The Senate, today, voted 56-44 to reject a defense spending bill that contained a provision allowing oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

This victory marks the latest in a long history of thwarted attempts to open the fragile ecosystem to oil drillers. The region is a vital calving ground for caribou and provides critical habitat for polar bears, migratory birds, and musk oxen.

Find out more: Senate Blocks Measure to Allow Arctic Drilling (New York Times/AP)

Discuss: ANWR to Remain Closed to Oil Drilling (A&W Forum)

Photo © Richard C. Bennett