Should the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge be Opened to Oil Drilling?
In a Nutshell
Yes |
No |
- The proceeds from drilling could dramatically lower the price of oil, leading to another economic boom.
- It would lessen our dependence on foreign oil, especially in the Middle East.
- Drilling could easily be done without disrupting the refuge or damaging the environment.
- It would dramatically help the economy and the people of Alaska.
- The drilling and land development would create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
- Alternative energy sources are the future, but for right now they're too expensive and underdeveloped; oil from ANWR
could help fuel the world economy in the meantime.
- Every dollar we spend on oil from the Middle East, Russia, and Venezuela only strengthens the communists and terrorists
trying to harm the United States.
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- It takes the focus off the real cause of the oil shortage -- our excessive consumption.
- A wildlife refuge could be disturbed by humans, with animal lives possibly changed in the process.
- The drilling may not yield much of anything.
- It could take years or decades before any significant amount of oil is ready for use.
- The reserve can be saved as a last resort decades from now when we've exhausted other supplies.
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Related Links
ANWR.org
Wikipedia ANWR Issue Analysis
Drilling in the Arctic: Debatabase
Top Ten Reasons to Support ANWR Development
Critical Thinking on Energy
To Drill or Not to Drill
Myths about Drilling in ANWR
Oil Drilling in Alaska
Audubon: Arguments Against
The ANWR Debate
Is anything missing? Is any of the material inaccurate?
Please let me know.
Written by:
Joe Messerli
Page Last Updated: 01/07/2012