Will oil kill the Caribou?
Last night, I saw President Bush on the toob calling for drilling in ANWR. For all those who are opposed to this heinous despoilation of mother Gaia, some perspective:
The Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge is an area the size of South Carolina. The proposed drilling area is about 2000 acres, about the size of a major metropolitan airport like, say, Dulles.
It isn't going to ruin the nature. And when Iran flips out and starts sinking oil tankers going through the straits of Hormuz, having that supply of oil might be a good thing.
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Buckethead
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I take your point that the
I take your point that the actual drilling site won't be too big. However, one of the big beeves (that's my plural of beef) with the project is the pipelines more than the drilling. Sure, 2000 acre site is self-contained, but the pipeline is most assuredly not, and its footprint will amount to a lot more than 2000 acres. The whiny handwringing treehuggers (for whose position I have some sympathy) argue that the pipeline needs to be constructed so as not to disrupt feeding grounds and migration patterns for the majestic mousse and all the other grey and brown mammals, birds, and amphibians that inhabit the area. So far, the drilling dudes haven't given even half a listen to that idea. Moreover, there's the spill-containment scenario to consider. ANWR is still ANWR, a wildlife reserve. Drill there, fine, but please let's spend some money making sure we don't have a Valdez moment in the far north country.
I totally agree that having a massive ooooil reserve ready at hand is a very good thing if the Hormuz Strait scenario comes to pass, but is it really such a goddamn big deal to make sure the Northern Reticulated Snow Weasel can get from one side of the line to the other?
They build those pipelines
They build those pipelines with some care for the wildlife. Caribou have no problem with the existing Alaska pipeline, in fact they huddle near it in the middle of winter because it's warm. They can go under it in places, etc. The current pipeline has a good safety record, and I'm sure that spending a few bucks on safety measures will be part of the program. Workers at the Prudhoe bay facility can be fired for littering, and I'm sure that the same rules will apply here.
Again, the problem is perspective. We have an area the size of South Carolina. The drilling area is Dulles airport. Build a road (a pipeline next to it) to the airport. You still haven't even touched 99.9% of the territory.
I'm all for saving wildlife and preserving natural beauty. But we can also get a million barrels of crude a day out of the same area without really affecting said critters and views.
I know they CAN build smart
I know they CAN build smart pipelines. I just hope they WILL.
Frankly, drilling in ANWR is really no big deal next to blatant nation-rapery like the bankruptcy bill and the crusades of the Decency Brigade.