New Arctic Area Opened To Drilling

The Bush Administration has decided to open an additional 390,000 acres of federal land in northeastern Alaska to oil and natural gas development, sparking criticism from environmental activists who fear the plan will harm crucial wildlife habitats.

The Jan. 11 action by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) unlocks a section of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska that was put off-limits to leasing or permanent infrastructure by the Clinton Administration in 1998.

The 4.6 million-acre area is west of the massive Prudhoe Bay oil field. It provides habitat for migratory waterfowl, caribou, and other wildlife. BLM estimates the new section could yield 2 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 3.5 trillion cu ft of natural gas in the next several years.

“This plan is utterly unbalanced. It makes every last acre available for oil development,” says Stanley Senner, executive director of Audubon Alaska. “The Administration has decided that there isn’t one acre of this magnificent region that should be protected.”

But Henri Bisson, BLM’s director in Alaska, says a number of restrictions will be included in the leasing program to protect wildlife and preserve subsistence activities, such as hunting and fishing, that are important to local residents. “Our mission is to carry out a responsible program for oil and gas development while protecting the sensitive resources that are there,” Bisson says.

Advocates say the revised plan will provide a much-needed new source of domestic oil and gas. “It reinforces the fact that Alaska's abundant energy resources are absolutely critical to meeting our nation’s energy needs,” says Alaska Gov. Frank H. Murkowski (R).

“With oil hovering at $60 a barrel and some analysts expecting it to climb higher, America must develop more of its own oil,” adds Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chairman Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.). “Those who clamor for energy independence certainly recognize that increased production has to be part of the equation.”