Wildlife

FERC on Thursday called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to expedite their review of a $333 million project to replace aging natural gas delivery capacity on Williams’ Northwest Pipeline in western Washington State.

Freshman Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) said he voted to open up Alaska’s Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to energy exploration and production earlier this month after receiving assurances from the Bush administration that the current moratorium on oil and natural gas drilling off Florida’s Gulf Coast would be extended for five years to 2012.

Freshman Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) said he voted last week to open up Alaska’s Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to energy exploration and production after receiving assurances from the Bush administration that the current moratorium on oil and natural gas drilling off Florida’s Gulf Coast would be extended for five years to 2012.

In a significant victory for pro-drilling forces, Senate Republicans last Wednesday narrowly approved opening up a portion of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and natural gas development.

In a significant victory for pro-drilling forces, Senate Republicans on Wednesday narrowly approved opening up a portion of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and natural gas development.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a critic of drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), was expected to offer an amendment Tuesday to strike the pro-ANWR provision from the budget resolution now being considered on the Senate floor.

Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee blocked an effort by Democrats to keep the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge closed to oil and natural gas exploration and development during mark-up Thursday of the panel’s fiscal 2006 budget resolution..

Separating the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) issue from the ongoing energy bill debate in Congress significantly increases the chances that a comprehensive energy bill will be passed by the new Congress, former Republican U.S Senator and 9/11 Commission member Slade Gorton told an energy industry conference Thursday in Seattle.

Separating the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) issue form the ongoing energy bill debate in Congress significantly increases the chances that a comprehensive energy bill will be passed by the new Congress, former Republican U.S Senator and 9/11 Commission member Slade Gorton told an energy industry conference Thursday in Seattle.