Reply #7: ANWR Reality

[ivolsky]

Despite a US Geological Survey study which concluded that only 5.2 billion barrels of ANWR oil is economically extractable, enough to supplement OPEC oil for a whole 18-36 months, the Bush push for drilling has been relentless. Yet there are alternative policies to decreasing America’s dependence on foreign energy sources. One alternative is to use less of it.

According to the Rocky Mountain Institute, an environmental think tank, a 0.4 mile-per-gallon fuel improvement in the nation’s automobiles would save more oil per day than ANWR could produce in its lifetime.

In fact, automakers could increase SUV fuel efficiency to 25-30 mpg and regular car efficiency to 40 mpg by using already existing technology. If vehicles averaged 40 mpg, the United States would save more than 3 million barrels of oil a day, more than we currently import form the Persian Gulf. Yet in spite of this, Bush opposed a 2002 McCain/Kerry bill that would have increased regular car efficiency to 36 mpg by 2015 and in response committed to raising SUV fuel efficiency standards by a mere 7%, to 2.2 miles per gallon over the next four years.

After 9/11 the president had an opportunity to rally the country in support of oil independence through the development of alternative sources of energy and the increase of automobile fuel efficiency. He blew it. Instead, he chose to side with his campaign contributors... again.

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