Let's Drill for Oil
By John B. Breaux. Mr. Breaux, a Democrat, is
Louisiana's senior senator.
Gale Norton's confirmation hearings for the post of interior secretary
begin today. I recently met with Ms. Norton, whose nomination I support,
to have a frank discussion about how to increase America's energy
production, including exploring for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge.
If confirmed, Ms. Norton should
make a priority of implementing an
aggressive and environmentally
sound policy to encourage domestic
production. America must put in
place a long-term national energy
policy that includes finding and
producing more of its own
resources. As Ms. Norton moves to
open up Alaska, she should also
study how my home state of
Louisiana, and other U.S. wildlife
refuges, have succeeded both in
energy extraction and environmental safeguards.
America, despite its military and economic power, remains heavily
dependent upon foreign countries for oil. This dependence places us at the
whim of oil cartels, and the results are evident. California is having massive
power disruptions. Skyrocketing home heating costs in the Northeast,
combined with the doubling and tripling of natural gas bills nationwide,
threaten to leave many Americans with no heat in one of the coldest
winters on record.
This impending energy crisis is largely due to the fact that we are more
dependent on foreign oil than ever before. Today, 56% of our oil supply
comes from foreign sources. This is a 20% increase over the 1973 Arab
oil embargo, and is 10% more than during Operation Desert Storm in
1991. While our energy needs rise, domestic oil production has fallen; we
produced 2.7 million fewer barrels a day in 1999 than in 1986. The
Department of Energy predicts that by the year 2020, we will rely on
foreign nations for 64% of America's energy needs.
While policymakers across the country scramble to find short-term
solutions to the nation's energy crisis, I suggest we address the immediate
cause of the problem. We have a golden opportunity to start correcting our
underlying energy problem: domestic oil exploration.
Our oil problem rests not in lack of product, but in our refusal to use our
natural resources. There are huge regions in the U.S. that, by acts of
Congress or presidential order, have been placed off-limits to oil and gas
exploration, depriving us of billions of barrels of oil and natural gas. I
believe that, in areas where we have sound environmental protections in
place, it makes sense to tap our own country's natural resources.
We can do this in an environmentally sound way. At my meeting with Ms.
Norton, I detailed the successes of producing energy on both state and
national wildlife refuges in my home state of Louisiana. I explained that we
have done this with ecosystems that are as complicated and fragile as any
wildlife area in the country.
There has been oil and gas production on federal wildlife refuges in
Louisiana for nearly 60 years, resulting in the drilling of 1,605 wells.
Refuges on Louisiana's fragile wetlands are home to ducks, geese, shrimp,
crab, deer, alligators, fish and fur-bearing animals. But, largely as a result
of the demanding environmental requirements for operators, there have
been few adverse consequences from drilling.
If Louisiana can do it, why can't Alaska? We already have experience in
Alaska. A good example is Prudhoe Bay, which has produced 20% of our
domestic oil since it was developed more than 26 years ago. It has done
so in a way that is both economically viable and environmentally safe.
The Arctic Refuge is estimated to have even larger reserves than Prudhoe
Bay and it could replace our oil imports from Saudi Arabia for the next 30
years. The Arctic Refuge could produce up to 1.5 million barrels a day for
at least 25 years, a figure equal to nearly 25% of our current daily oil
consumption.
In 1987, after studying the area for five years and finding there would be
no significant adverse environmental effects on the region, the Department
of Interior recommended the Arctic Refuge be developed. In a poll
conducted just last April, nearly 71% of Alaskans support exploration on
the refuge.
We also know that, thanks to advances in technology, fewer than 2,000 of
the refuge's 19.6 million acres would be affected by oil development. The
area would only be explored during the winter months, when the land is
covered with ice. Drilling and development would be prohibited during the
caribou calving season. And many other precautions would be in place and
strictly enforced to ensure that the refuge is not harmed.
As we ponder recent stock market fluctuations and wonder where our
economy is headed, we must consider all means we have to be stewards
of a good economy. I believe there is more we must do to protect
Americans from the volatility of the energy markets, without sacrificing our
environment.
Expanding drilling in Alaska alone will not satisfy America's increasing
demand for energy. But opening the Arctic Refuge to domestic oil
exploration would be a significant first step to ensuring all Americans have
both affordable energy and a clean environment. |
