The Senate showed its support yesterday for opening Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, a move vehemently opposed by enviros. The Senate voted 51-49 against dropping from the budget resolution an assumption that ANWR will be opened to drilling, thereby netting the government $1.2 billion by 2005. Sen. William Roth (R-Del.) led the unsuccessful attempt to eliminate the ANWR provision from the budget bill, arguing that the pristine area should be protected “for all time and all generations.” Although the budget resolution is nonbinding, yesterday’s vote indicated that there might be support for a separate measure being pushed by Alaska Sens. Frank Murkowski (R) and Ted Stevens (R) that would open ANWR’s coastal plain to drilling. President Clinton has pledged to veto any bills that would allow oil development in ANWR.
