Resolved that: The United States government should allow oil drilling in the Coastal Plains of the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.

by Jennifer Nendza and Kenzi Yochem (March 2003)

1st Affirmative

Definitions:

·        Government should permit – Executive and Legislative branches must pass legislation allowing for oil to be extracted.

·        Oil Drilling- extraction of oil by deep oil drilling

·        Artic National Wildlife Refuge- the specific area is an area called 1002 Area located in the northern part of ANWR

 

  1.  Significant Harm - Dependency of Foreign Oil –
    1. Percentage imported from other countries presented 55% imported from other countries
    2. Will be at an estimated 65% from other countries in 2005 (Top 10 reasons to support Development in ANWR)
    3. 1,505 thousand barrels a day from Saudi Arabia total of 4015 thousand barrels a day from OPEC Countries
    4. If the United States is no longer able to get oil from OPEC countries that will compromise the way United States functions.  Being on the brink of war with Iraq, we may no longer be able export oil from the +Middle East. 
    5. The US maintains military presence in the Middle East in large part because of petroleum reserves.  In 1996, 19 military men were killed and in 2000, 17 were killed protecting that oil.  Dwight Lee

 

  1. Significant Harm - Increased cost of Oil –
    1. Cost of oil in 1999 – 17.50
    2. In 2000 – 28.75
    3. In 2001 – 30.00
    4. In 2003 – 34.50
    5. With war coming, more oil will be used for machinery, so a decrease in supply would mean an increase of cost of oil
    6. The increase cost of oil is meaning that states such as California have to have rolling black outs that are affecting how people live. (National Policy Analysis)
    7. Oil is fluctuating everyday and is causing problems for people because they can’t plan their live.  It is hard on companies who don’t know if they should or not expand……. One day good/ one day bad based on oil prices.

 

3. Greater Good.  Lack of Jobs in US -  

a.   According the Department of Labor the current unemployment rate of the United States is 5.8%

b.   In Alaska the unemployment rate is 8%

 

  1. Goal Failure  - US Debt –
    1. The U.S. debt is 6.4 trillion dollars as of March 18 and increasing.  This a goal failure because gov’t needs a balanced budget in order to maintain economic stability.
  2. Goal Failure- Balance of Trade
    1. The U.S. imports more then they export.  This means that the US is relaying on other countries to invest in us. 

 

Structural Inherency – Lack of oil available in the United States where we are currently drilling and too much oil is being taken from areas around the world that are unstable.   The US uses more oil then most other countries, we are using more oil then we can produce in our own country.  This tradition of the US using a lot of energy and is not going to change in any new future.  We buy SUV’s instead of economy cars and light up whole neighborhood instead of just lighting important parts of the house. 

 

Plan-

  1. Mandate: Our plan permits oil drilling in the ANWR 1002. The permit for drilling in the Artic will maintain a safe environment for animals and protect from oil spills. 
  2. Mechanism: FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulates transmission and sale of natural gas; regulates transmission of oil by pipeline in interstate commerce; oversees environmental matters relates to natural gas, oil , electrical and hydroelectric projects.
  3. Function:
    1. Agency would be in charge of accepting bids, plans, and would make regulations to make sure nature and animals are not harmed.
    2. Agency would be founded from the lease money since it is gov’t land
    3. Agency would make contract that the winning bidder would sign on regulations and clean up.  

 

2nd Affirmative

Solvency

SH 1-

a.       The ANWR contains up to 16 billion barrels of petroleum and each barrel can be refined into 19.5 gallons of gas. (Lee, Dewight)

b.      According to the chairman of Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee he said ANWR “is so oil-rich it could substitute for the oil the U.S. would otherwise have to import from Saudi Arabia over the next 30 years.  Opening ANWR could reduce oil imports by about eight percent.” (Lee Dewight)

                                   

SH2-

a.  When the oil company drills for oil in SNWR, the oil supply in the U.S. will increase, which will decrease the cost of oil.  If our oil supply from Middle East is cut off due to the war with Iraq, the oil from ANWR can help keep the oil supply constant, which in turn will keep the oil price constant. 

 

GG3-

a.   By creating a pipeline and drilling in ANWR 450,000 ad 735,000 jobs would be created (United Press International).  This will greatly help Alaska’s already high unemployment rate of 8%. 

           

GF4. Increase in revenue to State and Federal Treasury – Goal Failure by US gov’t

a.   Federal revenues would be enhanced by billions of dollars from bonus bids, lease rentals, royalties and taxes. Estimated in 1995 bonus bids alone were $ 2.6 billion (Top 10 reasons to support development in ANWR)

b.   State revenue would increase due to increase in population from workers.  Workers would pay taxes on supplies, food, building materials which would increase in state taxes

c.                            For example in Alaska after the drilling of Prudhoe Bay Field in 1968 ,the state revenue utilizing petroleum has risen from 12 percent to more than 90 percent in 15 years and remains extremely high today. (Norman Chance, special report ANWR)

GF5. Lower Imports

a.       By using more of our own oil will then decrease the amount of forgein oil being imported.

 

Refute what they say……….