When I look at a photo like the one below I think about oil and gas exploration…. don’t you?

If some very powerful politicians and corporations get their way, oil and gas activities will take place in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 1,500,000 acres in the northwest corner of the Refuge were characterized differently in section 1002 of the legislation which created the Refuge in 1980. This compromise helped to expand and create the Refuge as we know it today, but it also left these “1002 lands” vulnerable to natural resource exploration and extraction.

Whats the big deal about 1.5 million acres of coastal plain?

It is critical denning area for polar bears, a calving and “insect relief” habitat for caribou and nesting grounds birds. For me, the moral value of this place, which is inextricably linked to the rest of the Refuge, and a crucial component of this rare, complete ecosystem, is far greater than the monetary value of the oil and natural gas resting beneath its surface.

My boss encapsulated the issue perfectly: “The value of the land beneath the Lincoln Memorial is worth far more, monetarily, than the structure itself. But that doesn’t mean we are going to tear it down and sell the real estate. The same goes for the refuge.”

Share this Story