At least the Alaska Wilderness Coalition which Sierra Club belongs will be meeting with Sally Jewel. Her statistics of revenue from tourism bring in more billions than drilling. Phyllis News-Miner opinion: Interior Secretary Sally Jewell heads to the North Slope today to see firsthand where a large portion of the nation’s domestic oil production comes from. It’s not what it used to be, however, and the nation’s new Interior secretary needs to see the potential herself. Much of the North Slope is, of course, outside the jurisdiction of the federal government. But there are large areas over which the federal government does have authority that should be developed, chief among them the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Secretary Jewell’s northward travel today presents a good opportunity to remind Alaskans and all Americans of the Obama administration’s stated goals in the Arctic, as outlined in May in the administration’s “National Strategy for the Arctic Region”: “The Arctic region’s energy resources factor into a core component of our national security strategy: energy security. The region holds sizable proved and potential oil and natural gas resources that will likely continue to provide valuable supplies to meet U.S. energy needs. Continuing to responsibly develop Arctic oil and gas resources aligns with the United States’ ‘all of the above’ approach to developing new domestic energy sources, including renewables, expanding oil and gas production, and increasing efficiency and conservation efforts to reduce our reliance on imported oil and strengthen our nation’s energy security. “Within the context of this broader energy security strategy, including our economic, environmental and climate policy objectives, we are committed to working with stakeholders, industry, and other Arctic states to explore the energy resource base, develop and implement best practices, and share experiences to enable the environmentally responsible production of oil and natural gas as well as renewable energy.” The goal of achieving national energy security is one against which few can argue. It’s been articulated by a string of U.S. presidents. The likelihood of actually attaining that goal is improved when Alaska’s oil and gas resources are aggressively and safely pursued. That’s the message we hope resonates with Secretary Jewell today and beyond. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/