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Drilling in ANWR not a good idea

john831

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http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/OVRC?vrsn=229&slb=SU&locID=rosw82806&srchtp=basic&c=2&ste=17&tbst=ts_basic&tab=1&txb=%2522Environmental+Policy%2522&docNum=X3010319213&fail=0&bConts=79
According to this article, if we raised average fuel economy in the US by 3 mpg, then in 10 years we would save more oil then would ever be produced from ANWR. We have the technology to increase average fuel economy by 15 mpg; it seems to me that, based on these statistics, it would be a much better idea to focus on conservation than drilling since it seems so much more effective.
 
Yes, but their would be a pile of money to go into the project to get that 3 more mpg. And we would still be dependent of foreign oil?
 
ANWAR wouldn't last long anyway, given our current consumption rates. I don't think it's anything to get excited over either way.

Here's an idea: require all the people demanding that Americans drive in little lightweight gas sipping deathtraps buy them and use them. That should save us from global warming, anyway, since there won't be so many people spewing hot air.

Back to the topic. How does one propose to increase average fuel economy by 10%? We talking radical advances in engine performance? Using aluminum and composite materials instead of steel to reduce weight?

Everything's a trade off. And usually the trade is against what it costs to make it.
 
The government could give car companies tax breaks if their average mileage is above a certain amount, tax everyone below that level to hell, slap a tax on gasoline in order to promote less gas usage, stop subsidizing corporations whose cars do not meet a certain mileage level, etc, as incentive for the average mileage to raise. This does not seem like it would cost that much; between reductions in subsidizing, taxes on gas and some cars, tax breaks for some cars, and money put into research and development, it seems like it would just about break even.
 
Even simple maintences can get you the same 3 mpg.
 
Yeah ANWR is stupid since we won't get any oil from it for 10 years and when we do get it, it'll only lower gas prices by a penny per gallon according to recent studies. Plus Alaska is the last untouched frontier so do we really have to go drilling there?
 

And considering it will last, at the max., two years worth of US oil consumption...seems we should concentrate on something else....
 
Will ANWR significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil? No. Will ANWR be an environmental catastrophe if we drill there? No. It's simply not an important issue.

If the people of Alaska are in favor of it, far be it from me to tell them otherwise. I'm never going to ANWR, and from everything I've heard it's already a barren wasteland.
 

This is a good statement except fot it being a barren wasteland. It is actually a breeding ground for Caribou.
 
Che said:
This is a good statement except fot it being a barren wasteland. It is actually a breeding ground for Caribou.

Could I see a source for that please? I live in Alaska and let me tell everyone this...ANWR is not a wildlife refuge at all. It is a big barren tundra that every few years a herd of caribou might pass through while taking the scenic route. Kandahar is correct...it really is a non-issue except for the millions it will bring in to Alaska.
 
I have heard a couple times it would only last a few years... Whats the estimated oil in ANWR? And whats our yearly barrel consumption?
 
Last edited:
Calm2Chaos said:
I have heard a couple times it would only last a few years... Whats the estimated oil in ANWR? And whats our yearly barrel consumption?

From my understanding, you are right about it only lasting a few years...but to Alaskans, the potential revenue and addition to our permanent fund dividends is well worth it. This whole thing wasnt even an issue until a bunch of hippy greenpeace ultra liberal tree hugging soy sucking *** wipes filmed 4 birds on the tundra and made out like there is a thriving migratory population where there isnt one. Fu.ck hippies from the lower 48 telling Alaskans what to do with our own land.
 


I agree with ya ... we should be drilling in ANWR and increase drillingin the gulf...
 


Umm....it's a federal wildlife refuge, so it falls under the "this land is your land, this land is our land, but mostly it's our land" umbrella of federal takeover...
 

fine destroy your own land if you want to, but keep in mind that cost of building an financing an oil drill in ANWR may cost more than actually getting the oil. Besides, there won't be as many jobs as the anti-enviromental **** the earth cons pretend there will be.
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
Umm....it's a federal wildlife refuge, so it falls under the "this land is your land, this land is our land, but mostly it's our land" umbrella of federal takeover...

Umm...its not like federal lands dont get redesignated at will. This one is especially stupid because its being called a wildlife refuge and there is no friggin wildlife.
 


And you know this how? Lets get pumping in the gulf also... toss up an oil rig evry other mile if there something down there to pump
 

see...thats hippy crap. The techniques used for drilling now are not as invasive as they used to be. The estimate for jobs from ANWR is in the 1000's. to a place like alaska with a total state population of around 500,000 that is a lot. Combined revenues would be in the billions. Learn a thing or two before you start opining about how we should use our land.
 
jallman said:
Umm...its not like federal lands dont get redesignated at will. This one is especially stupid because its being called a wildlife refuge and there is no friggin wildlife.

Hey, I think that if there's oil there, and someone is willing to put up his own money to get it, let'em. I was just pointing out that the feds had already grabbed that land from Alaska, is all.

But do note that I said the drillers should use their own money. I don't feel like paying taxes to pay for oil that I'll then have to pay full market price to have the use of. That seems like a damned stupid thing to do. Not a dime of federal or state money should go into those projects.
 

Again, I respectfully disagree. The state of Alaska would be well served by offering money to assist with development. By offering subsidies and tax benefits to companies willing to develop the land, the returns will repay any such state money 10 fold. The benefits are just too great for us to not support this.
 

The opposition isn't just hippies who want to hug all the trees... drilling in anwr would disrupt the lifestyle of lots of native tribes according to this article. People always use the argument that all the Alaskans are for drilling because it would create jobs; they don't consider these people who would oppose drilling into their analysis. Compare the jobs created, which jallman claims to be in the thousands, to the 5000-7000 people whose lifestyles would be disrupted or destroyed by anwr drilling and it doesn't make so much sense anymore. We've already ravaged all the natives who were in the US before us, we might as well learn from our mistakes and respect the natives in Alaska. The US Fish and Wildlife Service even recognizes that the region has a great degree of ecological diversity, and the US government has never been known to exaggerate in favor of the environment. Jallman, lets try and keep this a civil debate rather than name calling.
 

If there's a thousand percent return on investment from getting that oil, the oil companies should be able to sell shares that much easier. It's how truly free markets work.
 

Question:

Do the natives own the land to be drilled?

If they do, why are we having this discussion about oil drilling on their land if they don't want it to happen?

If they don't, why should they get special consideration?
 
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