The Most Expensive Real Estate In America
By Randall Nunn (05/13/05)
A couple of weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal ran a front page article concerning the U.S.’s largest gas field that lies under Fort Worth, Texas, saying that there are now 90 natural gas drilling rigs boring holes in and around Fort Worth, some of them in residential neighborhoods and under golf courses. The thought occurred to me that if we have the capability of drilling wells in and around a city of over 1 million people without destroying property values and degrading the environment, surely we can do the same on a couple of thousand acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (“ANWR”).
Those who oppose drilling in ANWR generally do so on the basis that such activity would destroy the “pristine” environment and harm plant and animal life there. They attempt to use the myriad of environmental laws and regulations to stop such activity without regard to the fact that we have the capability to drill without significant adverse impact on the Refuge or plant and animal life located there. Also ignored is the fact that this country needs to develop such resources in order to help preserve our economy and enhance the survivability of the greatest protector of species (including humans) in the world today—the United States. Most of the opponents of drilling in ANWR are motivated by their irrational dislike of the Bush administration and everything it advocates. Others are motivated by a congenital dislike of anything that advances the United States, economically or otherwise.
The liberals have taken over much of the “environmental” movement in this country and, following their typical elitist tendencies, are dictating to the rest of us by imposing their views and positions on all matters dealing with protection of the environment. Competing views are not tolerated if they advocate engaging in development of almost any type in areas previously free of development. We must accept liberal dogma and opinions regardless of the existence of scientific facts and data to the contrary. Reason, logic and experience are thrown over for political grandstanding and quixotic notions lacking in scientific support.
Logic would tell you that drilling on 2,000 acres out of approximately 19 million acres is highly unlikely to result in any serious damage to wildlife. Surely those seeking to stop such drilling activities ought to bear the burden of showing specifically and in detail the nature of the harm to the environment and evidence that the activity cannot proceed without inflicting such harm. Instead, the burden both in the court of public opinion and in courts of law, favors those opposing such drilling.
In the case of public opinion, the mainstream media works hand in glove with the liberal environmental special interest groups to set the agenda and frame the issues from a liberal perspective. The result has been that too many of the public have accepted the environmentalist propaganda that we do not have the technical capability to drill in a very small part of ANWR without damaging the environment. None of the mainstream media accurately describe the petroleum industry’s capabilities to drill in such locations nor the lack of any real evidence of harm to the so-called “pristine” ANWR environment. They would have us believe that the same companies that can extract gas from beneath a beautifully manicured golf course in Fort Worth, Texas without harming the landscape, people, flora and fauna cannot to the same in a remote and isolated area in Alaska.
The media and the environmentalist groups on the left have so demonized industry in this country, and the oil industry in particular, that many people lack the courage to speak out about this issue. As a result, our dependence on foreign oil is as great as ever even though we have tremendous reserves available in ANWR and elsewhere. All the mainstream media and environmental special interest groups have to do is shout loudly enough about protecting the environment and science, evidence and reason are cast aside in the stampede to political correctness and “feel goodism”. It is even more insulting because the presumption is that the rest of us are willing to accept a polluted and damaged environment. It’s about time for the American voter to insist that their representatives pay attention to the majority who desire to protect their economic environment as well as the natural environment, particularly where both can be accomplished.
Let’s be honest about this nonsense. It is nothing more than issue politics at work, throwing up roadblocks to sensible economic activity that will be of great benefit to the country. If this country doesn’t tap the oil resources available in ANWR, the 2,000 acres that we don’t drill on could become the most expensive piece of real estate in America, because of the higher costs we will all pay in the future. I want the caribou herds to stay healthy and happy just as much as the next person. I may have mixed emotions about the kangaroo rat but it certainly would benefit us all if the environmentalist wackos and their stooges in Congress and the media begin to move up higher on the endangered species list. I would much prefer to be surrounded by snail darters, spotted owls and tooth cave ground beetles than those folks.
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