Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Research Paper

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Should the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge be Opened to Oil Drilling? Wendy Cubos SCI207 Instructor Shannon Corona January 22, 2011 During the entire history of technological development and progress there has always been a battle between technology and the state of the natural world. It is no secret that through the search for and generation of energy, starting in the industrial revolution, has had dramatic negative effects on the earth. Global warming, de-forestation, and the extinction of many species have been only a few aspects of these. As the population continues to grow, so does the need for energy to support that population. The challenge is to find those things which will feed that need without having to sacrifice the…show more content…
Lee argues that the economic and other benefits of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) oil are so great that even environmentalists should agree to permit drilling and they probably would if they stood to benefit directly. Another argument used to support drilling in this large area in Alaska as a way of cutting down our dependence on foreign, often hostile, sources of petroleum. Given the country’s current political embroilment in conflicts in the Middle East, as well as the lack of other viable sources of petroleum, advocates view drilling in the ANWR as a necessity to secure and protect the interests of the country (Herndon, 2002). Supporters also include organizations that help support large-scale employment, including groups like the Teamsters, were in support of drilling in ANWR because it would create a large amount of newly formed…show more content…
It was set as a protected area in 1960 by Secretary of the Interior at the time, Fred A. Seaton. Eight million acres of this selected segment of the landscape is in the National Wilderness Preservation System, a construct that is intended to protect pristine and untouched land areas. The idea of this is to keep actual wilderness lands, not just protected forest, in the way they are naturally without human interference. The rest of the refuge has different management classifications, such as "Minimal Management, but all are highly protected from development and trespass. There is a huge contrast of animals living there, where it is quoted as having six completely different ecosystems spanning about 200 miles north to south. Ironically the area is also rich in

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