Energy and Environment, Class 8

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Energy and Environment, Class 8
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge A Case Study
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Arctic Refuge Timeline

• 1867 U.S. purchases Alaska from Russia for 7.2
  million (2.5 cents/acre)
  
• 1959 Alaska statehood, native claims to land
  not resolved
  
• 1960 President Eisenhower declares original
  Arctic Refuge (8.9 million acres)
  
• 1967 Secretary of Interior Stewart Udall
  freezes land selection

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Timeline, Cont.

• 1968 Oil discovered at Prudhoe Bay on North
  Slope
  
• 1971 Native land claims settled (Alaska Native
  Claims Settlement Act, ANCSA), creates native
  corporations (not reservations) that get title to
  44 million acres (out of 370 million) and almost
  1 billion in cash.
• 1974 Congress passes law approving trans alaska
  pipeline (exempts it from NEPA)
  
• 1977 Pipeline completed, 800 miles long, cost 8
  billion
  
• At its peak, it pumped about 2 million barrels
  per day,
  
• Now it is a bit less than 1 million bpd.

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Timeline, Cont.

• 1980 Alaska National Interest Land Claims Act
  is passed.
  
• Enlarges Arctic Refuge to 19.6 m.a.
• Designates 8.6 m.a. as wilderness
• Designates 1002 area of coastal plain for study
  of oil and gas potential (1.5 m.a.)

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Timeline, Cont.

• 1985 Native corporation drills exploratory
  well, results are top industrial secret.
  
• 1987 Department of Interior releases report on
  1002 area
  
• Recommends leasing it for oil and gas
  development
  
• 1989 As Congress prepares to discuss ANWR bill,
  Exxon Valdez spill happens in Prince William
  sound
  
• 1995 Republicans take control of Congress,
  include provision opening ANWR as a rider on the
  appropriations bill
  
• Clinton vetoes it, shuts down Federal Government,
  Republicans lose face

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Timeline, Cont.

• 2001 Cheney Energy Task force recommends
  opening ANWR to drilling as a key component of a
  national energy strategy
  
• 2002 Differing energy bills pass the Senate and
  House
  
• House would open ANWR, Senate wouldnt
• Conference committee fails to reconcile bills

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Timeline, Cont.

• 2003 After election, Republicans take back
  Senate
  
• Republican Senate leadership tries to attach ANWR
  opening language as a rider to the Budget Bill
  (filibuster proof). It fails by 49 to 51.
  
• 2004 Republicans gain 4 seats in the Senate
• 2005 Republicans put ANWR provision in Budget
  Bill, passes 51-49
  
• The budget relies on 2.4 billion from leasing of
  the coastal plain.
  
• This leasing cant happen until the law is
  changed in a budget reconciliation bill.

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How Much Oil is there in the Refuge?
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Is This a Little or a Lot?

• Assume 7.5 billion barrels are recoverable over a
  period of 40 years.
  
• Current U.S. consumption of about 20 mbpd 7.3
  billion barrels per year.
  
• Over 40 years that gives us about 0.5 mbpd, or
  about 2.5 of current consumption rate in U.S.
  
• Compare to the 11 mbpd we currently import or the
  .8mbpd we imported from Iraq before the invasion.

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The Larger Picture of Oil Development in Alaska
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Issues With Proposed Development
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Porcupine Caribou Herd
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Caribou Calving Locations
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Calving Grounds
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Exception
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Caribou Calving Patterns

• From 1983 to 2001, Caribou used the 1002 area for
  calving in all but 2 years.
  
• In those two years (2000 and 2001) a late breakup
  of ice on rivers prevented the caribou from
  getting to the region. Reproductive success was
  much lower than usual.

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Polar Bears
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Other Wildlife Conservation Issues

• Muskoxen
• Migratory birds

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Seismic Exploration
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Seismic Exploration
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Development of Oil Fields

• Roads (permanent vs. seasonal ice roads)
• Footprint of drill pads
• Traditional vs. Directional Drilling
• Disposal of drilling muds
• Routing of pipelines
• Operational oil spills
• Water
• Human incursion

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Native Perspectives

• Kaktovik residents generally favor development
• Their native corporation would be a large
  beneficiary
  
• Arctic Village residents generally oppose
  development
  
• They rely on the fall migration of the caribou
  for subsistence

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Deadhorse
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What Can Concerned Citizens Do?

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