The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is one of Alaska's crown jewels in the Arctic region and encompasses 19.6 million acres in remote northeastern Alaska . The refuge straddles the eastern Brooks Range from the treeless Arctic Coast to the taiga of the Porcupine River Valley.
Where is Anwar in Alaska?
ANWR comprises 19 million acres (7.7 million ha) of the north Alaskan coast. The land is situated between the Beaufort Sea to the north, Brooks Range to the south, and Prudhoe Bay to the west .
What is ANWR stand for?
| Arctic National Wildlife Refuge | IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | Refuge during summer | Location in northern Alaska | Location North Slope Borough and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States |
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Are we drilling in ANWR?
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Tuesday suspended oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , unspooling a signature achievement of the Trump presidency and delivering on a promise by President Biden to protect the fragile Alaskan tundra from fossil fuel extraction.
Who founded ANWR?
Eisenhower established the 8.9 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Range in 1960. His successor, President Jimmy Carter , added to this effort in 1980. President Carter expanded the amount of land protected, designated much of the land as protected Wilderness, and renamed it the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
How old is ANWR?
It was established in 1960 as Arctic National Wildlife Range with an area of approximately 13,900 square miles (36,000 square km) and was expanded and renamed Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 1980.
What is ANWR and why is it controversial?
Where is Alaska's coastal plain?
The Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) is a large region of low-lying, lake-rich land on the North Slope of Alaska . This region is underlain by thick ground ice, which is susceptible to erosion and thaw.
How long would the oil in ANWR last?
At the most optimistic estimates, drilling in ANWR would maintain 110,000 existing jobs and provide 170,000 new jobs. Assuming the USGS mean estimate from its 1998 study, the amount of recoverable oil would have “a production period of nearly 40 years ” (Parnell and Sullivan 203).
Where do the Seldens live?
They live in one of only seven permitted cabins left in the ANWR , which is the size of South Carolina and covers more than 19 million acres. The Seldens' daily lives are documented in a new show called “The Last Alaskans” on Animal Planet (7 p.m. Sunday).
What is ANWR oil?
The 1,563,500-acre ANWR oil and gas program area referred to as the “Coastal Plain” is located along the coast of the approximately 19.3 million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) on Alaska's North Slope.
Why is the ANWR important?
ANWR is one of the least disturbed ecosystems on Earth, giving it global significance for scientific research and as part of Earth's natural heritage . ANWR is also thought to hold considerable reserves of oil and gas.
What is the current environmental issue concerning ANWR?
The agency estimates that drilling in ANWR could yield between 1.5 billion and 10 billion barrels of oil, which would increase emissions between 0.7 and 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide . The high end is about 12% of Alaska's annual emissions.
Who owns Prudhoe Bay?
Prudhoe Bay is operated by BP in Alaska . The working interest owners include: BP, 26 percent; ConocoPhillips, 36 percent; ExxonMobil, 36 percent; Chevron, 1 percent.
What is the ANWR and what does it have to do with oil?
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge spans 19 million acres in northeastern Alaska. The fight over drilling centers on 1.5 million acres in the refuge's coastal plain, which is believed to contain the largest onshore reserves of oil in North America that remain untapped .
Why is ANWR protected?
The Coastal Plain and surrounding areas were federally protected through an order issued by the Secretary of the Interior in 1960 “ for the purpose of preserving unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values ” of the area.
What type of biome is ANWR?
Two major biomes dominate the refuge: a northern boreal forest lying on the southern slope of the Brooks Range and Arctic tundra on the north slope. The ANWR has wildlife species common to the Arctic and sub-Arctic.
How much oil is in Alaska refuge?
Technically recoverable oil within the ANWR 1002 area (excluding State and Native areas) is estimated to be between 4.3 and 11.8 billion barrels (95- and 5-percent probability range), with a mean value of 7.7 billion barrels (table 1).
What is the debate surrounding ANWR?
Opponents say the ANWR deposits offer a relatively limited source of oil and fear the long-term impact of drilling on wildlife in a largely undisturbed — though not pristine — wilderness area .
What is the geological setting of ANWR?
The area is treeless, tundra covered, and 99% wetland . Topographically speaking, it is comprised of foothills (95% of area), river flooded plains (25%), hilly coastal plains (22%), lagoons and oceans (5%), thaw lake plains (5%) and mountains (less than 1%).
Why we should not drill in ANWR?
The glaring problem with drilling in the Arctic is its effect on our planet. Carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels is already disrupting our climate and the health of our oceans, putting our human and natural systems in peril.
Why we should drill in ANWR?
ANWR is the largest oil reserve in North America . If we have it than we should use it, especially since it is needed more than ever before. Drilling will also increase oil revenues for the state of Alaska , which is a huge benefit. And drilling oil in ANWR could possibly lower gas prices at the pump.
When did oil drilling start in Alaska?
Alaska's petroleum history began long before statehood in 1959 and the major oilfield discovery two years earlier. The first Alaskan oil well with commercial production was completed in 1902 in rugged, coastal territory where oil seeps had been known for years.
What country is the Arctic in?
How many countries does the Arctic cover? The Arctic region covers parts of eight countries: Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and the United States .
What is the North Slope in Alaska?
The Alaska North Slope is the region of the U.S. state of Alaska located on the northern slope of the Brooks Range along the coast of two marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean, the Chukchi Sea being on the western side of Point Barrow, and the Beaufort Sea on the eastern.
What is the size of the Alaskan tundra?
| Tundra | Map showing Arctic tundra | Geography | Area 11,563,300 km 2 (4,464,600 sq mi) | Climate type ET |
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