Republican U.S. House of Representatives candidate Chris Lien visited several areas of Alaska last week including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
He went with six other House candidates: Luke Puckett of Indiana, Mike Sodrel of Indiana, Greg Goode of Indiana, Jason Chafets of Utah, Paul Stark of Wisconsin, and Craig Williams Pennsylvania.
I met with Lien at his campaign office in Rapid City yesterday where he showed me some of the pictures he took on the trip.
Several of those pictures are featured below because, as they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." This is even more true of the oil issue in ANWR, since a lot of misinformation and misrepresentation is presented by opponents.
When pictures of ANWR are actually shown by the "mainstream" media, they often feature the southern area of ANWR, which is very different than the Coastal Plain area where drilling is desired. While the southern area is very beautiful with lots of trees and vegetation, once you cross the mountains, the terrain quickly becomes barren marsh.
For perspective, this map shows the total ANWR area, which is roughly the size of South Carolina. Out of that area, the Coastal Plain is only the top edge, next to the ocean. And out of that Coastal Plain area, only a total of 2,000 acres (of the 19 million acres of ANWR) would be allowed for oil drilling.
Here we see an arctic village from the air in the southern part of ANWR.
This one is one of several shots of the Coastal Plain from the air. Isn't it beautiful? Teeming with life in a fragile, carefully balanced ecosystem? Doesn't it make one thing of a thriving South American rain forest?
This is another shot of the Coastal Plain area.
This is an illustration of the Coastal Plains area which is being considered for drilling.
This is the Coastal Plains area from the air.
Here, Lien is on the ground and looking at the tundra of the Coastal Plains area. If I remember correctly, this is at the village of Kaktovic.
This photo shows caribou at the existing drilling operation at Prudhoe Bay where we've been bringing up oil since the 1970s. They appear to be at peace with the oil operation.
Here you see a couple of caribou resting beneath Lien's hotel at Prudhoe Bay. They seem unperturbed by the human presence. Notice the columns on which the buildings are elevated. Lien says that practically all the buildings around the Coastal Plain are like this. This architectural technique leaves an even smaller impression on the land and, obviously, allows even greater access to the land for wildlife.
This is the village of Kaktovic on the northern edge of the Coastal Plain, one of several stops for Lien.
Here Lien meets with Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.
This is a picture of Lien with his fellow U.S. House candidates who accompanied him on the trip.
Chris Lien speaking at a conference in Alaska, Governor Sarah Palin to the left.
The Coastal Plain from the air.
Here Lien and his party listen to the concerns of a man who objects to drilling in ANWR.
Chris Lien with the arctic tundra in the background.
The North Slope from the air.
Lien says he supported drilling in ANWR before the trip, but wanted to see the area for himself and talk to the people who lived there.
The group of candidates didn't only hear from supporters of ANWR, but spoke with several people who were opposed to drilling in the area. Lien also made an effort to ask people on the street, at a picnic and other unscheduled stops what they thought of drilling for oil in ANWR.
Lien said that about 75 percent of the people he encountered were in support of drilling for oil there. "For many of them, it was a no-brainer," Lien said.
Yesterday Lien told me he is preparing a presentation of what he learned in Alaska and will send me a copy when it is completed. I plan to feature some of that information here.
In the meantime, you can see more pictures from Lien's trip at his campaign website by clicking on the Flickr "fr" button at the bottom.
7 comments:
Drill it full of oil wells!
For several years I've argued with well-meaning friends and family about what ANWR is actually like. They had seen the beautiful pictures of pristine Alaskan wilderness, rivers and mountains and thought that was what is at stake in the oil/ANWR debate. As these photos show, the reality is much different. Surely the "environmentalists" and their political allies weren't intentionally trying to deceive us, were they?
Drill here. Drill now. Keep our energy dollars at home.
Drill often and drill deep. Anwr looks as hospitable as Prudhoe. Flying into Prudhoe International airport at 60 below with a 60knot cross wind is the height of fun.
The real reason we pay such a high cost is very simple. I'll give you two words "TAX REVENUE". The federal government won't allow drilling because they want the billions the state makes in "TAX REVENUE". Don't believe it? I have proof. Want to know the real reason they won't drill in ANWR. It is very clear. Open House of Representatives Resources committee hearing that debates H.R. 39, drilling in ANWR. from the link below.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_house_hearings&docid=f:85583.pdf
You can read the entire legislative hearing but the details start at the bottom of page 80 of the PDF file or page 76 of the actual document. It starts with House of Representatives Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts. They were willing to drill for the oil in ANWR if the Federal Government would get at least 50 percent of the tax revenue. Alaska did not state a position on it. The bill died because of it. You see the reason why we pay so much for gas is very simple. If the oil comes from within the U.S. the state from which it is mined gets 90 percent of the tax revenue. This equals billions of dollars...BILLIONS. The federal government figured out that if they make the regulations so difficult that it would be cheaper for the oil companies to get the oil from outside of the U.S. than the Federal government would get 100% of the tax revenue. Not 10 or 50%. It has nothing to do with the oil cartels. Your saying that is just one Congressmen and that was 2003. Well ladies and Gentlemen, want to know the current bill being proposed? It proposes drilling offshore and the "tax revenue" being distributed evenly among the states. It is called DOER, HR 6108, and the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2008. Guess what? It is doing quite well. Why is that? IT IS BECAUSE OF THE "TAX REVENUE"!!!!!!
You all heard about the Government taxes on gasoline being between 36 to 64 cents on every gallon. What you don't see is the taxes made on the OIL BEFORE IT IS MADE INTO GASOLINE. Sorry folks this isn't some conspiracy by the oil companies or some elaborate master plan by OPEC and the tree huggers. I watched this hearing. These dirt bag Congressman take the money from Green Peace and it is politically expedient for them but it has nothing to do with their decisions. It is very plain and simple our own Government is screwing us because the feds want what is not theirs. So they make law to pass restrictions on oil drilling to prevent states from getting the tax revenue. We have more oil than all of OPEC combined and we are the only nation in the world that prevents drilling for oil. The United States is the only developed nation in the world that forbids energy production on its OCS—Cuba is allowing other countries, like China, to drill for oil close to 50 miles off the coast of Florida, while America sits with its hands tied.
For whatever reason, tax revenues, environmentalists, lobbyists, etc, etc, etc, the situation is still the same; crooked, conniving, lying, cheating, thieving politicians are holding the American people hostage. We are sending $700 billion dollars a year to countries that wish us harm (yes even Canada and Mexico for the most part would like to see us cut down a few notches). While Rome is burning, our corrupt politicians fiddle. Poll after poll says the American people want energy independence and they want it now. Yes, they want alternative energy sources but they also want conventional sources opened up such as gas, oil, coal and nuclear. Problem is, they still keep electing the same old crooks. Untill we throw all the lying scum out, we deserve what we get.
For whatever reason, tax revenues, environmentalists, lobbyists, etc, etc, etc, the situation is still the same; crooked, conniving, lying, cheating, thieving politicians are holding the American people hostage. We are sending $700 billion dollars a year to countries that wish us harm (yes even Canada and Mexico for the most part would like to see us cut down a few notches). While Rome is burning, our corrupt politicians fiddle. Poll after poll says the American people want energy independence and they want it now. Yes, they want alternative energy sources but they also want conventional sources opened up such as gas, oil, coal and nuclear. Problem is, they still keep electing the same old crooks. Untill we throw all the lying scum out, we deserve what we get.
Economic Stimulus you say..? Ok, here's how we get it. Start building nuclear plants and lots of them. Now's a good time since France has a conservative leader in office and we obviously need their help on the nuclear front. With enough nuclear power, we can convert out rail freight system to electricity.
At the same time, start drilling ANWR, and off shore So. Cal., LA. and everywhere else that there's US oil. With the influx of new oil we'll be having, we'll need to build west coast refineries. With the construction of all the nuclear plants (and when they come on-line) and construction of the refineries (and when they come on-line) and converting real systems to electricity, how many jobs has that just created? And.. while all this is going on, we can start pouring gov. money into research and development of a substantial alternative fuel. When all the new oil comes on-line, we can use the oil $s that was going to the terrorists to further fund R&D of substantial alternative fuels.
Instead of the gov. bailing out crooked banks, they could use that money to subsidize American auto-makers who mainly concentrate on affordable/reliable electric cars.
To start paying off our countries debt, impose a 30% tax on all foreign goods imported to our country. Maybe that'll help folks choose to "Buy American" too!
dv
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