The Republican Leadership in the House of Representatives, worried that several Republicans would turn around and vote no on the upcoming omnibus appropriations bill that Congress is working on, has gone and dropped the provision from the bill which would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. The same goes for offshore coastal shelf areas, which the Republicans and the oil industry would like to open up even more.

 

This is not the end of this story, as it is still in the Senate version, and the Republicans may very well put it back into the final version which comes out of the conference committee (They've stuck far more random things in there before).

 

Link

This is not the end of this story, as it is still in the Senate version, and the Republicans may very well put it back into the final version which comes out of the conference committee (They've stuck far more random things in there before).

 

Link

 

Not the end of the story, to be sure. But a welcome relief for the moment.

 

It's interesting how now it is the Senate which has been quick to pass ANWR drilling measures whereas in the last couple years the were more cautious about it and the Hous more reckless.