August 13, 2008
Wednesday

Governor Sarah Palin issued a letter to President Bush today, joining Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and nine other U.S. Senators in calling for immediate action to combat the American energy crisis. Gov. Palin's letter urges the administration to immediately conduct a seismic survey of oil and gas in the Coastal Plain of ANWR.

"Across the country Americans are calling for sensible, positive action toward addressing the energy crisis," said Senator Stevens. "I am delighted that Gov. Palin has joined me in urging President Bush to take a look at what Alaska can offer the country. Alaskans know that our state has the energy resources needed to safely provide America with domestic energy security and economic growth. Now is the time to let technology tell us just how much Alaska can help combat the energy crisis."

According to a Stevens' news release, Governor Palin expresses strong support in her letter for the request made by the ten Senators in their August 1 letter. She notes that "there would virtually be no surface or sub-surface impact" as a result of seismic testing.

"In my opinion, the energy situation affecting this country verges on a national emergency," Gov. Palin wrote in her letter. "The development of our oil and gas resources is not a solution by itself, but it should be part of any comprehensive energy policy."

In the letter from August 1, Senators Stevens, Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Warner (R-Va.), David Vitter (R-La.), Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), urged President Bush to immediately issue an Executive Order to conduct a 3-D seismic survey of the oil and gas resources within the Coastal Plain of ANWR.

Surveys of the hydrocarbon resources under ANWR were last taken in the winter of 1983-84, and the Congressional debates over the total potential often offer deeply varied estimates on the true size and value of the oilfield. Previous, two-dimensional seismic imaging could not provide detailed information on the size of oil and gas resources, while new imaging provides researchers with an accurate, detailed picture of the geology of areas "photographed" by seismic imaging.

Source of News:

Office of Sen. Ted Stevens
www.stevens.senate.gov

 

SitNews ©2008
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska