While
the House of Representatives voted to allow drilling in the Arctic
Refuge today, 201 members of Congress voted against drilling, including
some who had voted for drilling last year.
Drilling
in the Arctic Refuge will do nothing to solve America’s energy
problems. As a nation, we simply can not drill our way to lower gas
prices. At best, oil from the Arctic Refuge would reduce prices at the
pumps by about a penny a gallon in 25 years.
Congress
should stop playing games on energy policy, and get serious by enacting
policies that promote renewable energy and increase gas mileage
standards for cars, light trucks and SUVs.
Any
gas or oil found in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would amount to
a mere drop in the bucket, and wouldn't be available until the middle
of the next decade. Allowing ExxonMobil to drill in our last protected
wilderness areas would be nothing less than another windfall for an
industry already drowning in profits.
Bottom
line, drilling in the Arctic Refuge would ruin one of America’s last
wild places and would not solve our current energy problems. The Senate
should reject any Arctic-drilling bill.
