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For Immediate Release
Drilling in the Arctic Refuge: Senator Stevens Gets His Wish, with a Little Help from Senator Landrieu
"Senator Stevens and his pro-drilling cohorts in the Senate had to resort to back door tricks and false promises to do it, but they finally got their wish tonight as the Senate voted to open the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas drilling. The truly sad part of this drama is that they had an unlikely ally this time in Senator Landrieu, who voted to drill in the refuge in exchange for some dubious promises of funding for her state.
“The simple fact is that opening the refuge will do nothing to meet America's energy needs or reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Everyone knows the answers to those problems lie in the pursuit of clean energy solutions, everyone except Senator Stevens and his allies. No, the drive to open the Arctic Refuge is about money; money from special interests and the royalty payments from oil companies seeking to drill in the refuge that would go to Senator Stevens’ state.
"The Senate failed the American people tonight. They let the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many. But this fight isn’t over. The conservation community has successfully defended the refuge against attacks from Senator Stevens and big oil companies for decades, we’re not about to stop now.”
Defenders of Wildlife is recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 490,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered species issues.
