ESM 200 - Fall 2003

Supplementary Materials for the ANWR Case Study

Summary

The 108^th Congress is engaged in a highly polarized debate over proposals to allow energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Current law forbids energy leases in the refuge. Those who advocate opening the refuge for drilling argue that ANWR oil would reduce our dependence on foreign supplies, extend the economic lifetime of the Trans Alaska pipeline system, and bring new jobs and revenues to Alaska and elsewhere in the U.S. Opponents claim that the ecosystem will be irreversibly degraded, that native cultures will be threatened, that there are other ways to reduce dependence on foreign oil, and that ANWR oil reserves and job benefits have been highly exaggerated. Congress is now hearing ecological, economic, legal, political and ethical arguments while considering new legislation. For this case study, each student will become familiar with all sides of the debate and then focus in detail on the perspectives of one particular interest group. Students will work in teams to prepare and present testimony from that group in a mock congressional hearing. There may be conflicting perspectives within some groups.

A small group of Bren faculty will serve as members of Congress that are considering proposed legislation (e.g., S770) pertaining to drilling in ANRW. This group has convened an investigative hearing. Six student groups will each present 8-12 minute testimony presenting their position on the issue of oil devlopment in ANWR. Formal testimony will be followed by 5-7 minutes of Q&A from the committee. Students should anticipate that the congressional representatives have their own agendas and constituents.

Introductory Notes (FD's Power Point presentation)

1. Miscellaneous Papers and editorials

Editorial Series by NY Times Staff Writer Nicholas Kristof

9/5/03 What Price Drilling

9/10/03 Casting a cold eye on Arctic oil

9/13/03 Baked Alaska on the Menu

Editorial by Gail Osherenko (Bren School)

"Is Alaskan North Slope Oil Commercially Recoverable? The Petroleum Product Chain at Work" by Oran R. Young

2. Congressional Research Service Reports (full reports available online in pdf format)

IB95071 - The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

IB10073 - The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: The Next Chapter

IB10111 - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Controversies for the 108th Congress

RL31115 - Legal Issues Related to Proposed Drilling for Oil and Gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

3. National Research Council. 2003. Cumulative Environmental Effects of Oil and Gas Activities on Alaska's North Slope. Executive Summary. Entire report is online at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10639.html

4. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: A Special Report produced by Norman Chance at the University of Connecticut.

5. Basic information on the refuge can be found at the FWS web site, http://www.r7.fws.gov/nwr/arctic

6. Pro-development arguments can be found at http://www.anwr.org

7. Opponents arguments can be found at http://www.alaskawild.org , http://www.protectthearctic.com/ , or http://www.tws.org/arctic/ .

8. Maps of the coastal plain showing existing oil development areas on state land can be found at http://www.dog.dnr.state.ak.us/oil/products/maps/maps.htm