ANWR to drilling (06/17)
House Republicans push two energy bills through (6/16)
Alaska to open ANWR shores to oil and gas drilling (04/01)
Alaska Native mayor decries spread of development (02/13)
Norton approves development in Alaska reserve (01/23)
Norton wants to drill more than ANWR (11/04)
ANWR opponent named AFN's top citizen (10/28)
House negotiators approve ANWR proposal (10/03)
Republicans revive ANWR drilling (9/27)
Bush wants ANWR and that's that (9/26)
Bush veto over ANWR drilling not certain (9/24)
Norton: Veto bill if no ANWR drilling (9/20)
House-Senate hammer out energy bill (6/28)
ANWR advocates on energy bill committee (6/14)
DOI official says public doesn't get it (5/10)
Energy picks have Murkowski happy (5/3)
Democrats balk on energy negotiations (5/2)
Senate approves energy bill (4/26)
Work wraps up on energy bill (4/25)
Alaska Native drilling won't be pushed (4/24)
Murkowski silent on Native drilling (4/22)
Senate rejects ANWR drilling proposal (4/19)
Next Stop: Drilling on Inupiat land (4/19)
On drilling, a defeat for Bush (4/19)
Bush looks for other places to drill (4/19)
Votes for ANWR said lacking (4/18)
ANWR proposals offered(4/17)
Editorial: Norton's ANWR video (4/17)
ANWR swing votes sought (4/16)
Norton defends use of pro-ANWR video (4/12)
ANWR amendment delayed in Senate (4/12)
Hussein threat sparks ANWR plea (4/11)
Burns says caribou impact 'nil' (4/10)
Native drilling to impact caribou (4/9)
New ANWR analysis questioned (4/5)
Bush discounting drilling report (4/1)
Drilling report was held back (4/1)
Gwich'in activist still at it (3/25)
Pros and Cons: Arctic Drilling (3/19)
Among Inupiat Eskimos, an 'injustice' (3/13)
Senate takes up energy bill (3/6)
Campbell: Drill ANWR (3/4)
For or against, Inupiats tied to off-shore drilling (11/2)
Inupiats press for oil drilling in ANWR (10/26)
ASRC supporting anti-drilling complaint (10/26)
'Attack' on Gwich'in decried (10/24)
Norton admits ANWR 'mistake' (10/23)
Norton staff rewrote Arctic drilling data (10/19)
Arctic drilling debate continues (10/15)
Bush promotes ANWR as home security (10/12)
ANWR spared in defense vote (10/3)
House approves limited Arctic drilling (8/2)
Bush makes last-ditch pitch for Arctic drilling (8/1)
House panel approves Arctic drilling (7/18)
Gwich'in Nation blind-sided by Norton visit (6/15)
Norton: Indian Country won't get ripped off (5/24)
Alaska Natives square off over Arctic drilling (5/18)
Campbell: Alaska Natives support drilling (4/25)
Gwich'in Nation: We Come from the Caribou (4/4)
GOP Senators unveil drilling proposal (2/27)