Drilling In Alaska

[Dr. Shane]

Senate Backs Drilling in Alaska Refuge

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"America needs this American oil," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. He called opposition to pumping the refuge's oil "ostrich-like" and said it "ill-serves our nation this time of energy crisis." He called the oil "crucial to the nation's attempt to achieve energy independence."

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The Prudhoe Bay oil fields, just to the west of ANWR and the Alaska oil pipeline have resulted in 504 spills a year since 1996 and there's no reason to assume greater protection in the refuge, maintained Cantwell.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, countered that modern drilling techniques and stringent environmental regulations will safeguard the coastal plain, a focal point for caribou, migratory birds, musk oxen, polar bears and other wildlife.

"We can develop ANWR oil without harm to the environment and to the wildlife that live there," said Murkowski, adding that development would create tens of thousands of jobs both in Alaska and elsewhere.

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The provision in the budget bill assumes $2.5 billion in federal revenue from oil lease sales over the next five years. Alaska would get a like amount as well as half of future oil royalties from the refuge.

That's one reason Alaska's senators have fought for years to try to open the refuge, which was set aside in 1961 for special protection, to oil exploration and development.

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What strikes me is that a group of senators from contenantal US think they know more about what is best for Alaska than the senators from Alaska do. Now if the senators from Alaska were both against this it would cause serious pause. Moreover, the land was set aside back in 1961 for exactly this purpose.

Drilling in ANWR is no more the nation's energy solution than biodesiel or E85 is. They are just small steps in the right direction.

[Dr. Shane]

Now it looks like the drilling in Alaska is in trouble. Too bad. If Bush can't get this back in the bill through the conference committee it is really going to show how weak his influence in Congress is. If he does get it back in, it will be a big victory.