WASHINGTON -- March 16 -- 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 theactual 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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