Environmentally Responsible Energy Production in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Should Be Supported!

03/19/2003

• Energy production in Alaska's Northern Coastal Plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) will reduce dependence on foreign oil; create new American jobs; and will be enforced with the toughest environmental rules ever applied.
• The House Resources Committee is now considering the Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 2003, H.R. 39 to allow oil drilling in the ANWR.
• Please Contact your Representative and leadership in the House Resources Committee to Urge them to Cosponsor H.R. 39.

The U.S. House Resources Committee is considering Alaska Rep. Don Young's bill, the Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 2003 (H.R. 39) to allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. High prices and low supply of energy and the precarious nature of Persian Gulf oil are boosting the chances Congress will approve oil drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge.

The U.S. imports over 55% of the nation's needed petroleum. These oil imports cost more than $55.1 billion a year (this figure does not include the military costs of protecting that imported supply). These figures are rising and could exceed 65% by the year 2005. "The economic and security risks of the nation's continued dependence on foreign oil are far too great for the United States not to start oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)", Interior Secretary Gale Norton told members of Congress last Wednesday. The Northern Coastal Plain is America's single greatest prospect for future domestic oil production. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that ANWR contains a mean expected value of 10.4 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil with a 95 percent probability of 5.7 billion barrels and a 5 percent probability of 16 billion barrels.

Energy production in the ANWR will also create new jobs. Organized workers strongly support responsible ANWR development. Between 250,000 and 735,000 jobs are estimated to be created by development of the Coastal Plain.

As far as environment is concerned, ANWR will require the toughest environmental standards ever imposed on energy production. Only the 1.5 million acre or 8% on the northern coast of ANWR is being considered for development. The remaining 17.5 million acres or 92% of ANWR will remain permanently closed to any kind of development. If oil is discovered, less than 2000 acres of the over 1.5 million acres of the Coastal Plain would be affected. The best environmental technology and American ingenuity will be required for exploration and development. Exploration will be limited to the winter months, between November and May, to protect breeding and wildlife migration patterns. Ice roads and ice airstrips, which melt away in the spring, will protect wildlife. Strict analysis of each proposed exploration side will be mandated to avoid sensitive springs, streams, rivers and wetlands.

More than 75% of Alaskans favor exploration and production in ANWR. The Inupiat Eskimos who live in and near ANWR support onshore oil development on the Coastal Plain.

The National Grange has supported the energy production in the ANWR in an environmentally sound manner. Last year when the Comprehensive National Energy Legislation was considered in the Conference Committee the National Grange urged President George Bush and Congress to adopt the energy legislation that includes the development of the petroleum resources from the Coastal Plain region of the ANWR. ( Refer to our Action Alert on 9/23/02 )

The National Grange's policy on oil production in the ANWR is summarized in our policy book:

The National Grange favors the complete utilization of petroleum and the other mineral resources, including the exploration and production of oil reserves on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and from any outer continental shelf lease sales in accordance with the terms of an environmentally sound development plan.

Action Plan --- Please contact your House Representative to urge him/her to cosponsor H.R. 39. If you want to find your House Representative contact information, please click the following.

House Representative

Also, please contact the leaders in the House Resources Committee and express your support for H.R. 39.

If you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.

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