-Caveat Lector- ANWR on the Block Again
Washington, D.C. House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (CA-R) introduced House Bill 5429 The American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act Monday to open the coastal plain of ANWR for oil and gas development. The bill is a standalone provision that solely concentrates on the 1.5 million acre 10-02 Area of ANWR. Highlights of HR 5429: Limits surface development to 2000 acres of the 10-02 Area; Establishes a leasing program for the 10-02 Area; Repeals prohibition of oil and gas leasing on federal and native lands in the10-02 Area; Allows the establishment of 45,000 acres in the 10-02 Area to be designated Special Areas of unique or sensitive importance; Sets a 200,000 acre minimum lease size; Requires the first sale to be 22 months after enactment; Establishes a project labor agreement for all lessees; Requires site environmental analysis for each lease, and compliance with all Federal and State environmental codes; Requires use of best commercially available technology for development; Splits revenue 50-50 between State and Federal Governments; Sets up an Impact Aid and Community Service program to any Alaskan community that can demonstrate impacts from development. This renewed effort to open ANWR will likely be able to achieve a majority vote in the House which has consistently passed ANWR legislation with a simple majority vote. Part of the irony of ANWR is that in a simple majority both the House and the Senate have consistently been in favor of opening ANWR. It is due to obstructionist Senators such as Cantwell, Clinton, and Kerry that the majority support is spoiled by threats of filibuster. Sixty votes are required to overturn a filibuster which is very difficult to achieve. In December the Senate managed 57 votes to try and overturn an ANWR related filibuster, but could not achieve 60. It is expected the current situation with rising energy costs in America and the upcoming election will put much pressure on Congressmen and women to act. It is indeed the legacy of 10 years of inaction and blocking by radical environmental groups lobbying Congress to prevent any national energy projects that has landed America in the energy crunch it feels today. ANWR has been stated by the US Geological Survey to be Americas best chance to increase its domestic oil and gas production, a resource we would be enjoying today had, the President Clinton, not vetoed an ANWR bill in 1995. Because of HR5429 there are now two ANWR provisions on the working books of Congress. An ANWR provision was also attached to the Senate Budget Resolution which passed earlier this spring. The House did not include the ANWR provision in their version of the Budget Resolution passed last week. The Budget Resolution is not subject to filibuster and a single version, which will likely include ANWR must be worked out by Conference Committee of the two bodies before final voting. There is a possibility that Chairman Pombos new HR5429 will be up for a vote in the House by the end of the week. Should the new bill pass in the House, which it is likely to do, there will be a lot of pressure on Congress to finally close on the ANWR issue, as both bills will then have passed on one side. Remember:More people have died in Ted Kennedy's car than have died in United States Commercial Nuclear Power plant operations visit my web site at http://www.info-quest.org Visit my energy page at http://www.info-quest.org/Energy.html Check out the latest on the anwr drilling project http://www.anwr.org visit my blog at http://info-spectrum.blogspot.com My ICQ# is 79071904 See the Pledge of alleginace to the flag that the 9th circuit court of appeals doesn't want you to say. for a precise list of the powers of the Federal Government linkto: http://www.info-quest.org/Enumerated.html www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substanceânot soap-boxingâplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'âwith its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsâis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/ <A HREF="http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om