Response letter from my US representative in congess

February 1, 2003

In response to my email about being against drilling for petroleum in Artic National Wildlife Refuge, the following text is the snail-mail I got from my congressperson :

January 27, 2003

Mr. Patrick Hodge

Tulsa, OK 74105

Dear Mr. Hodge:

Thank you for contacting me regarding oil and gas exploration on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). I appreciate hearing for you on this important issue.

Unfortunately, we seem to disagree on this issue. I make it a point to represent my constituents to the best of my ability but at times I will respectfully disagree with some constituents. As you know, I have always stressed the need for a national energy policy. The world is operating with a small supply of petroleum and the U.S. is facing tight natural gas supplies. We now depend on foreign nations for nearly 60 percent of the oil we use -- and that figure is growing rapidly. From 1986 to 1997 (before the latest price crisis) domestic oil production dropped by 2 million barrels per day - roughly countries -- some who have unfriendly dictators -- for the very life-blood (oil) of our Nation.

Domestically, current refinery production is already running at 98%. No new, large refineries have been built in the last 30 years. Though conservation and development of alternative fuels are keys to a national energy plan, they alone cannot possibly meet the demands of our growing economy. ANWR is 19.6 million-acre which is the size of South Carolina. Only one and a half million acres of Alaska's Coastal Plain is reserved for energy exploration. This leaves 99.99% of ANWR untouched. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that beneath the one and half million-acre tract in Alaska's Costal Plain is more than sixteen billion barrels of recoverable oil. Given current rates of import, sixteen billion barrels of oil is enough to replace oil from Iraq for 58 years. Sixteen billion barrels of oil is the equivalent of 17.7 billion barrels of gasoline (742 billion gallons of gas), which is equivalent of the total US gas consumption for nearly six years - at the 2000 consumption rate of 8.4 million barrels a day. Congress designated the Coastal Plain tract in 1980 for study its oil and gas potential. In 1987, the Department of Interior recommended to proceed with development.

Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve is an important issue as we continue to search for competitive oil and gas leasing programs that will result in an environmentally sound and job creating program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Coastal Plain. Currently, H.R. 39 has been referred to the House Committee on Resources and is awaiting Executive comment from the Department of Interior.

Again, I am sorry that we disagree on this issue but I urge you to continue to contact me on issues that concern you. I look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,

John Sullivan

Member of Congress

Thanks for reading this

Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now