The largest lobbying contingent in environmental activist history descended on Washington DC this week to plead with Congress to oppose drilling in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Although the event was largely ignored by a national media focused on Hurricane Katrina and the Roberts confirmation, the thousands walking the halls of Congress sent a powerful message that the environmental community is not being diverted from the struggle to stop the Bush Administration’s senseless and immoral plan.
To avoid a filibuster, pro-drilling forces attached the drilling legislation to budget legislation. The measure passed in June, but must be voted on again. The vote was expected as early as this week, which is why a broad coalition of environmental activists from across America to rally and lobby on Capitol Hill.
Hurricane Katrina has created new problems for Republican budget planners, who postponed the planned budget vote (which included the Alaska drilling amendment) until possibly as late as November.
The delay should benefit opponents, who have won the backing of virtually every Democrat in Congress. Opposition from “moderate” Republicans is essential to defeat the bill in the Senate.
Many of those coming to Washington DC were students. While the media appears to have lost interest in Alaska’s fate, it remains a hot button issue on college campuses.
Just as the Bush Administration has used Katrina to preempt federal prevailing wage and affirmative action laws, it is now claiming that the hurricane’s impact on oil production makes Alaska drilling even more imperative.
Next we will undoubtedly hear that New Orleans actually had too many wetlands, and that additional development will stop future floods.
Photo by: Anita Feingold-Shaw
