June 30, 2008

Last week, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin made the case for lifting the ban to drilling the ANWR.  In a letter to Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, Palin wrote:

In the last few days, proposals have been tabled to permit oil exploration and development in the 80 percent of the federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) which is off¬ limits to such activity. I strongly support OCS development in Alaska and elsewhere as a necessary component of a sound energy strategy. However, it makes no sense to consider the OCS and to ignore the possibility of exploration and development in highly perspective upland areas, including the coastal plain of ANWR-the most promising unexplored petroleum province in North America.

With appropriate stipulations, oil exploration and development in the OCS can be conducted in a safe manner. Uplands development can be accomplished even more safely. Advanced technologies, such as directional drilling and the re-injection of oil wastes, ensure that the footprint of development would be less than 2,000 acres (approximately one-quarter of the size of Dulles Airport).

Additionally, Governor Palin argued that developing ANWR made sense because:
1.    Incremental production from ANWR would reduce price volatility.
2.    ANWR development would send a strong, positive message to oil speculators.
3.    ANWR production would reduce reliance on foreign oil and advance our national economic and security interests.

To read the entire letter, click here.

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