Has anyone noticed that oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) is off the radar screen? All the talk, especially from Republicans, is about opening up offshore drilling and allowing for shale oil exploration, which is very expensive oil and is unlikely to be tapped with current technology at today’s per-barrel prices. That would be especially true if oil prices continue to fall.
Republicans, who for years have been calling for lifting the ban on ANWR exploration and who have been supporting it in Congress are now getting behind proposals that rule out such drilling. Why?
Because there has been one Republican who has opposed it all along and continues to do so. His name happens to be John McCain and it is his agenda on energy-related issues that appears to be driving the “conservative” party. No matter who is elected president or which political party takes charge of Washington in January, The Audubon Society’s priorities are safe.
