Congress is again considering whether to permit drilling for oil and gas in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Alaska, to designate the area as wilderness, or to retain the status quo of maintaining the area as a Refuge without drilling. This area is rich in wildlife and wilderness values, but may also contain significant oil and gas deposits. H.R. 567 and S. 261 have been introduced in the 109th Congress to designate the coastal plain of ANWR a wilderness, but H.R. 6 has passed the House. Title XXII of the bill would authorize oil and gas leasing in ANWR. Both the House and Senate have approved H.Con.Res. 95, a budget resolution that may necessitate revenues from oil and gas development in the Refuge to meet the budget reconciliation targets, and allow enactment of such legislation without filibuster. This report provides background on the legal issues surrounding ANWR development proposals, and will be updated as circumstances warrant. For an updated summary of current actions on bills, see CRS Issue Brief IB10136: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Controversies for the 109th Congress.
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