Senate Votes to Allow Arctic Refuge Drilling Despite Pushback

By Ammoland Editor Joe Evans

MISSOULA, Mont. -(Ammoland.com)- Following today’s Senate rejection of a budget amendment that would have prevented oil and gas development within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, public lands hunters and anglers strongly criticized both the budget language and the lawmakers who supported it.

While this amendment failed to gain sufficient votes to block drilling in the Arctic Refuge, the vote does demonstrate continued bipartisan opposition to including refuge energy development in the budget – language that could ultimately sink the critical measure.

“This vote was the first skirmish in a longer battle to keep our country’s most iconic wildlife refuge open to hunting and fishing – and closed to oil and gas drilling,” said John Gale, conservation director of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a bucket list destination for sportsmen all over the country. We’re counting on our elected leaders to seize the next opportunity to safeguard it – not give it away to the oil and gas industry.”

BHA has emerged as a leading voice in support of conserving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Recent BHA surveys …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand