No, I am an American citizen, and despite Sarah Palin wanting to secede from the Union, I get a say in it too as it is still part of my country. I see drilling in ANWR for what it really is - a cheap ploy for a sad party that has run out of ideas on how to correct our energy problems. Anyone with half an ounce of common sense has already proven that drilling in ANWR will not alleviate our dependence on foreign oil. This oil will more than likely go to other countries, not ours. And then there is that pesky part about it taking quite a while to actually see the results of this drilling - years, not days or months.

Perhaps the Alaskan people wouldn't be so quick to want this drilling if they had to share their bribe money they get from the oil companies with the rest of the country.

Unless and until that "other" party comes up with a magic wand that will instantly convert all our current vehicles to hydrogen (or some other non hydrocarboniferous) fuel, We should wring every drop of our oil out of ANWR, the continental shelf, western oil shale and anywhere else, while at the same time vigorously pursuing all viable alternatives including natural gas, wind, solar, nuclear, bio (other than corn) and even anti-matter (for all you Star Wars Trekies).

Star Wars Trekies

Oxymoron?

Definitely yes. The oil companies already know how to do this with virtually no environmental impact.

The argument that this won't alleviate our dependence on foreign oil is mindless and completely devoid of common sense. There are dozens of things that we can do to conserve energy and none of them will solve the problem completely. There is no one big solution, but a combination of many. Drilling in ANWR is a good step in the right direction.

We should drill in ANWR and get all the oil we can. As far as the Star Wars Trekkies thing, when did Star Trek fans become Star Wars fans in the same breath. I know someone who knows about anti matter and you don't want to go there.
Dark Knight

Anti matter was deliberate hyperbole. As for the Star Wars Trekies...... Tongue in cheek chain jerking.... Does anyone understand satire? Dead serious about the drilling though........

Josh, it would be a wise idea to begin drilling in the ANWR region of Alaska. It will take some time for this to begin coming online but it would be a step in the right direction. Opening other regions we have available would be a good start also. We must continue to develop new resources of energy and use some of the good ideas that are being floated about in the scientific world. We conquered space in the 1960's with new and inventive ideas and we can do the same with our fuel problem if we just give it a chance. There is a program being developed in New Mexico that will take some years to work out the bugs but it is a step in the right direction. It would take a while to explain but it is a form of plasma energy that is being harnessed into a more controlled state. All ideas should be considered in the discussion of how to work on our future energy needs.
The Doctor

T. Boone Pickens' plan is probably the best so far. Drill, drill, drill as step one, convert to alternate sources as step two, and perform massive amounts of research as step three. There is no single magic solution. We need to explore all alternatives.

What we do not need is the government subsidizing these; we just need to remove (most) restrictions.

>

NO!

Who is the rightful owner of the property? If the land was purchased with US taxpayer money then the citizens of Alaska hold no more rightful title to ownership than US citizens. The tragedy here is common ownership. The only way to resolve it is for the US gov't to sell the land back into the private sector where it belongs. Then the only opinion that mattered would be the investment allocation decisions of the rightful owners, who could be from anywhere. And, of course, if their actions had negative consequences to their neighbors then the opinion of their neighbors would matter also.

First of all, why just ANWR? There are hundreds of thousands of acres that the oil companies already have leases for and they are not using. Oh yeah - because then you guys get all NIMBY on them. As long as it is somewhere way far away and you don't have to see it and it doesn't mess with your schedule of picking up Buffy from private school then swinging by and getting Biff from soccer practice, its ok by you?

And furthermore, T. Boone Pickens wants you to drill, drill, drill because he is the largest landowner and will make money hand over fist off of these little ventures.

T. Boone Pickens wants you to drill, drill, drill because he is the largest landowner and will make money hand over fist off of these little ventures

Actually T Boone doesn't even make the list of 100 largest land owners

http://www.landreport.com/americas-100-largest-landowners/

Are you just making things up as you go?

I'm talking about landowners where drilling rights have been purchased.

Connect the dots much?

Please, Pickens is more concerned with Blue Gold in the future, not Black Gold.

So if Pickens has a better idea, and he makes money off of it, how is that bad?

Actually, the Coastal Plain (where drilling in ANWR would take place) was designated by Congress as a site for possible oil drilling ("resource exploration") in the 80s. It is not the product of current Republicans at all. The area could produce over a billion barrels a day for 25 years, roughly a quarter of what we use now. Additionally, that section of Alaska, recommended by Congress for the drilling of oil, is a frozen tundra in the wintertime. The US owns the land, not private landowners who sold drilling rights.

ANWR is not, nor was it ever, meant to be a permanent solution to US energy problems. However, any increase in drilling we do at home is a decrease from that on which we depend from foreign sources. Until solar, wind, geothermal, etc. become economically viable and thus produce the same amounts of wattage and BTUs as petroleum sources, then petroleum is our main option. During this time, using oil reserves at home will decrease that which we receive from OPEC and other sources, which will in turn help us lower costs at home.

And, as Dutch pointed out, even if caribou really were numbered in the thousands roaming the arctic tundra of ANWR, the oil companies spend millions, if not billions, of dollars ensuring very little environmental impact takes place. There's a great deal more ocean life than anything remotely close to ANWR and the fish seem to be dealing okay with our off-shore rigs. The wildlife around Prudhoe Bay has been steadily increasing around the oil sites as the sites have proven to have very little effect on surrounding environment at all.

It's not a permanent answer, but it was intended to help--just like our Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Not a permanent solution, but an assistance when needed.

Emily, How will decreasing the oil we use from OPEC reduce our costs at home?

So, I live in Fairbanks AK. And I think we should because the gas prices are still ridicously high and there is no reason not to drill. Half of the people who have commented ihis page like in the lower 48 and have no clue what it is like in Alaska. You guys take subways to work and don't have to drive 30 miles to work in -30 degree weather.

Sarah
I agree with you 100% but the powers that be have not a clue what you and your remote neighbors deal with.
I was in Ak in the 60s and again in the 90s
It was two things both times ...very expensive and very cold....both times I was there it was winter....what was I thinking?
You live in a beautiful land among a great bunch of people that know how to be responsible for their own welfare and they take care of their own.
I bet there are times when you wish Washington would forget where you are.
Don

Don you are correct sir,
if the powers that be in Washington would let those in Alaska be the strong people they are and leave them alone then it would be different. It reminds me of the Gold Rush Days to Alaska when greed ruled the day. Well they are following the money to that greedy thing called oil.
The Doctor