Contacts:    William Lutz           202.772.0269
Deborah Bagocius  202.772.0239

HOUSE COMMITTEE VOTES TO OPEN ARCTIC REFUGE, 
WAIVES ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

"With today's committee action, Congressman Pombo proposes to pave the way for oil companies to drill in one of America's most pristine wilderness areas: the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. At the same time, he would allow oil corporations to sidestep fundamental environmental laws that would normally apply when drilling in this environment. The oil industry could not have written a more favorable bill themselves. Mr. Pombo is essentially giving oil companies a free ride to greater corporate profits at the expense of America's Arctic Refuge, and he appears indifferent to the massive environmental damage drilling would cause.

"This assault on the Arctic Refuge by the chairman underscores the absurdity of addressing this controversial issue in a budget bill. Not only is it wholly inappropriate to develop an energy policy that relies on opening the Arctic Refuge, but also the revenue promised from it is grossly inflated. If he was really interested in addressing long-term energy needs, he would heed the fact that the Department of Energy’s own analysis conducted in July of this year estimates that drilling will not lower gas prices at all in the short term, and would only save drivers about a penny a gallon at the pump 20 years from now.

"Whether it is drilling in wildlife refuges or off-shore, or selling national parks, or crippling the Endangered Species Act, Mr. Pombo is at least consistent in favoring development interests over the environment and the public.

"As hard as pro-drilling forces may try, they cannot erase the fact that irrevocable damage will occur if the Arctic Refuge is open to drilling. There are some places that should be off-limits to oil drilling and industrial development, and the Arctic Refuge is one of them."

###