[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 57 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S4158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise today in support of legislation 
introduced by Senator Roth that would permanently protect the Arctic 
National Wildlife Refuge. The fate of the Arctic Refuge has been one of 
the highest profile natural resources issues of the past 20 years and 
will continue to be a key issue in the environmental debate. The Refuge 
is one of the last unspoiled wilderness areas in the United States, and 
is most often referred to as the ``biological heart'' of Alaska and 
``America's Serengeti.''
  The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the only place in the United 
States where a full range of sub-arctic and arctic ecosystems are 
protected in one unbroken stretch of land. This 1.5 million acre 
coastal plain is home to a vast number of species including arctic 
foxes, musk oxen, wolves, polar and grizzly bears, wolverines, and more 
than 135 varieties of birds. The area is also the main calving ground 
for the 120,000 head porcupine caribou herd, which migrates each spring 
to feed on the vegetation found there.
  In the summer of 1997, I traveled to the refuge and was able to see 
first hand how beautiful and important this land is to both Alaska and 
the Nation. As part of a Senate delegation, I visited the port of 
Valdez, where oil is loaded onto tankers, and I traveled along the 
pipeline that brings oil from the north. I also flew over the refuge 
itself, including the Mollie Beattie Wilderness. I was astounded by the 
natural beauty of this area that is home to such variety of plants and 
animals that rely on the delicate balance that exists in this pristine 
wilderness. I also visited a number of native communities along the 
North Slope and spoke to the inhabitants about their life in this 
unique environment that they depend on for both their cultural identity 
and their survival. As a nation we must continue to protect this vital 
ecosystem and work to bring good jobs, education, and health care to 
these native communities.
  I continue to believe that the United States dependence on oil and 
its byproducts cannot overshadow the importance of keeping ANWR free 
from the traditional impacts of oil drilling and exploration. The 
technological improvements within the oil industry make it possible for 
the oil companies to use a slant drilling technique to harvest the oil 
in a manner that may not impact the ecosystem to the degree traditional 
techniques would. But drilling and exploration in this gentle Arctic 
wilderness at this time could have a lasting impact that would forever 
damage the environment of this region.
  I applaud the Senator from Delaware's commitment to permanent 
protection for this unique linkage of ecosystems upon which the local 
communities depend, and the American community as a whole should value 
as a national and natural treasure.

                          ____________________