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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1987)
Former U.S. Senator urges opposition to Arctic oil interests By Bryan Houston Emerald Contributor Conservation, not exploita tion of wilderness areas is the answer to America's energy problems, according to former Gov. and Sen Gaylord Nelson Nelson, a full-time counselor and public speaker for the en vironmental group. The cording to Nelson. Nelson cited estimates made bv geologists who have studied the ansa Their figures revealed that there is an 81 percent chance that no commercially produced oil will be found in ANYVK. leaving only a 1*J per cent chance any amount of oil will be discovered The oil in terests. according to Nelson, hope to find alxsut .'1.2 billion ‘It is the only untouched arctic eco system in the world; there is nowhere else like it.* — Gaylord Nelson Wilderness Society, was at the University l<aw Center on Tues day and spoke to an audience of 45 people regarding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (AN WK) and the controversy wag ing in the U S. Senate over it. At stake is whether to preserve the refuge for the wildlife inhabiting the area or to open the area to oil interests. The area in question is known as 1002, the number of a House law passed in 1980 that identifies the Arctic Costal IMain as a national refuge Nelson said the area, located in northeast Alaska, is about 19 million acres, close to half the size of Oregon ‘‘It is the only untouched arc tic eco-system in the world; there is nowhere else like it,” he said. About Hit),(MX) caribou and two million shorebirds would be displaced if oil Interests liegan drilling in the area a< barrels of oil in the area. ANVVR is located east of Prudhoe Bay. an Alaskan wilderness where oil was discovered, and tin* reserve there yielded nine billion bar rels of commercially produced oil. Hut tho chances of a find like that are only one percent. Nelson said, and the number of barrels would hardly be a long lerm energy solution. "Nine billion barrels of oil would only be a one-and-one half year supply for the U.S..” he said. Kstimates by the U.S. Depart ment of the Interior have said there are IB.6 billion barrels of oil in Alaska, and around eight billion barrels have been discovered. Despite this fact. Nelson said he did not think the United States should go in to Iragile oco-systems without plenty of background research, and not nearly enough has been dona on ANVVR As of now. he Photo by Rachel Kirby Gaylord Nelson spoke at the liniversily law school on Tuesday about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuse in Alaska. said, there are several bills be ing studied in Congress on the issue, and nothing conclusive on either side of the issue has been decided because this Con gress is “inadequately inform ed" on ANWR “I think they should let a future Congress (after the 1988 election) decide on this because it needs a better study." Nelson said. Nelson, former governor of Wisconsin and former senator in the Wisconsin State Senate and in the U.S. Senate, ad vocated that citizens concerned about the issue should write their Congressman about it. The meeting opened with a 15-minute video presentation about ANVVR. produced by The Wilderness Society. It was about the animals living in the area, the losses they would suf fer if oil drilling was to take place there, and the problems other areas such as Prudhoe Hay have suffered because of oil drilling Nelson also said while there were a number of citizens from Alaska who were opposed to the oil interests' desires, most citizens and politicians favored leasing the land to oil and gas leasing. He conjectured this fact was due to the economic benefits the project would br ing to the area. Hut in closing. Nelson stress ed again citizens should write their Congressman to express their opinions on the matter. “You get actively interested (in this issue), and write your Congressman to inform him about this." Nelson said. FOjOP CONNECTION 1060 GREEN ACRES EUGENE, OREGON 97401 PHONE (503) 344-1901 Because the time is right Located at tha Delta Oaks Shopping Center 1060 Green Acres Road at the intersection ol Belt Line and Delta Hwy in Eugene Marina Bathroom Tissue 4 Pack 77* FIRST TWO ADDITIONAL AT $1.30 Prices good Wed., Oct. 21 through Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1987 ro>oP7i5WEflnpN Heinz Ketchup 32 02. 981 FIRST TWO ADDITIONAL AT $1 44 Prices good Wed., Oct. 21 through Tuesday, Oct. 27,1987 KfftreSNNsfttpN Blue Bell Potato Chips 8 oz. Box 891 NO LIMIT Prices good Wed., Oct. 21 through Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1987 FQpPCON^=(!tlpN — from BACKPACK to BRIEFCRSE — CAREER FAIR '87 Finding your niche in the World of Work at • Peat Marwick Main 0 Co. • Carnation Company • Public Intereit Retcarch Group* • Arthur Rnderien Co. • Flrit Intaritata Bank • Intarnal Rauenua Sarulca • Public School* Cooparatlua • emporium Department Stora* • Black and Dackar • U.S. Bancorp • S. C. Johnton O’ Son • Noual Inueitlgatlue Sarulca • U.S. General Recounting Offlca • Willamette National Foratt • State of Oregon Employment • Chevron • C 0 J Gallo Co. • U. S. Nauy • K-Mart Rpparal • CINTRS • IBM • Stoto Form insurance • Meruyn's • J. C. Penney Company • II. $. Marinos • Kaufman's • URBCO. Inc. • Far Ulesl Federal Bank • Peace Corps OCTOBER 20, 1987 10:00 am • 2:00 pm 167 EMU ...... ■ rear Planning and Placeman! Sarvlc mmmm:** HandncKtHall • S86-3235ammmi UPSTAIRS-UO BOOKSTORE &RIM6 Hi YOUR USED TEXTBOOKS ANYTIME
