Interior finishes plan to open nearly 9million acres in Alaska to drilling

[Newsjock]

JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Interior Secretary Gale Norton signed off on a plan Thursday for managing 8.8 million acres of Alaska's North Slope and opening most of the acreage to oil and gas development.

Some of the drilling could occur in areas important for migratory birds, whales and wildlife.

The Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management will use the plan to manage a northwest portion of the government's 23.5 million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Geologists believe the reserve may contain 6 billion to 13 billion barrels of oil.

... "It makes no sense to industrialize this incomparable wilderness area when there's only about six month's worth of economically recoverable oil ... and it would take at least 10 years to get it to market," said Charles Clusen, director of the Alaska lands project for the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.

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[Just Me]

1. It's not that it just seems extreme, it also appears so desparate,...

,...because there was NO stopping them from pushing this through!!!

Aw, heck,...it's all about a money grab, I guess,...grabbing what they can while they're in power.

[Malva Zebrina]

2. How sad

How very sad. I hope to get to see it before the place is invaded and ruined. Goddam Gale NOrton and George Bush--idiots all. May they all never sleep a full night's sleep again before being haunted by the cries of the wildlife they are compromising.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. Take ur pictures now - in a decade or two it won't be worth it !

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