Supply woes no reason to open ANWR: environmentalists

Washington (Platts)--13Sep2005

The oil supply disruptions in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina do not
justify expanding offshore development to areas subject to moratoria nor
opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to development, US
environmentalists said Tuesday.
     House Energy Committee Chairman Joe Barton (Republican-Texas), who
advocates offshore development and opening ANWR, recently said that "if there
is a silver lining" to Katrina, "it may be that our country understands how
fragile our energy sector is."
     Athan Manuel, director of US Public Interest Research Groups'
preservation program, said in a telephone press conference that calls for
opening ANWR and exploring offshore "ignore the central fact that the US (with
about 2% of the world's proven oil reserves), will never drill its way out of
this problem. There is simply not that much oil and gas left in the US."
     Dan Lashoff, Natural Resource Council senior scientist, said that instead
of focusing on the supply side, the US needs to reduce demand, particularly by
raising fuel economy standards. However, Lashoff continues to oppose the
suggestion by some in Congress that proposals to raise fuel standards should
be linked to opening ANWR.
     "Pairing a good idea with a bad idea doesn't make the bad idea any
better," he said.

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