ANWR in U.S. House budget; House panel to meet in Kaktovik

Steve Sutherlin, PNA associate editor

Hopes for opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development have been resurrected in the House budget bill, after the Senate stripped ANWR from its version of the budget.

“We have a good solid opportunity of continuing and prevailing,” Roger Herrera, Arctic Power’s Washington, D.C. representative, told Petroleum News Alaska March 26.

The House budget includes income from a proposed lease sale in the coastal plain, which is expected to raise $1.2 billion in revenues for the federal government. Although a similar ANWR item was removed from the Senate version of the budget bill by a 52-48 vote March 19, ANWR is on track to ride the House bill into a combined budget bill, Herrera said.

Herrera said $1.2 billion may seem miniscule in comparison to the $800 billion or so Congress needs to round up, but in fact, every $1 billion in revenue counts.

There is always the possibility the House will pull ANWR out of its budget, Herrera said, before it goes to conference committee where drilling proponents hope it will stay in the combined House-Senate budget bill that is not subject to filibuster when it comes up for a vote in the Senate.

House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo called a full committee legislative field hearing at 11:00 a.m. in Kaktovik, to discuss two resolutions affecting ANWR.

The first, H.R. 39, Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 2003, would “establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound and job creating program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the coastal plain, and for other purposes.” H.R. 39 is sponsored by Rep. Don Young.

The second, H.R. 770, Morris K. Udall Arctic Wilderness Act, would preserve the coastal plain as “wilderness in recognition of its extraordinary natural ecosystems and for the permanent good of present and future generations of Americans.” H.R, 770 is sponsored by Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass.