WildAlert subscribers already know that changes to national energy policies have been cooking over the past few months and have been pretty steamy recently. We have provided the following update as of the end of June, 2007. If you haven't already, take a moment to subscribe to WildAlert, The Wilderness Society's news and advocacy network.

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives both took steps during the month of June that would significantly alter decades-old energy policy. Yet significant threats remain for many of the West’s most sensitive areas.

The Senate passed a broad energy bill on June 21 that would raise fuel economy standards from 25 miles per gallon to 35 by 2020, a 40% increase. The measure also calls for an expansion of alternative fuels by 35 billion gallons a year. But the Senate failed to move a $32 billion tax package on oil companies to pay for these changes, or require utility companies to utilize more renewable sources of energy.

An anticipated amendment by Alaska’s Senators to authorize drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was not offered. Also, two separate proposals to authorize a federally-subsidized “coal-to-liquids” program were voted down.

In the House, the “Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007” sponsored by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) was reported by the House Natural Resources Committee on June 13. Supported by The Wilderness Society, Rahall’s bill contains important reforms for the way the federal government manages oil and gas resources, and for the first time requires the federal land management agencies to take into account global climate change in their planning and decision-making.

During House consideration on June 26 of the FY 2008 Interior Department appropriations bill, an amendment proposed by Reps. Robert Andrews (D-NJ) and Steve Chabot (R-OH) that limits road building in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska was accepted, while another slowing oil shale development in the Rocky Mountain West in favor of further research, proposed by Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), narrowly squeaked by. Members of the Wilderness Society also worked to support these efforts.

Unfortunately, two other amendments supported by conservationists to protect sensitive but unprotected federal lands were not offered due to technical reasons – an amendment by Rep. Mark Udall to prohibit the use of federal funds to recognize new RS 2477 road claims, and a proposal by Rep. John Salazar (D-CO) to protect Colorado’s Roan Plateau from oil and gas leasing.

Another amendment offered on June 20 to the FY 2008 energy and water development appropriations bill by Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) to prohibit the use of Department of Energy funds to designate “National Interest Electric Transmission Lines” failed.  The amendment would have protected numerous sensitive areas in southern California, southwestern Arizona, and southern Nevada.

A more detailed look at specific provisions:

Senate

• Alaska Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) proposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge again. However, the amendment to open drilling in the National Wildlife Refuge System’s crown jewel was not offered after Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) threatened to filibuster it.

House

• An amendment proposed by Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) to H.R. 2641, the 2008 Energy and Water appropriations bill, on June 20 would have stopped funds being used to designate “National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors.” This amendment, which failed by a wide margin, would have helped protect thirteen National Wildlife Refuges, five National Park service units, and dozens of other sensitive areas from the potential placement of transmission corridors.
• Rep. John Salazar (D-CO) and Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) were prepared to offer language to block planned oil and gas lease sales atop Colorado's Roan Plateau, but were told at the last moment that it would cost the federal government $50 million, and therefore was subject to a “point of order” on the FY 2008 Interior appropriations bill.  The amendment was not offered.
• An amendment offered on June 27 by Rep. Mark Udall of Colorado to prohibit the use of funds appropriated in the FY 2008 Interior appropriations bill to hold commercial oil shale lease sales was narrowly accepted on a 219-215 vote.
• Another amendment proposed by Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) would have prevented the Bureau of Land Management from spending money to allow state and federal claims on public lands under provisions of a repealed 1866 mining law known as Revised Statute 2477. Udall chose to withdraw the amendment at the request of the subcommittee chairman, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA). Under a compromise later hammered out by Udall and Dicks, the Interior Department will submit quarterly reports to Dicks’s committee and there will be more Congressional oversight of administrative decisions regarding R.S. 2477 claims.
• On June 13, the House Natural Resources Committee reported H.R. 2337, the “Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act,” sponsored by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV). The bill includes numerous important reforms to the federal government’s oil and gas programs, including provisions that will