Alaska: Oil or Ecosystem?

With rising gasoline prices across the nation, consumers are complaining; or perhaps it is more accurate to say that constituents are complaining. By voicing their opinions and concerns to their representatives, people are asking Congress to do something to control the price of oil.

This particular article, which was written this past March, describes the plan of the US government to sell leases for exploration of Alaskan reserves by 2007; hopefully leading to a significant source of oil 7-10 years later. But for the average consumer, I think that this is too little too late. Why should the US ruin the wildlife in Alaska to find some oil that in all likelihood will be obsolete in 10 years? (Hopefully by then we will have found a cheaper and cleaner source of energy)

Environmentalists are concerned with the fact that despite new technology to keep the harms of drilling to a minimum there will still be some major effects on the natural ecosystem in Alaska. Are we really willing to risk the possible devastation of the Arctic National Wildlife refuge for some oil that “is going to have no effect in the long-term on America’s energy future (Kerry)”?

Everyone who owns a vehicle today wants gas prices to be lower. However, in the long run, is opening the arctic refuge really the best thing for the people of the United States? It is a toss up.