scholarly journals House Passes Measure to Protect Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Eos ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy Showstack
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Development Program ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Oil And Gas Development ◽  
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Wildlife Refuge

The measure, which would repeal an oil and gas development program in the refuge, now needs to pass the Senate, where there is stiff opposition.

scholarly journals Groups Gear Up to Fight Oil and Gas Development in Arctic Refuge

Eos ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy Showstack
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Gear Up ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Oil And Gas Development ◽  
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Wildlife Refuge

With Democrats controlling the House of Representatives beginning in January, advocates see an opportunity to try to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil and gas development.

scholarly journals Comprehensive valuation of the ecosystem services of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam C. Turner ◽  
Margaret A. Young ◽  
Maureen R. McClung ◽  
Matthew D. Moran
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Full Range ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Gas Drilling ◽  
Contingent Valuation Survey

AbstractEcosystem services (ES) have been well studied in most biomes, but the Arctic tundra has received little attention, despite covering over 10% of terrestrial Earth. Using established ES methodologies, we calculated values for the United States Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a region virtually undisturbed by humans, but slated for future oil and gas drilling. We estimated the Refuge is worth about 1,709 USD/hectare/year, equal to over 13 billion USD annually.Globally important services, such as climate regulation (e.g., carbon storage) and non-use services (e.g., aesthetic information), contributed the most value and were similar to valuations from more productive ecosystems. Local services made smaller contributions to the total, but they remain vitally important to local indigenous cultures. Strikingly, a contingent valuation survey of U.S. residents found that, after neutral educational information, willingness-to-pay to maintain the Refuge in its current state exceeded estimated values of the oil and gas deposits.Our study shows that citizens may value Arctic habitats beyond their traditional economic development potential. Our comprehensive ecosystem services valuation suggests that maintaining the Refuge in its current condition (i.e., de facto wilderness) with its full range of ES is more valuable to humanity compared to development for oil and gas.

Low‐altitude aeromagnetic reconnaissance for petroleum in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Geophysics ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 49 (8) ◽  
pp. 1338-1353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence J. Donovan ◽  
John D. Hendricks ◽  
Alan A. Roberts ◽  
Patricia Termain Eliason
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Chemical Reduction ◽  
Stable Carbon Isotope ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Horizontal Gradient ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Marsh Creek ◽  
Wildlife Refuge

Variations in the Earth’s magnetic field arising from local concentrations of shallow subsurface magnetite were mapped in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and elsewhere in northern Alaska. The anomalies were delineated with a magnetic horizontal gradiometer mounted on a low‐flying (300 ft or ∼90 m above ground) fixed‐wing airplane. Limited data from stable carbon‐isotope and remanent magnetism measurements of rock cores from the Cape Simpson region strongly suggest that the magnetic anomalies result from the chemical reduction of iron oxides in the presence of seeping hydrocarbons. The magnetic contrast between sedimentary rocks of normally low magnetic susceptibility and those locally enriched with this epigenetic magnetite results in distinctive high‐wavenumber and low‐amplitude total‐field anomalies. Magnetometers extended from each wing tip and in a tail stinger permit calculation of the resultant horizontal gradient vector relative to the flight path. This calculation allows more meaningful interpolation of data for the unsurveyed area between adjacent flight lines spaced at 1.0 mile (1.6 km), thereby allowing generation of accurate computer‐enhanced images or maps. Problems related to diurnal variations and solar storms at high magnetic latitudes are largely overcome because changes in total magnetic field do not significantly affect the magnetic gradient. Analysis of an experimental survey, covering 2745 line‐miles (4418 line‐km), reveals numerous anomalies, the most prominent of which parallels the Marsh Creek anticline. The data provide further evidence that the Marsh Creek anticline is prospective for oil and/or gas. Although the effect of permafrost on epigenetic processes has not been investigated, the data suggest that special‐purpose aeromagnetic surveying may be a useful and inexpensive way to explore for oil and gas in this harsh environment.

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