Juneau – Alaska State Representative Charisse Millett has introduced her second resolution supporting the opening of the 10-02 Area of ANWR to responsible oil and gas legislation. HJR – 18 aims to keep the 10-02 Area of ANWR from being declared a “wilderness” zone by Congress which would effectively block any oil and gas development. The 10-02 Area of ANWR was set aside by Congress in 1980 for the study of the production of oil and gas reserves.
Millett, a Republican law maker from Anchorage, stated that the industry has come a long way since its early days and has the technological know-how and logistical capability to do the job right, and at the same time protect the environment. Millett continued in her press release that natural gas and not just oil is part of the reason to open the coastal plain. That ANWR natural gas would be crucial to allow the economic viability to the proposed natural gas pipeline that the State is pursuing to bring Alaska’s Arctic gas fields on line and supply the nation with cheap clean energy.
Earlier this year Millett introduced the House Joint Resolution 7 calling for the opening of the 10-02 area for oil and gas production. The Alaska State Legislature, along with the Governor’s Office and the entire Washington DC Alaska Delegation have unanimously supported the opening of the 10-02 of ANWR every year since the debate started over 29 years ago. Over 75% of Alaskans support the opening of the coastal plain of ANWR to responsible development.
Rep. Millett’s resolution was supported by 7 co-sponsors including the Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Chenault.
Because the majority of the 10-02 Area is Federally owned and under the jurisdiction of the Dept. of Interior Alaskans have little say in the issue other than to try and persuade Congressmen and women that Alaskan’s democratically elected voice needs to be heard and respected. Along with federal lands within the 10-02 are 110,000 acres of private property owned by the residents and village of Kaktovik, ANWR’s only inhabitants. This land, along with the subsurface rights, are private property and protected by the Constitution. However because they are surrounded by Federal lands the property owners are effectively held hostage by the Congressional indecision on the fate of the 10-02. The State of Alaska owns the sea floor from the shoreline of the 10-02 to a distance of 3 miles offshore. USGS estimates in 1998 stated that they calculated most of the possible oil and gas reserves would lay under the southwestern corner and roughly the northeastern corner of the 10-02 affecting both federal and native lands. Only one test well was ever drilled in the 10-02 on native lands and the results of that well are secret, known only to a few individuals who paid for the activity. All other estimates are geologic guesses based on two seismic surveys done in the winters of 1983 and 84.
You can review Representative Millett’s resolution here: