Well, Byrdie, allow me to allay some of your tree-hugging fears!

Of all the places I have been to, Alaska's my favorite. I trust those in Congress who set up regs as to where in the ANWR oil & gas drilling can take place. I don't think most people really know just where this area is. The area allowed within the ANWR for drilling is a relatively tiny area. This area is neither a refuge nor wilderness; it was specifically set aside by Congress for oil and gas exploration because of its well known evidence of said commodities. It has practically no life and is barren.
So let's be careful not to believe the entire area of ANWR is open to exploration. In fact, the area set aside for this activity has a footprint of just 2, 000 acres! That's what.....less than 1/2 of a percent of the entire area.
The thing that bugs me is that development cannot proceed without Congressional say-so and they (we all will) rue the day that this issue was on the back burner for so long. Had they proceeded ten years ago there and elsewhere in the USA, we would be online now!!!! It takes about that long! Get some backbone, already, Congress!!