美國，04-14-2000 - 美參議院在昨天召開的一次會議中，從主要預算內刪除出一項引發爭議的條款，這項條款可能為部份在阿拉斯加北極國家野生動物保護區(Arctic National Wildlife Refuge)的石油與天然氣探鑽大開方便之門。上週參議院通過這項法案，推測到2005年時，將會因這個保護區(ANWR)的探勘契約的買賣而籌措十億二千萬美元。環境保護者為參議院刪除這項條款而喝采，雖然他們知道離戰鬥結束還很遠。阿拉斯加共和黨參議員桑‧法朗克穆高夫基(Sen. Frank Murkowski)計劃繼續推動在ANWR開放油田探勘。他已提出一項在保護區中允許探鑽的法案，他並且計劃在未來幾週內，在一項大型能源法案中加入一項類似的法令。
A House-Senate conference committee yesterday dropped from a major budget bill a controversial provision that could have opened the way for oil and gas drilling in part of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The measure, approved by the Senate last week, assumed that $1.2 billion would be raised from a lease sale of drilling rights in ANWR by 2005. Enviros applauded the conference committee for eliminating the provision, though they know the fight is far from over. Alaska Sen. Frank Murkowski (R) plans to continue his push to open ANWR to oil exploration. He has already introduced one bill that would allow drilling the refuge, and he plans to insert a similar provision in a large energy bill that will be introduced in coming weeks.
資料來源 Anchorage Daily News http://www.adn.com/stories/T00041456.html
原文與圖片詳見: http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/daily/daily041400.stm
