Senate blocks attempt to allow ANWR drilling

Move seen as a defeat for Alaska's Sen. Stevens

Wednesday, December 21, 2005; Posted: 10:28 p.m. EST (03:28 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate But Stevens, 82, the Senate's most senior "This is a tremendous victory for all Americans blocked opening the nation's Republican, known for his sometimes and proof that the fate of the Arctic refuge cantankerous nature and fiery temper, must be debated on its merits, not as part of a largest untapped oil reserve in an expressed frustration, but had no apologies. sneak attack." Alaska wildlife refuge Wednesday, denying President Bush his top "Every time this subject comes up ... the Stevens argued that Congress in 1980 agreed energy priority and delivering a minority has filibustered," Stevens complained, to allow ANWR's oil to be developed at some victory to environmentalists who reminding colleagues of his 25-year campaign future date as part an a compromise he said drilling would threaten wildlife. to get Congress to allow development of an supported that expanded the federal refuge to estimated 10 billion barrels of oil beneath the 19 million acres. coastal tundra of the Arctic National Wildlife It was a stinging defeat for Sen. , Refuge in the far northeastern corner of his R-Alaska, one of the Senate's most powerful state. It was a commitment, he maintains, that has members, who had hoped to garner more not been met. votes by putting the measure onto a defense spending bill. That forced senators to choose After the vote, Democrats celebrated as did between supporting the drilling measure, or environmentalists, knowing they had tangled Those who advocate drilling contend the oil -- risking the political fallout from voting against with one of the Senate's toughest members an estimated 1 million barrels a day during money for the troops and hurricane victims. and won. peak production -- is needed for national security to reduce the country's dependence on imports. Drilling opponents say ANWR's oil Instead, Stevens found himself a few votes "It took a lot of guts for a lot of people to stand would do little to curtail imports. shy of getting his wish. up," Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Connecticut, said after the vote. He said he expects the 43 senators who voted against drilling -- all but Steven's proposal would have required the Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, who led four Democrats as well as GOP Sens. Mike Interior Department to issue its first oil leases the floor debate in opposition to the drilling DeWine of and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode in the 1.5-million-acre coastal plain of the provision, called it "legislative blackmail" and Island -- not to yield to further pressures and refuge within 22 months and another package said Democrats agreed they "were not going change their vote. of leases in 2010. Oil was not expected to flow to get jammed" by the tactic. before 2015.

But no one believes the issue -- which has Republican leaders could not break a galvanized environmentalists determined to Developing the Arctic refuge's oil has been Democratic filibuster threat over the drilling protect the refuge from development -- is going one of Bush's top energy priorities and the issue, falling three votes short of the 60 votes away. administration stepped up lobbying for the need to advance the defense spending bill to a ANWR provision this week. Interior Secretary final vote. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R- has said repeatedly that the oil , left the bill in limbo as he, Stevens "I expect to see it again next year," said Sen. can be developed without harming wildlife and other GOP leaders gauged their next John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, a longtime given environmental safeguards in the bill and move. drilling opponent. use of the most modern drilling techniques.

The measure was widely expected to be "Yes, it'll be back," agreed Lieberman. But drilling opponents argued that ANWR's oil withdrawn and reworked without the refuge should not be exploited because of the coastal language, although Stevens warned he was plain's fragile ecosystem and wildlife. While ready to stay until New Year's if necessary to Environmentalists rejoiced, aware that never the region looks bleak during its long winters, fight for the drilling, a cause he has pursued before had drilling proponents come so close and oil can be seen seeping from some of its for 25 of his 37 years in the Senate. to victory. The House already had approved rock formations, the coastal strip also is the the defense bill with Steven's drilling measure calving ground for caribou and home to polar included and President Bush was eager to bears, musk oxen, and the annual influx of Democrats as well as a number of sign it. Congress approved ANWR drilling in millions of migratory birds. Republicans were already angered by 1995 as part of a budget package that was Stevens' tactic that delayed action on the immune from Senate filibuster, but President $453.5 billion defense bill including $29 billion Clinton, a drilling opponent, vetoed it. "Destroying this wilderness will do very little to for hurricane relief, the war and border reduce energy costs nor does it do very much security, and $2 billion to help low-income for oil independence," said Sen. Dianne households pay this winter's heating The Sierra Club called it "an against-all-odds" Feinstein, D-California. expenses. victory. Copyright 2005 The . All "Our military is being held hostage by this "Drilling proponents pulled out all the stops, rights reserved.This material may not be issue, Arctic drilling," fumed Sen. , and tried every trick in their playbook," said published, broadcast, rewritten, or the Democratic leader. Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope. redistributed