Two powerful voices offered compelling reasons why the U.S. should open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for safe oil exploration.
U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski told the MTD executive board that ANWR exploration potentially offers substantial benefits for the entire nation.
"If we get ANWR, we will have, in fact, developed more merchant marine jobs than any other time in the last 25 years, ever since we built the pipeline," stated Young, who chairs the House Resources Committee as well as the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Young said that ANWR exploration would not impact the "pristine area in Alaska. We have 147 million acres now that are still pristine and will always be pristine - and we're talking about 2,000 acres (for potential exploration, all of it essentially and arctic desert). That will deliver us 1 million barrels of oil for the next hundred years. That's the same amount of oil we're buying from Saddam Hussein right now. And the idea that we're thinking that we can't drill there, yet people will say, "All right, we'll go there and take the oil from Iraq, is ridiculous."
Young added, "As our economy grows, we've got to have a good transportation system in place. Because without that, the economy will not grow and all those programs that everybody talks about - Social Security, prescription drugs, education - none of them can succeed because the economy shrivels."
Murkowski credited MTD (and SIU) President Mike Sacco for his work in the ANWR campaign. "Mike has, over an extended period of time, guided the efforts of the maritime trades towards realities of job creation and opportunities for membership. That's what this issue is all about. Jobs for Americans. Jobs here in the United States. Good-paying jobs - and I don't think there's anybody that's been more open and committed to developing the Arctic coastal plain than Mike."
The former U.S. senator cited the support of many Alaska citizens who favor ANWR exploration. He also highlighted some enlightening statistics about America's energy use. "We're importing over 63 percent of the total supply of oil that we consume. That's over 10 million barrels a day that we're bringing from outside the United States. We're exporting more than $125 billion of our U.S. economy to strengthen other economies where we are purchasing this oil. And who are they? Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait".
"So we simply have to act now and a comprehensive ANWR legislation, which is pending, to secure an affordable, reliable supply of energy for this country is certainly in the national interest. It may contain up to 16 billion barrels of oil. That would be enough to offset what we import from Saudi Arabia over the next 30 years."
Murkowski continued, "When you really think about it, these are jobs building new ships. These are jobs crewing new ships built in U.S. yards with U.S. crews. We shouldn't be shy about this because we're talking about using it to the advantage of the country. ANWR will create good-paying jobs. It will reduce our dependence on foreign imported oil and create revenue for the federal government. Now I ask you, what's wrong with that kind of formula? It's a winner all the way."
He concluded that exploration of the coastal plain will be safe. "We love this land and we're going to protect it. I wouldn't be here if science hasn't convinced me that opening ANWR can be done safely."
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