ANWR
...ilized, then the percentage could drop by as much as 5 percentage points. This may not sound like much, but translated into dollar amounts that equal $50 to $60 billon annually. § We must also consider the economic benefits as well. This oil field has the potential to provide an estimated 250,000 to 735,000 ANWR jobs by development of the Coastal Plain. The potential $50 to $60 billion dollars could benefit each states economy. Alaskans themselves favor oil exploration, about 75% of them. The Inupiat Inuit who live in the area all support the coastal drilling. § Washington, and indeed President Bush, made it specifically clear that he would like to open about 1.5 million acres to oil exploration in Alaska, which is only about 8% of the wildlife refuge. The remaining 92% or 17.5 million acres will remain closed and off limits. This gives more than enough space to the indigenous animals like the caribou breed in the area. Many of which dwell in the spring when no drilling will take place. § The production in Prudhoe Bay has been in decline since 1988. The North Slope oil fields provide America with about 16% of its oil production, about 943,000 barrels a day....