Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Anwr

Photographic documentation of the necessity to preserve this precious area.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) consists of 19 million acres in north-east Alaska. It is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in the Department of the Interior (DOI). It is a 1.5 million acre coastal plain on the North Slope of the Brooks Range that is currently viewed as one of the most likely undeveloped US onshore oil and gas prospects. According to the US Geological Survey, there is even a small chance that taken together, the fields on this federal land could hold as much economically recoverable oil as the giant field at Prudhoe Bay, found in 1967 on the coastal plain west of ANWR. That state-owned portion of the coastal plain is now estimated to have held 11-13 billion barrels of oil. The Refuge, and especially the coastal plain, is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. The presence of caribou, polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, migratory birds, and many other species in a nearly undisturbed state has led some to call the area America's 'Serengeti'. The Refuge and two neighbouring parks in Canada have been proposed for an international park, and several species found in the area (including polar bears, caribou, migratory birds, and whales) are protected by international treaties or agreements. The analysis in this book covers, first, the economic and geological factors that have triggered new interest in development, followed by the philosophical, biological, and environmental quality factors that have triggered opposition to it. The book begins with a review of the nature and issues of the ANWR.

Most Americans had never heard of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) before the summer of 2008 when gas prices exceeded $4.00 per gallon. At that time a national cry rang out for relief at the pumps and for increased energy security to prevent such a painful recurrence. ANWR suddenly became a highly contentious issue in the energy debated raging in Congress, eventually spilling over into the presidential campaigns throughout the fall. It was front page news as Congressional delegations and media outlets made the obligatory pilgrimage to Anchorage and points beyond in a half-hearted effort to find truth amid the mounting hype. Yet what was learned from all this activity? What do any of us really know about ANWR that wasn't gleaned from thirty-second news bite? The sad truth is that most Americans had never seen, and never will see, the remote majestic corner of northern Alaska. Regrettably, there is no manual with respect to comprehending the issues surrounding ANWR. Current sources run a somewhat limited spectrum from addressing narrow topics in total isolation, to being only mildly informative. More importantly, the information, whether it is derived from energy advocates, environmental organizations, or political analysts, tends to harbor an innate bias. This book is a good faith effort to inform, without bias.