Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - coastal Plain - Senators & White House & Rep. Upton (Michigan)

from story in Anchorage Daily News - www.adn.com/

Battle over ANWR begins heating up

If there were any doubts about President Barack Obama's opinion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the White House dispelled them Monday, on the 50th anniversary of one of the country's most powerful symbols of wilderness.  "As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, we remember that this breathtaking terrain holds great significance to our nation," the president wrote in a proclamation. "Stretching from the plains of the Arctic Sea to the soaring mountains of the Brooks Range and lush boreal forests of the Alaskan lowlands, the rugged splendor of the Arctic Refuge is among the most profoundly beautiful places in America."
Pro-development forces and environmentalists have been divided for decades about the future of the refuge's northern-most swath -- the coastal plain. The anniversary of its founding, along with the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, has reignited the debate.  And so has the attention from the nation's highest profile Alaskan, former Gov. Sarah Palin, who mentioned the refuge in urging fans last week to watch Sunday's installment of her reality show.
"You'll also see us hunting at the edge of ANWR, where you can see the uninhabited lands that warehouse billions of barrels of American energy supplies underground just waiting for the political will to allow responsible resource development," Palin wrote last week on her Facebook page.Yet even with the attention, little has changed about the politics of opening the coastal plain to drilling.
A Republican-controlled House will be more likely to approve legislation allowing drilling in ANWR's coastal plain. But even if legislation also passed in the Senate, the president most likely would veto it, Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, said Monday. "I'll introduce my bill, as usual," Young said. "But the reality is, it's not going to get out of the Senate, and the reality is, Obama's not going to sign it. I'm realistic. I've done this 11 times."
But he said he'll do it again, and with the support of Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, the top candidate to run the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Upton on Monday stepped into the debate with a letter to the White House. Upton said he agreed the refuge is "truly one of America's greatest wild places." But he argued that changes in technology, including directional drilling, have made it possible to operate safely and responsibly in the refuge.
"I urge you to put our nation's needs ahead of politics, and implore you not to make it impossible to ever explore for natural resources in ANWR," he said.
Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/12/06/1591148/battle-over-anwr-begins-heating.html#ixzz17QeAsvRt