Posted on 02/27/2005 1:44:05 AM PST by Jet Jaguar
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, several of her colleagues and two Bush Cabinet members are scheduled to fly north next week to visit to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which is again a focal point in the debate over national energy policy.
The trip will include Murkowski, Interior Secretary Gale Norton, new Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, and eight to 10 senators, whose names have not been made public.
Murkowski, meanwhile, was in Fairbanks on Friday speaking at the Interior Republican luncheon, where she primarily discussed Congress' work on an energy bill that she said would hopefully include opening part of ANWR for oil and gas exploration and development. Environmental groups have promised a fierce campaign against the move.
"ANWR's probability stands as good of passing the Congress as it ever has," Murkowski said.
She noted Bush's support and the fact that he has already included projected ANWR lease revenues in his next budget. She said the Senate has a majority of 55 Republicans who could be counted in ANWR's favor, but that supporters still don't have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
"ANWR will be filibustered, plain and simple," she said.
To avoid a filibuster, the endless speechifying that Senate rules allow and that can be the death of a measure unless 60 senators vote to curtail the talking, Murkowski and fellow Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens hope to attach ANWR-opening language to a budget reconciliation bill, which is not subject to a filibuster.
The ANWR visit is part of a public-relations effort that Murkowski, along with Stevens and Rep. Don Young, hope will filter down to constituents in other states. She said she is concentrating on educating senators and administration officials about the refuge, new technology and why the refuge is important to the oil and gas supply of the United States.
Chuck Kleeschulte, in Murkowski's Washington, D.C., office, said all 100 senators received invitations to ANWR and that several expressed interest. Only a few could make the time to travel, he said. Murkowski's office declined to list those interested until the names are confirmed, but Kleeschulte said the group will consist of Republicans and Democrats.
The group will fly from Washington to Barrow on Friday. The next day, they will meet with North Slope Native officials and tour the Alpine oil field, paying particular attention to technology used there that may be similar to techniques that would be used in ANWR if it is opened. The group will also tour other Prudhoe Bay oil fields. They will spend a night in Kaktovik, meeting with town leaders and looking at ANWR, and return to Washington on March 7.
Kleeschulte said the senator hopes to inform the visitors about the area and how new technology will allow for exploration with minimal environmental impact.
"People have preconceived notions based on old information and old technology," he said.
Murkowski said she plans to host several such trips for representatives and senators this summer.
Staff writer Margaret Friedenauer can be reached at 459-7572 or mfriedenauer@newsminer.com .
Time to start loading up the pipes and drills and empty barrels
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.