Charger Opinion

ANWR, Nothing but bad oil

Holley Roberts, Charger Staff

I have never been to Alaska, and I probably will not go there anytime soon.  I do not own any property in Alaska, and I have no family living there.  Regardless, I am a conscious citizen of this country, and I care about the survival of the natural environment in any area where it is threatened by greedy oil companies and political special interests.  The remaining 5% of Alaska is thus threatened, and this threat must be stopped.
The area of Alaska I speak of is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on the state’s northern coast, and the threat involves opening the area to oil drilling.  This would no doubt infringe upon the caribou, polar bears, musk oxen and other majestic creatures living there.  In addition, drilling would destroy the habitat of the Gwich’n, a native tribe which depends on the caribou for survival.

In April a poll was taken in the Senate, and more voted against drilling than for it.  This was big plus for drilling opposition. 

Here is what Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman had to say about the outcome:  “The Senate has spoken.  We’ve sent this misguided plan to the refinery, and now it’s our obligation to be constructive, collaborative, and creative in guiding the nation toward a better way.” 

Anti-drilling advocates promise to filibuster drilling legislation because they say it isn’t justified.  Pro-drilling advocates, such as Bush and Cheney, want more refineries and relaxed environmental standards.  Democratic Senator Tom Harkin responded to Cheney, saying, “I don’t trust him on the coastlines.”

Those who voted for drilling claim they want it so that the United States can become independent of other oil-producing nations.  The fact is, such independence is impossible.  Statistics show that the U.S. consumes 25% of the world’s oil supply and only has 3% available in its own reserves. 

The U.S. Geological Survey says that ANWR has approximately 3.2 billion barrels of crude.  This is how much the U.S. uses in less than six months!

Oil industries claim the ANWR project would create over 700,000 jobs.

Statistics show it would only create around 250,000, and, of course, these jobs would only be temporary.  On top of that, a Wall Street Journal poll shows that 62% of union households support the protection of the arctic refuge.

Clearly, drilling of ANWR would be a tragic, unnecessary course of action.  95% of Alaska is open to pipelines already. 

Can drilling-advocates not understand that our natural world is responsible for our abundance and fortune? 

Do they not see that we must protect it in order to have it? 

The 108th Congress will surely try its best to pass drilling legislation, regardless of the dangers it poses.

Please join me in support of halting such legislation and, therefore, protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 

Visit www.alaskwild.orga to contact our Senators, and tell them how this and other issues like it are vital in our quest to conserve the natural world!