What is the anwr controversy

This push from the Trump administration comes just two months after the Arctic circle recorded its highest ever temperatures. Any oil spills, for example, would not only harm nearby wildlife and their habitat, they could be fatal. Polar bears, Ms Monsell adds, are "particularly vulnerable" to oil spills. It will be groomed and ingested, irritate the skin, and destroy the insulating abilities of the fur," she says. An oil-coated bear that is not cleaned and rehabilitated will probably die.

Oil industry bosses insist they have a well-established record of environmentally responsible development of Alaska's energy resources. But environmentalists say the US government has not adequately considered the risks to wildlife and local communities. Meanwhile, polar bears are far from the only animals who rely on this large stretch of wilderness. The refuge is home to more than types of bird.

Prof Natalie Boelman, an environmental scientist from Columbia University, describes it as "a huge nursery for avian species". She is particularly concerned about the impact sound levels from any drilling would have on animals in the refuge, as well as on the indigenous communities that live nearby. If the suits are successful, the courts could vacate the issued leases.

Members of Congress recently reintroduced bipartisan legislation to repeal that Tax Cuts and Jobs Act auction requirement and permanently protect the Coastal Plain from development. Regardless of the outcomes in courts and Congress, drilling in ANWR may never go forward for economic reasons.

Moreover, even the lease sales that did occur revealed weak private sector interest in drilling in ANWR. A corporation owned by the state of Alaska bought 9 of the 11 leases that sold.

Experts suggest that the high costs will push Alaska to partner with oil companies to develop the leases. But oil companies do not seem interested. Furthermore, over 50 financial institutions, including most major U. The Mollie Beattie Wilderness , the second largest designated wilderness in the United States, protects nearly 8 million acres of the Arctic Refuge.

There are no roads or trails in the refuge, so a visit requires that you arrive by plane, boat, or foot. Golden eagles fly overhead, wolves roam the vast tundra, and bowhead whales swim along the coast.

In autumn, caribou rival the great African mammals as they undertake one of the largest land migrations on Earth; in winter, polar bears come ashore to birth and nurture cubs. In those early days, it comprised 8. It also set aside 1. This portion of the refuge, the coastal plain, has become a political hot rod. Despite this assessment, pro-drilling legislation began circulating almost immediately. The push included efforts by then-Secretary of the Interior Donald Hodel, and was furthered in subsequent years by Republican members of Congress and presidents on a nearly annual basis.

However, in the U. Energy Information Administration, As oil reserves are running dry, it is becoming apparent that a shift towards renewable energy is necessary. Government bodies can encourage the growth of renewable energy through incentivized rebate programs or grants that mitigate the risk of significant start up capital. No longer can our economic system be concerned with short term gains, as such a system will inevitably fail.

With government programs that encourage renewable energy alternatives, both economic interests and environmental health interests can be satisfied. Corporations and individuals seeking to maximize profits will consider renewable energy alternatives as a profitable opportunity, while environmental interest groups can feel confident on the health of the environment.

There is a large amount of energy wasted on inefficient production methods. Government bodies should incentivize individuals and corporations to not only conserve energy, but also improve energy efficiency. This solution can slow down the inevitability of tapped oil reserves, but cannot act as a stand-alone solution. The most effective solution would combine the development of renewable energy sources with an effort to increase oil and energy efficiency.

Being the top oil consuming country in the world, the U. In , Shell abandoned the Arctic after spending billions on oil exploration. This implies that the logistical costs of retrieving the oil given current technology were great enough to be deemed economically not worth pursuing. Many countries, including the U.

Estimates show that the majority of oil is actually found offshore, underwater Bourne, Alternatives to drilling in ANWR would simply include pursuing oil elsewhere — mainly offshore or foreign oil. In particular, areas which present easier access to obtaining oil and less challenges in the event of an oil spill could pose as more attractive sources than the ANWR. Currently, Shell and other oil companies have withdrawn from oil exploration in the Arctic, but these Arctic oil explorations are far from being forgotten.

However, if technological advancements and new strategies were implemented to reduce the cost and risk of drilling, then ANWR would become an economically viable prospect once again. Lazzari, S. Possible federal revenue from oil development of ANWR and nearby areas. Pasquale, K. ANWR: The legislative quagmire surrounding stakeholder control and protection, and the practical consequences of allowing exploration.

Buffalo Environmental Law Journal, 9 2 , Adams, J. The Office of the President.