For you info--Phyllis Mains
From AlaskaWild Update #218, June 4, 2004


WHY THE ARCTIC REFUGE WILL NEVER HAVE ANY REAL IMPACT ON GAS PRICES

Despite the environmental, consumer, and economic problems with oil
dependence, the Bush administration is allowing Big Oil to drive
America's energy policy toward greater consumption and higher prices. The
Bush-Cheney energy plan won't make the U.S. less dependent on oil and
other fossil fuels, won't reduce the price of a gallon of gas, and won't
protect consumers from future price spikes. Their solution to the problem
- to pass the disastrous energy bill rejected by the Senate in November -
would actually increase gasoline prices and do nothing to protect
consumers. Their proposal to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
would destroy a pristine wilderness area for six months worth of oil that
wouldn't reach consumers for ten years.

The best way to protect consumers from high gasoline prices is by
regulating the oil industry and reducing demand. The Bush-Cheney energy
plan does not expand the current antitrust laws to cover this blatant
price manipulation, so corporations will continue to gouge consumers at
the gas pump. Increasing auto fuel economy to conserve oil is a strategy
with a proven track record, but the Bush administration has steadfastly
opposed requiring the auto industry to do its part and use existing
technology to significantly increase miles per gallon in our cars and
trucks.

The big oil companies and their pawns in Congress and the White House
will clearly stop at nothing to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge and are up to their old tricks again. The fact that they have
decided to waste time on this dead end scheme after the Senate made it
known - yet again -- last year that Arctic drilling is not acceptable
energy policy, shows they are listening to corporate special interests
rather than to the American people, who strongly support keeping the
Arctic Refuge protected.

This issue has nothing to do with gas prices - it's all about politics.
The Department of Energy says that drilling in the Arctic would have no
impact on gas prices.

The main reason gas prices are so high is because of our over-dependence
and increasing demand on oil - whatever the cause. The only way to reduce
the burden of high gas prices is to reduce demand. Any so-called
"solutions" to high gas prices that include drilling in the Arctic Refuge
as part of the fix is nothing more than election year pandering and
politicking. If politicians were serious about helping us pay less for
gas, they would focus on ways to help us buy less of it.

Drilling the Arctic Refuge would have no impact on U.S. oil prices. Even
if one accepts the highest ranges of Arctic Refuge petroleum potential,
there would still be no impact on prices at the pump.

It would take at least a decade to bring to market any oil that might be
discovered in the Arctic Refuge; exploration, discovery and assessment,
field design and installation and pipeline design and construction are
all time-consuming endeavors.

At a time when the oil industry is laughing all the way to the bank, the
last thing Congress should do is hand out billions in new tax breaks.
Unfortunately, Senator Frist has added the "Energy Tax Incentives Act" to
corporate tax legislation pending on the Senate floor. There is no
evidence that $6.5 billion in new and expanded tax breaks will do
anything but pad the oil and gas industry's bottom line. The Senate
should reject these outrageous handouts.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Make your voice heard! Find out how to get Take Action Alerts
and other important Sierra Club messages by email at:
http://www.sierraclub.org/email