We applaud Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins for voting against opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Despite their courageous votes, a budget bill that included a backdoor maneuver to allow drilling in this pristine wilderness narrowly passed the Senate on Thursday.

Drilling in the Arctic refuge would devastate a national treasure, but it would not provide any relief for Maine families facing mounting energy costs, nor would it reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We cannot drill our way to energy independence, and the Energy Department’s own studies show that drilling in the Arctic refuge would only affect gas prices by about a penny a gallon 20 years from now.

Instead of pursuing failed policies of the past, the American public deserves a new, forward-looking energy policy with real solutions, like increasing fuel economy and, with winter approaching, helping families to weatherize and heat their homes.

We thank Sens. Snowe and Collins for standing up to big oil companies and voting to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Deb Callahan

President, League of Conservation Voters

Washington, D.C.

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