Alaskan legislators, governor look to possibilities of gas and oil development in wildlife refuge

Alaska’s Republican U.S. legislators and its governor have all come out in support of a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources budget reconciliation, which would open part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to development.

In consideration is the development of oil and gas interests in a non-wilderness portion of the ANWR. That section, designated as the 1002 area, is a coastal plain that proponents argue could offer potential for job creation and affordable energy.

“For years, military and civilian leaders—Democrats and Republicans—have emphasized the importance of energy security for our national security,” U.S. Sen Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said. “History has also shown us time and again that energy can be used as a force for good, productive diplomacy and also for troublesome power-grabs by our nation’s foes. I have no doubt that this legislation, which would lead to producing more energy responsibly by opening up the small section of the 1002 area in ANWR, will help make the United States the world’s energy superpower again, will dramatically increase our country’s national security and lead to American jobs and productive diplomacy around the globe.”

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who chairs the committee responsible for the reconciliation, said that such efforts could reduce the federal deficit by potentially tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars over the coming decades. That would represent a substantial gain over even the reconciliations goal, with the raising of nearly $1.1 billion over the next ten years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That money would be coming from royalties and federal income taxes alike.

As for Gov. Bill Walker, he said the development expansion is a natural evolution of the idea on which Alaska’s statehood was founded.

“When Alaska became a state, we had a promise from the federal government in our statehood compact: we need to live off the resources in our land. Much like Midwestern states harvest the resources that grow on the ground, like wheat and corn, Alaska must harvest the resources in our ground,” Walker said.