Managing Environmental Issues Simulation

Energy Summary

SCI 362

Brandy Schroeder

May 23, 2011

Energy is what makes things happen around us. Examples of energy would be the light that we get from the sun and heat energy, the street lamps that brighten our way at night by the use of electrical energy and the vehicles that we drive are powered by gasoline and that is a type of stored energy. Energy can be found in many various methods such as oil, geology, and coal. In this paper I will discuss three energy summaries and they are The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Yucca Mountain, and The Three Gorges Dam. In the discussion I will discuss advantages and disadvantages of each energy source, the impact it has on the environment and the interest of important stakeholders.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge often referred to as (ANWR) can be found in Alaska on 10 million acres. The Fish and Wildlife Services oversees The ANWR. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is an oil energy source with great prospects. Survey shows there is a small chance that The ANWR may hold as much oil as the giant field of Prudhoe Bay. This area now has an estimated 11-13 billion barrels of oil.

It has been an ongoing debate about opening The ANWR to drill for oil. It is the belief of the Department of Interior if drilling was to take place on The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that it would cause harm for the area’s ecosystem. In addition, The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the home of polar bears, plants, grizzly bears, many other species and wolves. In the same area, nearby one or two parks where species like whales, polar bears, and birds are protected by a form of international agreements. The dilemma of drilling for oil and disturbing nature has drawn much opposition to it. Several factors must be considered such as: should the area’s ecosystem be spared and given a permanent protection order from development, if the area is used fro drilling how would damages be avoided or minimized and also...