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| Opposition is Bruin: Protestors, including native Alaskans and local wildlife, rallied on Capitol Hill to show their support for keeping the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge free from drilling. |
As Supporters Rally, Congressional Moderates Hold Key to Refuge’s Future
The fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge continues to hang in the balance as both houses of Congress work on budget reconciliation bills. These bills include projected revenues from drilling in the Refuge—so if the reconciliation passes, the Refuge will be open to oil exploration. But whether it passes depends on a set of moderate Republicans who have supported Refuge protection in the past, including Maine senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, John McCain of Arizona, and Norm Coleman of Minnesota, as well as two more senators and 29 House moderates.
While the reconciliation bills wait for their turn on the docket, thousands of activists are wasting no time making their voices heard on Capitol Hill. September 20th was Arctic Refuge Action Day, when the Sierra Club and its partners in the Alaska Coalition rallied on the Capitol’s west lawn with more than 3,000 citizens who came from as far as Wisconsin and Michigan on overnight bus rides. A diverse group of leaders addressed the rally, including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Senators Lincoln Chafee, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton, a member of the Canadian Parliament, the Episcopal bishop for Alaska, and Gwich’in leaders Sarah James and Joe Linklater. Afterwards, participants visited their representatives about the upcoming vote on drilling.
photo by Megan Lewis
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