Energy Summary

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge# 11

The Arctic National Wildlife is formed of 19 million acres at the Northeast of Alaska, and it is managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in the department of the interior. It has a very large portion of the coastal plain rich on gas and oil which its extraction could benefits the economy of the United States.

While this is a great opportunity for the American economic recovery, The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and especially the coastal plain, is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. The presence of wildlife and its preservation has created conflicts between conservationists who want to protect the wildlife of the refuge, and oil companies that argue that this action could improve the balance of oil trade for a decade or so. Another reason why oil companies are eager to develop oil extraction on this site is because of the equipment already in place that would make it more affordable, and would be producing oil and gas at a lower price. Although this strategy placed by the oil companies sounds good to the economy, Oil produced from the Arctic Refuge would come at an enormous, and irreversible, cost. The refuge is among the world's last true wildernesses, and it is one of the largest sanctuaries for Arctic animals.. For the economy it is only a temporary fix, but for the wildlife and the environment is permanent damage; while supporters to the development argue that the development can be done taking in consideration wildlife preservation, opponents of development, emphasize that the central issue is whether the area should be maintained as an intact ecosystem – off limits to development – not whether development can be accomplished in an environmentally sound manner (Com, Gelb, & Baldwin, 2002)

The government and energy companies needs come to an agreement that it is unethical to continue damaging our environment, they need to work together, and understand that the solution lays on the own ingenuity,...