ANWR Development: Economic Impacts


 

Publication Date: December 2001

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Environment

Type:

Abstract:

Congress is deciding whether to continue to protect the ecosystem on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) or to open it to oil and gas development ­ with good prospects of finding economically recoverable amounts of oil. Less certain are the broad impacts of development on world oil prices and on the U.S. economy, including employment. This uncertainty has been compounded by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with their yet to be fully determined consequences.