The Alaskan Key to U.S. Energy Security

Publication Date: July 1987

Publisher: Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Milton R. Copulos

Research Area: Energy

Keywords: Energy and environment

Type: Report

Coverage: Alaska

Abstract:

A host of recent reports from the government and the private sector all point to the prospect of the U.S. relying on Middle East imports for as much as 60 percent of its oil by the mid-1990s. This dangerous level of energy dependence can in part be avoided if ANWR is developed. Opening the Coastal Plain presents a clear choice for the nation. The U.S. can either make use of the resources found within its boundaries, or accept the costs and security implication of forgoing their use. Experience with two import disruptions has demonstrated just how high those costs can be. The nation can only hope that Congress will have the wisdom to recognize those costs and make the right decision.