2008 Woodie Awards
U.S. Senate opens Alaskan refuge for oil drilling
Steven Sharp ; Western Oregon Journal (Western Oregon U.)
Issue date: 4/27/05 Section: News
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MONMOUTH, Ore. - On March 16, 2005, the Senate rejected an amendment sponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) that would have removed oil-drilling provision from next year's budget in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is the largest wildlife refuge in the United States, located in the northeast corner of Alaska, covering 19.8 million acres. The refuge was recognized for its biological significance in the 1950s, which eventually led to President Eisenhower's order that first declared it a National Wildlife Refuge in 1960.
However, the potential of oil and gas reserves beneath the tundra soil of ANWR has fostered much debate over whether the Refuge should be destroyed for oil, or oil desires should be ignored for the sake of natural beauty. Ecologically speaking, the refuge is mainly comprised of tundra, which lies on top of a layer of permafrost. Numerous populations of wildlife roam the frozen tundra of the refuge: Caribou, grizzly bears, polar bears, wolves and moose are just a few examples. ANWR has unique aesthetic and economic value, which has put it at the forefront of America's energy debate.
Supporters of the drilling cite, according to www.anwr.org, that only 8 percent of ANWR would actually be considered for exploration. In other words, only 1.5 million acres would actually be subject to the oil drilling, which would leave approximately 17.5 million acres to be permanently closed to any kind of development. Thus, the impact on animal life would effectively be zero.
Proponents also argue, according to www.anwr.org, that ANWR holds a large domestic oil supply which could be equivalent to the Alaska Prudhoe Bay oilfield. Yet, others still argue that it would lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil, especially in the Middle East.
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Ark.) said, "Some decried that ANWR won't produce much oil. There is enough fuel to run every car and home in Washington State for 68 years."