1. Senators voting to permit oil and gas exploration on the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge received, on average, more than four times
as much from oil and gas-related PACs as those voting against
drilling. Senators voting to permit drilling received an average
of $77,929 while senators voting to prohibit drilling received $18,356.
2. Forty-five of the top 50 pro-drilling PAC recipients in the current U.S.
Senate have voted to open the refuge to oil drilling.
3. Leading the charge to open the Arctic Refuge to oil drilling by what
environmentalists consider a "sneak attack" by the budget process are
Alaska Senators Frank Murkowski and Ted Stevens. Since 1989, they
have received $122,835 and $90,425 respectively from oil and gas
related PACs. Another long time advocate of drilling, Senator
Bennett Johnston (D-Louisiana), has received $189,000 since 1989.
4. Fifty-four PACs with oil and gas interests contributed over $17.5
million to U.S. Congressional campaigns with over $5 million going
to current senators between 1989 and June 1995.
TOTAL SENATE CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES FROM 54 PACS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE
AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE AND CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT OIL PRODUCERS:
JANUARY 1989-JUNE 1995
RANK MEMBER PARTY STATE AMOUNT ROTH VOTE
1 Hutchison, Kay Baile REP TX $206,549 -
2 Johnston, J Bennett DEM LA $189,000 -
3 Coats, Daniel R REP IN $186,550 -
4 Gramm, William Philip REP TX $163,550 -
5 Dewine, Mike REP OH $147,500 -
6 Nickles, Donald Lee REP OK $139,298 -
7 McConnell, Mitch REP KY $136,689 -
8 Conrad, Gaylord Kent DEM ND $135,392 -
9 Craig, Larry E REP ID $130,423 -
10 Breaux, John B DEM LA $128,128 -
11 Murkowski, Frank H REP AK $122,835 -
12 Domenici, Pete V REP NM $111,550 -
13 Brown, Hank REP CO $104,048 -
14 Bond, Christopher S REP MO $101,036 -
15 Simpson, Alan K REP WY $100,600 -
16 Burns, Conrad REP MT $ 99,150 -
17 Stevens, Ted REP AK $ 90,425 -
18 Heflin, Howell DEM AL $ 84,000 -
19 Thomas, Craig REP WY $ 82,013 -
20 Inhofe, James M REP OK $ 81,800 -
21 Kempthorne, Dirk REP ID $ 80,000 -
22 Warner, John William REP VA $ 79,475 -
23 Lott, C Trent REP MS $ 74,899 -
24 McCain, John REP AZ $ 74,301 -
25 Dole, Robert J REP KS $ 71,500 -
26 Ashcroft, John David REP MO $ 70,998 -
27 Thompson, Fred Dalton REP TN $ 70,251 -
28 Santorum, Richard J REP PA $ 69,064 -
29 Kyl, Jon L REP AZ $ 67,023 -
30 Hatch, Orrin G REP UT $ 62,800 -
31 Shelby, Richard Craig REP AL $ 61,198 -
32 Smith, Robert C REP NH $ 60,650 -
33 Pressler, Larry REP SD $ 57,625 -
34 Abraham, Spencer REP MI $ 56,500 -
35 Specter, Arlen REP PA $ 56,375 -
36 Cochran, Thad REP MS $ 55,625 -
37 Hatfield, Mark O REP OR $ 54,850 -
38 Gorton, Slade REP WA $ 54,499 -
39 Rockefeller, John D DEM WV $ 53,94O +
40 Faircloth, Lauch REP NC $ 53,900 -
41 Robb, Charles DEM VA $ 53,500 +
42 Bennett, Robert REP UT $ 52,748 -
43 Hollings, Ernest DEM SC $ 52,700 -
44 *Campbell, Ben Nighthorse REP CO $ 50,588 -
45 Grams, Rodney REP MN $ 50,050 -
46 Ford, Wendell H DEM KY $ 49,891 -
47 Snowe, Olympia J REP ME $ 49,000 +
48 Lugar, Richard G REP IN $ 48,999 -
49 Bingaman, Jeff DEM NM $ 46,500 +
50 Roth, William REP DE $ 45,350 +
51 Glenn, John H DEM OH $ 45,092 +
52 D'Amato, Alfonse M REP NY $ 41,800 -
53 Lautenberg, Frank R DEM NJ $ 40,200 +
54 Thurmond, Strom REP SC $ 40,000 -
55 Coverdell, Paul Douglas REP GA $ 38,072 -
56 Exon, J James DEM NE $ 36,700 +
57 Helms, Jesse A REP NC $ 33,500 -
58 Daschle, Thomas A DEM SD $ 32,183 +
59 Chafee, John H REP RI $ 30,950 +
60 Kerrey, J Robert DEM NE $ 30,850 +
61 Feinstein, Dianne DEM CA $ 30,750 +
62 Frist, William H REP TN $ 30,000 -
63 Grassley, Charles E REP IA $ 29,750 -
64 Packwood, Robert W REP OR $ 29,700 -
65 Gregg, Judd A REP NH $ 28,600 -
66 Baucus, Max S DEM MT $ 27,550 +
67 Bradley, Bill DEM NJ $ 26,030 +
68 Nunn, Samuel DEM GA $ 25,108 +
69 Dorgan, Byron L DEM ND $ 22,550 +
70 Moynihan, Daniel Patrick DEM NY $ 22,000 +
71 Lieberman, Joseph I DEM CT $ 21,500 +
72 Mikulski, Barbara A DEM MD $ 20,500 +
73 Bryan, Richard H DEM NV $ 19,000 +
74 Graham, Bob DEM FL $ 18,600 +
75 Pryor, David Hampton DEM AR $ 15,400 +
76 Reid, Harry M DEM NV $ 14,350 +
77 Bumpers, Dale L DEM AR $ 12,600 +
78 Kassebaum, Nancy Landon REP KS $ 10,500 +
79 Inouye, Daniel K DEM HI $ 10,100 -
80 Cohen, William REP ME $ 9,500 +
81 Levin, Carl DEM MI $ 7,500 +
82 Harkin, Tom DEM IA $ 6,100 +
83 Jeffords, James M REP VT $ 6,000 +
84 Moseley-Braun, Carol DEM IL $ 6,000 +
85 Dodd, Christopher J DEM CT $ 5,750 +
86 Akaka, Daniel Kahikina DEM HI $ 5,500 -
87 Byrd, Robert Carlyle DEM WV $ 3,100 +
88 Biden, Joseph R Jr DEM DE $ 3,000 +
89 Murray, Patty DEM WA $ 2,500 +
90 Boxer, Barbara DEM CA $ 2,025 +
91 Pell, Claiborne DEM RI $ 2,000 +
92 Sarbanes, Paul S DEM MD $ 2,000 +
93 Simon, Paul DEM IL $ 1,500 +
94 Mack, Brent Scott REP FL $ 0 -
95 Feingold, Russell D DEM WI $ 0 +
96 Kennedy, Edward M DEM MA $ 0 +
97 Kerry, John F DEM MA $ 0 +
98 Kohl, Herb DEM WI $ 0 +
99 Leahy, Patrick Joseph DEM VT $ 0 +
100 Wellstone, Paul David DEM MN $ 0 +
TOTAL $5,171,745
+ represents the pro-environmental vote (anti-drilling)
- represents the anti-environmental vote (pro-drilling)
Campbell voted against drilling in the Budget Committee, September 20, 1995
HOUSE AND SENATE CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES FROM 54 PACS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE
AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE AND CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT OIL PRODUCERS:
JANUARY 1989-JUNE 1995
Rank Political Action Committee Total Amount
1 Union Pacific Fund For Effective Government $1,997,361
2 Chevron Employees Political Action Committee $1,111,651
3 Fluor Corporation Public Affairs Committee (fluor Pac) $1,084,835
4 Exxon Corporation Political Action Committee (expac) $1,079,687
5 Coastal Corp. Employee Action Fund $ 922,765
6 Atlantic Richfield Company, Arco Pac $ 912,844
7 Fmc Corporation Good Government Program $ 900,423
8 Amoco Political Action Committee (amoco Pac) $ 827,553
9 Allied-Signal Political Action Committee $ 688,322
10 Mobil Corporation Political Action Committee $ 647,370
11 Texaco Political Involvement Committee $ 595,239
12 Phillips Petroleum Company Political Action Committee $ 594,355
13 Ashland Inc Political Action Committee For Employees $ 559,923
14 Shell Oil Co. Employees' Political Awareness Committee $ 427,250
15 Union Oil (unocal) Political Awareness Fund $ 393,437
16 BP America Pac $ 366,195
17 Sun Company Inc Political Action Committee $ 353,300
18 Panhandle Eastern Corp Political Action Committee $ 331,978
19 Dow Chemical Co. Employees' Political Action Committee $ 288,050
20 Dresser Industries Political Action Committee (dipac) $ 287,265
21 Babcock & Wilcox Company Good Government Fund $ 261,425
22 Marathon Oil Co. Employees Political Action Committee $ 248,990
23 Dow Chemical Co.-headquarters Unit Employees Pac $ 224,300
24 Santa Fe Pacific Corporation Political Action Committee $ 220,200
25 CF Industries Employees' Good Government Fund $ 209,457
26 Rhone-poulenc Inc Political Action Committee (rpac) $ 207,900
27 Jeg Good Government Committee $ 187,557
28 LTV Steel Active Citizenship Campaign $ 176,630
29 Kerr-Mcgee Corporation Political Action Committee $ 160,450
30 Pennzoil Political Action Committee $ 147,720
31 Lorillard Public Affairs Committee $ 139,854
32 Crowley Maritime Federal Political Action Committee $ 138,918
33 Nalco Chemical Company Political Action Committee $ 125,000
34 Louisiana Land And Exploration Co. PAC $ 118,215
35 Better Government Fund Of Mcdermott Incorporated $ 117,350
36 Independent Association Of America Wildcatters Fund $ 108,515
37 Fina Inc & Fina Oil And Chemical Company PAC $ 57,000
38 Kirby Corporation Political Action Committee $ 49,938
39 Hunt Oil Company Political Action Committee $ 47,938
40 Maritrans Inc Political Action Committee Maritrans Pac $ 34,199
41 Ethyl Corporation Political Action Committee $ 32,600
42 Mitchell Energy & Development Corp PAC $ 30,450
43 Gatx Corporation Good Government Program $ 27,000
44 Foster Wheeler Corporation Political Action Committee $ 23,500
45 Employees Of Mustang Fuel Corporation PAC $ 22,717
46 Baker Hughes Incorporated Political Action Committee $ 22,700
47 Independent Oil Producers' Agency PAC $ 20,650
48 Murphy Oil USA Political Action Committee (murpac) $ 15,000
49 Goulds Pumps Inc Employee Political Action Committee $ 7,400
50 Continental Emsco Company Active Citizenship Campaign $ 6,400
51 Conoco Inc Employees' Good Government Fund $ 5,000
52 Panhandle Eastern Corporation PAC $ 4,625
53 Stockham Valves And Fittings Political Action Committee $ 4,475
54 Quaker State Political Participation Fund $ 2,044
TOTAL $17,575,920
A study released today shows that U.S. Senators who have supported drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have received four times more contributions from pro-drilling political action committees (PACs) than those Senators who oppose it. Forty-five of the top 50 PAC recipients in the Senate have voted to open the refuge to oil drilling. This study was prepared by the Environmental Working Group and endorsed by U.S. Public Research Group (U.S. PIRG), Public Citizen, Sierra Club and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center.
"We're outraged that our precious national heritage will be destroyed while campaign coffers grow fat," said Anna Aurilio, Staff Scientist for the U.S. PIRG. "Pro-drilling industries should not be allowed to decide the fate of one of our last great wilderness areas," she added.
Since 1989, the year of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, 54 pro-drilling PACs, including many multinational oil companies, have contributed $17.5 million to Congressional campaigns: current Senators have received over $5 million. The 54 PACs included in this study are members of the American Petroleum Institute and the California Independent Oil Producers, groups that have actively advocated drilling on the Arctic Refuge. This study does not include the substantial amount of money contributed by individuals and "soft money" from oil and gas interests funneled through the national and state political parties.
This week, the Senate will vote on the federal budget reconciliation bill which, if enacted, will allow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge has been protected since 1960 and survived previous efforts to open it to drilling. "The oil industry already has access to over 90% of our Arctic coastline, now they're coming after the last 10% which was specifically set aside as a refuge for wilderness and wildlife," said Sylvia Ward, Executive Director of the Northern Alaska Environmental Center.
"Congress should listen to the American people, not to industry lobbyists and PAC contributors. Poll after poll shows the American people want the Arctic Refuge protected for future generations -- not sold off to the oil industry," said Melanie Griffin, Director of the Land Protection Program for the Sierra Club.
"Instead of spoiling a wildlife refuge, Congress should drill the oil field under Detroit by making new cars and light trucks more efficient. Raising fuel economy standards would save far more oil than Arctic Refuge drilling would yield," said Bill Magavern, Director of Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project.
The Arctic Refuge in Alaska's northeast corner, often referred to as "America's Serengeti," is the only place in the United States where the full range of sub-Arctic and Arctic ecosystems are protected in one unbroken continuum. The coastal plain of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge is the most important land denning area for Beafort Sea polar bears, a significant nesting and feeding area for millions of migratory sea birds, song birds and waterfowl from six continents, and the ancient calving ground for the 152,000 member Porcupine River caribou herd. Every year, since the retreat of the glaciers, this awe-inspiring herd has traveled some 800 miles to give birth and raise their calves on the Arctic Refuge coastal plain. The caribou are critical to the Gwich'in Indian people whose culture and way of life have been intimately bound to the caribou for 20,000 years.
Biologists predict significant impacts on populations of caribou, muskoxen, polar bears, brown bears, wolves, wolverines, and numerous species of migratory birds if oil and gas drilling on the coastal plain goes forward.
Provided by:
* Benton Kealii Pang
Botany Department * University of Hawai`i at Manoa
"If you plan for a year, plant kalo,
if you plan for ten years, plant koa,
if you plan for a hundred years,
teach the children...Aloha `Aina"
P. Burgess
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