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Oil exploration and developement could cause irrepairable harm to the caribou habitat in the refuge, shrinking the herd and hurting the food chain that depend on their existence- including the Gwich'n natives.Roads,pipelines and other infrastructure could block caribou migration routes, cutting them off from critical destinations/habitats. Research has shown that caribou cows w/calves tend to avoid roads and pipelines. According to the US Department of the Interior, oil developement in ANWR would displace the herd to an area where predators exist, reduce the quality and quantity of preferred forage available during calving, and restrict access to the important coastal insect-relief habitat.
Allowing drilling in the arctic paves the way for the possibility of another sprawling industrial oil development, much like the one on the N. Slope in Alaska. For example: the Prudhoe Bay developement includes hundreds of square miles of permanently changed terrain. There are approx. 4,000 wells, 500 miles of road, over 1,000 miles of pipeline- numerous powerplants,airports and other facilities.
The damage from these industrial complexes have been considerable in Prudhoe Bay,... affecting profoundly the land, air, and the fauna of the region. The Prudhoe Bay fields suffered an average of 400 spills anually since 1995- totaling 1.5 million gallons. These spills taint the soil and leave a substantial amount of hydrocarbons in it. This deposition affects the vegetation-and thus the animals who are dependent on it. In addition, approximately 56,000 tons of ozone depleting gases and acid-rain causing oxides/and nitrogen pollute the region.
Only a few decades ago this too was a pristine wilderness like ANWR... no assurances from oil companies about improvements in technology and reduced impact drilliing can be or have been said. Prudhoe Bay should been viewed as a foreshadowing example of what ANWR could become.
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