Congressional Vote To Drill Arctic Wildlife Refuge – Edited Version

Respectfully Submitted as a Guest Article or Letter to the Editor:
America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is under a subversive
aggressive attack by drilling supporters andat risk of being destroyed
by a quick, virtually unknown Congressional vote that is about to take
place. Here are the facts.

America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWAR) was established
in 1960 by President Eisenhower. In1980 Congress passed the
Alaska National Interest Lands and Conservation Act (ANILCA)
which enlarged the Refuge to its present size of 19.3 million acres.
Protection of these lands came at a high price though.To guarantee
the final passage of the bill, the Senate had to compromise that the
Coastal Plain of the Refugewas to be set aside for study of oil and
gas potential – paving the road in the future for the oil industries to
drill the last 5% of the entire Coastal Plain that does not already
allow for oil drilling. Well, the future is NOW. Utilizing this advantage,
the petroleum industry is presently working once again within our
walls of government to have the Refuge completely opened for oil
exploration and drilling. How?

Drilling supporters have successfully lobbied to pass a non-binding
federal budget resolution that will open the Arctic Refuge to oil
drilling. The next step is to vote for a “Budget Reconciliation Bill” that
will change the law so that drilling can proceed. First, we must
recognize that drilling America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
is a federal policy change that must be presented separately for vote
and passed by the House and Senate. It does not belong as an
expense line item in the Federal Budget. (Past proposals to change
this policy was denied and the Refuge protection upheld.) Secondly,
we must as responsible citizens recognize that this proposal
to change policy was strategically “buried” within the federal budget
for easy passage and is an abuse and failure of national policy. This
subversive action alone provides a reason in itself to press our
Representatives to vote against the Budget Reconciliation Bill.

Proponents of drilling – including George W. Bush – state that drilling
ANWAR now will decrease oil prices and will reduce our
dependency on “foreign” oil. But the facts state these claims to be un-
true. The United States Geological Survey reports that the most likely
amount of oil pumped out of the Arctic Refuge would be
approximately the same amount of oil that the US consumes over
several months. Oil industry executives testified that it would take ten
years after drilling was approved before any oil from the Refuge
would be available – and the price reduction would be one cent per
gallon. According to the Department of Energy, the US will still
depend on imports for 65% of its oil into year 2025. Drilling for oil in
America’s Arctic Refuge will do nothing to address America’s long-
term energy needs.1 What then will we as a nation gain by drilling
the National Arctic Wildlife Refuge now or ever? More importantly –
what do we lose – forever?

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge holds one of the last completely
preserved ecosystems left in North America. It’s Coastal Plain is
essential to the survival of many species. It is home to more than 180
species of birds. Millions of migratory birds depend upon the
Refuge’s tundra and coastal lagoons for nesting, molting and
feeding during the Arctic summer. It is the natural habitat of polar and
grizzly bears, wolves and other numerous species – many
endangered. It is the calfing grounds of over 129,000 Porcupine
River Caribou Herd – the largest in the world. It is the home of two
groups of North America’s last subsistence native peoples – the
Gwich’in of the mountains and boreal forest and the Inupiat of the
Arctic coast – both who live and breath the fabric of their 10,000 year
old cultural traditions woven by the the Coastal Plain of the Arctic
Refuge. The Gwich’in call the Coastal Plain “The Sacred Place
Where Life Begins”.2

According to the Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation’s Oil Spill Database, the oil fields of Alaska’s Northern
Slope have averaged over 400 oil spills a year since 1996. The US
Department of the Interior has estimated that the Porcupine River
Caribou herd could suffer a decline of up to 40% if oil drilling
takes place on the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge.3 Oil industry
proponents claim that drilling the coastal plain would disturb only
2000 acres, but in reality the massive industrial network needed to
support 30 oil deposits would span the entire plain, 1.5 million
acres.4 Roadways will be built, pipelines will be laid, explosive
mines will be dug and shipping ports will be built. (A detailed
reference map4 is attached). Is this the way America honors “The
Sacred Place Where Life Begins”? Where is our decency and
common sense? How can we as a nation “under God” even consider
allowing such a devastating, senseless act to take place against that
which God has bestowed upon us as stewards? Should we not
continue to honor America’s wilderness which was set aside for
national protection by upholding it’s protection?

America gains nothing by drilling ANWAR. If we, as mindful
constituents remain silent – we are as much to blame for this tragedy
as are our Representatives who fail us under pressure from the
powerful oil lobbies. (George W. Bush received $2.36 million in
contributions from Big Oil and Gas in the 2004 election)5

We as a people must change our mindset, our habits and our
dependency on oil – and we must will our leaders to force this
change NOW.The date of the congessional vote will not be
announced until one week before it is to occur. Please call or write
your senators and representative NOW. Urge them to keep drilling
out of the Arctic Refuge and permanently protect the Coastal Plain as
wilderness. Urge them to vote against the Budget Reconciliation Bill.
That is all it takes to make a difference.

Karen Gambale’ Adezio
325 Central Avenue
Ocean City, NJ 08226
Home and Studio: 609-391-8400

Following is the information you will need.

Local Office:
Congressman Frank LoBiondo
5914 Main Street
Mays Landing NJ 08330
609-625-5008
Washington DC: 202 225-6572
Senators of the 109th Congress
Jon Corzine (D – NJ) Class I
502 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4744
Web Form: corzine.senate.gov/contact.cfmSenator Corzine
Frank Lautenberg (D – NJ) Class II
324 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3224
Web Form: lautenberg.senate.gov/webform.html
House of Representatives web sites: www.house.gov
Senate Representatives: www.senate.gov

For more Information concerning the ANWAR visit the f
ollowing web sties:
www.AlaskaCoalition.org
Alaska Wilderness League at www.AlaskaWild.org
The Wilderness Society at www.tws.org
Arctic Refuge Action – 1888-8WildAK

(Reference: 1,2,3, Alaska Wilderness League; 4, Alaska Coalition; 5,
American Wilderness Society).