Republicans led by John McCain have concluded for reasons of national energy security and to bring relief to American consumers of oil and its derivatives, including gasoline, home heating oil and jet fuel, there are areas in the U. S. in which new oil development, which is blocked by congressional moratoriums, should be allowed.
These forbidden areas include the continental shelves off the west and east coasts of the U.S., parts of the Gulf of Mexico and oil shale lands in the Rocky Mountains. Democrats oppose all such efforts to open up new oil development in these areas and are blocking votes in the House and Senate to allow it.
Also at issue is a particular tract of land in but not part of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) -- 2000 acres out of 19 million acres – known as 10-02. 10-02 was excluded from the Refuge in the original law setting up the refuge in 1980 and designated for oil development; it is not classified legally as wilderness or refuge. Exploration and oil development have been barred in ANWR since the 1980s.
Investors Business Daily - Ramirez
Congress originally set [10-02] aside specifically for oil and gas exploration due to overwhelming geological evidence of large hydrocarbon deposits. The 10-02 area is completely flat and barren, with no trees, hills, or mountains. Nine months out of the year it’s covered with snow and ice and practically void of life. Three of those months are in total 24-hour darkness. In the 6 weeks of summer the coastal plain is dotted with thousands of lakes and is covered by boggy tundra on permafrost (permanently frozen ground).
Despite the specification of 10-02 for oil development, subsequent Congresses have barred drilling there. Currently leading the effort to keep 10-02 closed to drilling are Democratic Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts, Hillary Clinton of New York, Maria Cantwell of Washington and Majority Leader Reid of Utah.
Republican Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska
argues that increasing oil production at ANWR will benefit the nation with long-term jobs in all 50 states for services, infrastructure construction, and maintenance. According to Palin, the federal taxes from oil production, generating $200 billion, would be used to fund alternative energies and future energy development for the next three decades. The Governor estimates that the ANWR oil is worth 1.3 trillion dollars to the nation at today’s prices.
Typical of some 20 bills now pending in Congress to open up 10-02 to oil development is HR 6107, filed by Republican House Members, which requires that funds generated from oil production taxes be used to set up an Alternative Energy Trust Fund, promoting the development and production of alternative energies.
Mitt Romney, on the campaign trail for McCain, supports 10-02 legislation, though McCain as yet has not indicated his support. Obama is opposed to lifting all oil development moratoriums, including 10-02's.
