Senate votes to open up Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling [View all]

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The measure was attached to the bill to overhaul the nation’s tax code, which passed through the Senate early Saturday.

The Senate has given a green light to opening Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

In a vote early Saturday morning, Republicans rejected an effort led by Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington to block drilling.

The vote was 52-48. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska had pushed for oil and gas drilling in a 1.5-million-acre coastal plain within the refuge.

The measure was attached to the bill to overhaul the nation’s tax code, which passed through the Senate early Saturday. By attaching the provision to drill to the tax legislation — which is tied to the budget process — backers didn’t have to muster the 60 votes that would have been needed to pass and overcome a filibuster that a stand-alone bill likely would have faced. The Senate still needs to reconcile the bill with the House.

More: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/senate-opens-up-alaskas-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge-to-oil-drilling/