M. Lynne Corn
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Michael Ratner
Specialist in Energy Policy
Kristina Alexander
Legislative Attorney
In the ongoing energy debate in Congress, one issue has been whether to approve energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR or the Refuge) in northeastern Alaska—and if so, under what conditions—or whether to continue to prohibit development to protect the area’s biological, recreational, and subsistence values. ANWR is rich in fauna, flora, and oil and natural gas potential. Its development has been debated for more than 50 years, but sharp increases in energy prices from late 2000 to early 2001, in 2004-2008, and in 2011 from a variety of causes (e.g., terrorist attacks, oil spills, and energy infrastructure damage from hurricanes), have repeatedly intensified the debate. Few onshore U.S. areas stir as much oil industry interest as ANWR. At the same time, few areas are considered more worthy of protection in the eyes of conservation and some Native groups. Current law explicitly prohibits oil and natural gas leasing in the Refuge. This report provides a primer on this debate, including background information, and a short description of issues which have arisen repeatedly, as well as some that have been debated only recently. It also discusses key provisions of H.R. 3407, a bill to open ANWR; in conjunction with H.R. 7, any of its revenues allocated to the U.S. Treasury would be allocated to fund surface transportation programs.
Procedurally, a key feature in this background is the difficulty in changing the status quo, either toward development or toward additional protection. When energy prices have been high, those Members who advocate increasing supplies as a method of lowering energy prices have renewed their focus on ANWR development. Changes in party control in the House in the 112th Congress have encouraged development advocates. Over the years, opponents of opening the Refuge have succeeded consistently in stopping such attempts. However, any change from the status quo appears just as difficult for proponents of wilderness designation who seek to provide additional statutory protection as it does for development advocates.
Substantively, a number of issues have been raised. Development advocates assert that
- ANWR oil would reduce U.S. energy markets’ exposure to Middle East crises, lower oil prices, and extend the economic life of the Trans Alaska Pipeline;
- development would create jobs in Alaska and elsewhere in the United States; and
- ANWR oil could be developed with minimal environmental harm; some argue that surface development could be limited to a fraction of leased acres.
- intrusion on this ecosystem cannot be justified on any terms;
- economically recoverable oil found (if any) would provide little energy security and could be replaced by cost-effective alternatives;
- ANWR production would have negligible effect on oil prices;
- job claims are exaggerated; and
- development would be widely scattered, with irreparable impacts.
This primer provides background for analyzing the various claims through an examination of ANWR’s history, and an analysis of its geological, biological, human, and economic resources.
Date of Report: February 14, 2012
Number of Pages: 32
Order Number: RL33872
Price: $29.95
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