House Republican leaders have agreed to remove drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the budget in order to avoid a mutiny among moderate Republicans.

At least 22 moderates told the House leadership they would not vote for the budget measure if it included ANWR drilling. Some said they were concerned that the nation's voters are turning against Republicans, citing results from Tuesday's elections.

The Senate already approved the budget with ANWR drilling. Some Senate Republicans are adamant about including it in the final package negotiated by the House and the Senate.

Alaska Natives are divided on the issue. Inupiat Eskimos, who own surface and mineral rights in ANWR, support drilling. The Gwich'in Nation opposes development out of fear it will harm the Porcupine caribou herd that migrates through ANWR.

The Arctic Slope Regional Corp., which owns the subsurface rights, won't have to share revenues with the other Alaska Native regional corporations.

Get the Story:
House drops ANWR from budget (The Anchorage Daily News 11/10)
pwpwd
GOP to Strike Arctic Drilling From House Bill (The Washington Post 11/10)
pwpwd
House Shelves Alaska Drilling in Budget Fight (The New York Times 11/10)
pwnyt
Murkowski hopeful ANWR will rebound (AP 11/10)

Relevant Links:
Arctic Slope Regional Corp - http://www.asrc.com
Gwic'hin Steering Committee - http://www.alaska.net/~gwichin
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Willdife Service - http://arctic.fws.gov
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pro-Development site - http://www.anwr.org

Related Stories:
House scheduled to vote on ANWR drilling measure (11/9)
Senate passes budget measure with ANWR drilling (11/4)
ANWR drilling measure up for vote in Senate (11/3)
Senate panel adds ANWR drilling to budget (10/20)
Gwich'in Nation continues fight against ANWR drilling (09/21)
Senate delays action on ANWR drilling in budget (09/14)
Shareholders want ANWR oil shared with all Natives (07/08)
NCAI's Hall praises Senate passage of energy bill (06/29)
Opinion: Drilling in ANWR would destroy sacred place (06/07)
House panel puts ANWR drilling in energy package (04/14)
Stevens wrong on claim that ANWR will help Natives (4/12)
Gwich'in leader blasts Senate vote on ANWR drilling (03/18)
Senate votes for ANWR drilling in federal budget (3/18)
Senate vote on ANWR drilling said to be very close (3/16)
Letters: Gale Norton still wrong on ANWR drilling (3/16)
Editorial: Norton wrong about drilling in ANWR (3/15)
Gale Norton: Drilling in ANWR won't hurt environment (3/14)
Stevens 'depressed' over ANWR drilling fight (3/14)
House, Senate differ on ANWR energy legislation (3/10)
GOP to include ANWR drilling in budget measure (3/9)
Arctic drilling a sensitive issue for Inupiat Eskimos (3/7)
Senate Republicans optimistic on ANWR drilling (12/16)
GOP says it has votes to authorize ANWR drilling (11/05)
Bush administration prepares for second term (11/04)
Bruce Babbitt: Arctic drilling would harm Inupiats (07/08)
House Republican drop bid to open ANWR to drilling (06/17)
House Republicans push two energy bills through (6/16)
Alaska to open ANWR shores to oil and gas drilling (04/01)
Alaska Native mayor decries spread of development (02/13)
Norton approves development in Alaska reserve (01/23)
Norton wants to drill more than ANWR (11/04)
ANWR opponent named AFN's top citizen (10/28)
House negotiators approve ANWR proposal (10/03)
Republicans revive ANWR drilling (9/27)
Bush wants ANWR and that's that (9/26)
Bush veto over ANWR drilling not certain (9/24)
Norton: Veto bill if no ANWR drilling (9/20)
House-Senate hammer out energy bill (6/28)
ANWR advocates on energy bill committee (6/14)
DOI official says public doesn't get it (5/10)
Energy picks have Murkowski happy (5/3)
Democrats balk on energy negotiations (5/2)
Senate approves energy bill (4/26)
Work wraps up on energy bill (4/25)
Alaska Native drilling won't be pushed (4/24)
Murkowski silent on Native drilling (4/22)
Senate rejects ANWR drilling proposal (4/19)
Next Stop: Drilling on Inupiat land (4/19)
On drilling, a defeat for Bush (4/19)
Bush looks for other places to drill (4/19)
Votes for ANWR said lacking (4/18)
ANWR proposals offered(4/17)
Editorial: Norton's ANWR video (4/17)
ANWR swing votes sought (4/16)
Norton defends use of pro-ANWR video (4/12)
ANWR amendment delayed in Senate (4/12)
Hussein threat sparks ANWR plea (4/11)
Burns says caribou impact 'nil' (4/10)
Native drilling to impact caribou (4/9)
New ANWR analysis questioned (4/5)
Bush discounting drilling report (4/1)
Drilling report was held back (4/1)
Gwich'in activist still at it (3/25)
Pros and Cons: Arctic Drilling (3/19)
Among Inupiat Eskimos, an 'injustice' (3/13)
Senate takes up energy bill (3/6)
Campbell: Drill ANWR (3/4)
For or against, Inupiats tied to off-shore drilling (11/2)
Inupiats press for oil drilling in ANWR (10/26)
ASRC supporting anti-drilling complaint (10/26)
'Attack' on Gwich'in decried (10/24)
Norton admits ANWR 'mistake' (10/23)
Norton staff rewrote Arctic drilling data (10/19)
Arctic drilling debate continues (10/15)
Bush promotes ANWR as home security (10/12)
ANWR spared in defense vote (10/3)
House approves limited Arctic drilling (8/2)
Bush makes last-ditch pitch for Arctic drilling (8/1)
House panel approves Arctic drilling (7/18)
Gwich'in Nation blind-sided by Norton visit (6/15)
Norton: Indian Country won't get ripped off (5/24)
Alaska Natives square off over Arctic drilling (5/18)
Campbell: Alaska Natives support drilling (4/25)
Gwich'in Nation: We Come from the Caribou (4/4)
GOP Senators unveil drilling proposal (2/27)