While not part of energy bill, fight over oil drilling in an Arctic refuge

[Judi Lynn]

While not part of energy bill, fight over oil drilling in an Arctic refuge still a hot topic in Congress.

By H.Josef Hebert
ASSOCIATED PRESS

11:19 a.m. August 7, 2005

WASHINGTON – Conspicuous by its absence in the sweeping energy bill that President Bush has championed and will sign Monday is his top energy priority: opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling.
But the fight over the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will flare anew in Congress next month with drilling advocates saying they have their best chance in more than two decades of making it happen.

Tapping what is believed to be at least 10 billion barrels of oil within the refuge's 1.5 million-acre coastal plain has been the centerpiece of Bush's energy agenda dating back to his first presidential campaign in 2000. Bush has repeatedly said the oil is important to the nation's national and economic security.

But the idea that drilling proponents might win has produced outrage among environmentalists, who see the region as a pristine refuge where caribou, polar bears, migratory birds and other wildlife thrive and should be protected.
(snip/...)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050807-1119-arcticrefuge.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. With energy bill signed, state works on ANWR (From "Petroleum News")

With energy bill signed, state works on ANWR

Pro-drilling proponents prepare to make final push for keeping drilling legislation in federal budget reconciliation bill

Rose Ragsdale

Petroleum News Contributing Writer


Now that President Bush is signing into law a $12.5 billion energy bill recently approved by Congress, Alaska’s oil patch is turning to prospects for oil drilling on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge clearing Congress this year.

A provision that would allow the controversial exploration and development is quietly biding its time in a mammoth budget bill expected to emerge from committee in September.

Bush, who favors ANWR drilling, has asked Congress to present him with legislation that would enable America to tap its largest potential source of onshore crude oil reserves.
(snip/...)

http://www.petroleumnews.com/pntruncate/145454960.shtml

[Judi Lynn]

3. John Roberts Gives Indians Something To Worry About

John Roberts Gives Indians Something To Worry About
Saturday, August 06 2005 @ 11:07 AM PDT

~~ snip ~~

A spokesperson for the Gwich'in Steering Committee said the Roberts nomination ''signals potential for further erosion of tribal rights.'' Said steering committee representative Luci Beach, ''In two landmark cases, Roberts has argued that the rights of the state of Alaska supercede the sovereignty and subsistence rights guaranteed to Native peoples by the federal government ...This is sadly indicative of the Bush administration's disregard and contempt for basic tribal and human rights, which has also been signaled by Bush's incessant push to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) regardless of the impact to the land or the people.''

Anyway, speaking of the Gwich’in, they have joined with a number of other groups who are together calling themselves the Arctic Refuge Action in taking a "Save ANWR" message on the road. Vans emblazoned with images of polar bears and caribou are now traveling around the country, in a campaign intended to mobilize opposition to oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"We will be carrying two messages to the people we meet," said Rebecca Brown, one of the van's two drivers. "The first is that there is still time to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- Congress will be voting on drilling in the fall, so now is the time to stand up for the Arctic Refuge.

http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050806110726523

[Joebert]

2. Oil prices will spike. That's when they'll strike.

When a gallon of gas hits $3.00 average across the country, they'll say look what we're doing...

And it will pass.

So many people will jump to support this.

I hate it when it's obvious to us what's going to happen, and it does. Our "representatives" will all vote yes, just to show they're working to lower our gas prices.

Of course it will be forever before anything is built and working up there, but they'll still get their way.

Argh.

[mbperrin]

4. It's liable to be the same big fizzle North Slope turned into.

There were supposed to be THREE Alaska pipelines parallel to handle all that crude. Instead, one was more than enough, since it never runs at capacity.

And then the production there is sold to Japan, anyway.

This is why even though the state of Alaska and a bunch of politicians think that companies are just drooling to get in, nobody can name one company that's actually announced an interest. On the other hand, if someone would give them billions in subsidies and other great tax loopholes to cover their existing profits, they'll beat down the door.

I've lived in the middle of the largest US field in the world all my life, and they do figure out any way they can to not pay one dime in taxes on it. Even now, with record prices, the school districts, retirement funds for teachers, and universities are all having to cut back, because these guys just don't pay taxes!!

[Joebert]

5. But by taxing them, you're making it hard for them to create jobs!

Every election day, when a candidate has won, they should have an electro-shock collar fitted.

That way, when they spout a line like this, we get to shock them.

[mbperrin]

6. Good idea! Hmmm...

50,000 volts sound about right? ;)

[bluestateguy]

7. Oil is trading at $62.31 a barrel. If we drill in the ANWR...

it may drop to $62.29, in about 5 years.

[sandnsea]

8. ANWR "Rally Van" Tour

This fight isn't over. 20 organizations launched the Rally Van tour across the midwest to educate voters on the refuge and drop in the bucket of oil that ANWR contains. They'll be in Michigan and Minnesota this week.

More events and actions for people to take:

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=1277

[mom cat]

9. And the Artic Rescue Action Page....check it out

Take Arctic Refuge Action Today!
There's still time to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by taking action. Here are six things you can do TODAY:

:bounce: go to this link for details:


http://www.arcticrefugeaction.org/takeaction/

[Judi Lynn]

11. There's a very helpful, convenient letter to send Congresscritters

on the homepage. Makes it so easy to accomplish! Thanks so much for posting this great link.

They need to get a storm of messages from the American people. So many polls have said already we don't want to tear up the ANWR. What are the chances they will respect our wishes?

They need to hear from the people who can vote them out of office.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Arctic drilling supporters plot new tactic

Arctic drilling supporters plot new tactic

Sunday, August 7, 2005; Posted: 7:36 p.m. EDT (23:36 GMT)

What Is This? WASHINGTON (AP) -- Conspicuous by its absence in the sweeping energy bill that President Bush has championed and will sign Monday is his top energy priority: opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling.

But the fight over the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will flare anew in Congress next month with drilling advocates saying they have their best chance in more than two decades of making it happen.

Tapping what is believed to be at least 10 billion barrels of oil within the refuge's 1.5 million-acre coastal plain has been the centerpiece of Bush's energy agenda dating back to his first presidential campaign in 2000. Bush has repeatedly said the oil is important to the nation's national and economic security.

But the idea that drilling proponents might win has produced outrage among environmentalists, who see the region as a pristine refuge where caribou, polar bears, migratory birds and other wildlife thrive and should be protected.
(snip/...)

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/07/arctic.refuge.ap/index.html

[tuvor]

12. Kicked and recommended. n/t

[G_j]

13. Fight Over Alaska Oil Drilling Continues

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5196779,00.html

Fight Over Alaska Oil Drilling Continues

Monday August 8, 2005 4:01 AM

By H. JOSEF HEBERT

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Conspicuous by its absence in the sweeping energy bill that President Bush has championed and will sign Monday is his top energy priority: opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling.

But the fight over the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will flare anew in Congress next month with drilling advocates saying they have their best chance in more than two decades of making it happen.

<snip>

Domenici said he will include a provision authorizing ANWR drilling as part of a budget procedure that is immune to filibuster. A similar maneuver is being planned in the House, although the final strategy is still being worked out.

Unlike normal legislation, the budget process is not subject to filibuster, so only 51 votes will be needed in the Senate for it to clear Congress and be signed into law by the president. Just such a tactic was used a decade ago when Congress approved ANWR drilling as part of the budget process, only to see the measure vetoed by then-President Clinton, a drilling opponent.

..more..

[orleans]

14. Fight Over Alaska Oil Drilling Continues (greedy residents want $$)

snip

"Conspicuous by its absence in the sweeping energy bill that President Bush has championed and will sign Monday is his top energy priority: opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling.

"But the fight over the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will flare anew in Congress next month with drilling advocates saying they have their best chance in more than two decades of making it happen.

snip

"Sen. Lisa Murkowski (news, bio, voting record), R-Alaska, said her state's delegation is determined to push for opening the refuge, calling it "the final component" of a nation energy plan that she hopes will be put in place later this year.

"Alaska would get half of the proceeds from oil leases, which the Congressional Budget Office has estimated at $5 billion over five years, shared equally by the federal government and the state.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050808/ap_on_go_co/arctic_refuge;_ylt=Agv9v36esFJX1q8r26LXyxCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-


i don't get it. are the residents of alaska so fucking greedy that they are willing to sacrifice ANWR for a refund check??? i'm sorry--i don't get it--i keep thinking: how dare they!

"The expansive, clean ANWR looks much different than the Prudhoe Bay region about 35 miles away, where oil drilling has occurred for decades. The effects of Prudhoe include towering drills, large and loud equipment, a long oil pipeline -- not to mention millions of dollars for Alaska's economy. Oil revenues not only allow the state not to have a sales tax, it also facilitates an annual refund to Alaska residents -- around $2,000 in 2000." http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2001/fyi/news/03/23/alaska.oil/

[bluestateguy]

15. Would this mean residents would get more Permanent Fund money?

The architects of this program (the Permanent Fund) were brilliant. They made the residents of Alaska 100% pro-oil industry.

Tip your cap to them for this political hat trick.

[orleans]

16. it's so amazing to me.

i guess if you have five kids and two parents and everyone is getting a check for $2000 it gets pretty tempting--but still.....

i think when the tides turn (in house and senate) we should pass a law and federally tax the crap out of those refund checks, unearned income that gets reported--more forms for them to fill out--and basically make it not so worth their while to sell out the environment.

[mike_c]

17. people will sell their grandmothers for easy money....

Greed makes the world go round.

[bluestateguy]

18. That's a bad idea

They have to report that income like any other check they get. If a parent saves up every check a child gets for 18 years, that could pay for, or make a big dent in, one's in-state college tuition.

Your idea would make it impossible for Democrats to ever win an election in Alaska again.

[orleans]

23. Yawn....alaska: 3 electoral votes:

1988: bush
1992: bush
1996: dole
2000: bush
2004: bush (by 61%)

senators: lisa murkowski (R)& ted stevens (R)

so explain to me why it is important not to piss alaska off by saving ANWR ??? because someday--some year--they might--just might--vote for a democrat--maybe---if they feel like it??????

i wouldn't hold my breath.
i say screw them--tax the hell out of their fucking rebate checks and save the environment. what are they gonna do? vote for another republican AGAIN???

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Judi Lynn]

27. Just a gasp of anxiety here, please, to ask you reconsider you perception

of Kerry, and reflect on the thought that _Bush, who is undoubtedly richer than Kerry ever was, has been carefully packaged and molded by his Republican unscrupulous handlers to convince the Bible-thumping right-wing nutcases that he is a "down-to-earth" man of the people, which couldn't be farther from the truth.

He's not.

The "primadona pussy" who has wrought havoc in this world is the imbecile/cancer in the White House.

[DenaliDemocrat]

28. Oh I understand

and I despise Bush, but you must understand. This is a state of oil workers, commercial fishermen, guys who run snowplows, etc.


When Kerry let Bush assissinate his service record and said nothing... well it certianly did not help. If Kerry had said, look you little closet shit, you ran and hid in daddy's wallet, I went to WAR, Kerry would have won this election.

[Judi Lynn]

32. Yep, I believe that! It was murder waiting for him to get stern

with the nation's uninvited guest pResident.

I'd sure like to see this guy leave office a whole lot more serious than when he arrived. The sooner the better.

[Oerdin]

19. You do realize

That the oil industry hated the idea of the permanent fund and that progressives in Alaska fought long and hard for the citizens right to get a portion of the profits made off of their states natural resources, right?

[bluestateguy]

21. No I didn't know that

But I think over the long run it makes the people more pro oil industry because they feel as if they are shareholders and part owners of the business in Alaska.

[bunkerbuster1]

30. "Lord, please give us another oil boom...

we promise not to piss this one away."

(I read some time ago, this was a popular plaque/aphorism in Alaskan drinking establishments. even if not true, I think it sums up the mindset there pretty well.)

[DenaliDemocrat]

20. You guys are so wrong it is not funny

The oil drilling in Alaska was happening on STATE lands. As residents of the state, we own the land. In the boom days, there was more revenue than the state could spend (if you could imagine that) Gov. Hammond decided that since the state lands belonged to the residents of the state, some benefit should come to the residents. They took the extra money and invested it, and paid the dividends to the residents...hence the Permanent Fund. Current oil revenue does not mean diddly to the permanent fund, it is the STOCK MARKET that matters. Over sixty billion dollars are invested on behalf of the residents of Alaska.

[sandnsea]

22. I support that

As long as you can 100% guarantee me that it's only STATE lands, I had always thought it was both. And tell me where your federal lease money goes, for logging, etc.

On a side note, do you think the $2000 a year has anything to do with the high cost of living? Besides the obvious issues of remoteness. What are your personal bankruptcy numbers like? I can't even imagine what it would have meant to my family to have an extra $10,000 every year.

[DenaliDemocrat]

24. A little exageration

Last year it was $920 per person, not $2000.
There have only been a few years where it was that high.

On the other hand, we pay $5.00 for a gallon of milk, and have to pay to heat our homes about 9 months a year. Also, airfare up here is not cheap. That pays one visit to the ower 48 to see the family. Logging, etc is NOT included in the Permanent fund, but would be if they were smart. Why should the feds and states exploit public lands for no return to the landowners????????

[sandnsea]

26. Didn't answer any questions

Do I need to go back and get them and post them again? They were questions, not attacks.

[Toots]

29. Wildlife "Refuge"...anyone know what those words mean?

:shrug:

[shrike]

31. Right-wing idiot tells me ANWAR is "as rich in oil as the Mideast"

Guess that's the latest meme going around. Millions upon millions of barrels of oil will come out of that place. I laughed at him and he just looked at me with a smug, pitying look on his face.

[Strawman]

33. Here's what I don't understand

I heard they're just going to slip Arctic drilling into the budget bill where it can't be filibustered, so why not hold the energy bill hostage until they agree not to do that?