'Sacred' Alaskan reserve could be open to oil drilling under Trump administration

September 17, 2019 | Sophia Trout

Photo: Carolyn Cole

On September 16th, The Washington Post writers Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin reported on how President Trump "[seeks] to open up the entire coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration."

Photo: Micah Baird

According to statista.com, there are approximately 820 oil rigs in the U.S. as of February 2019. The site also stated that the U.S. is "currently the world's leading oil-producing country as of 2018." Under the Trump administration, great strides have been made to increase domestic production of oil and oil exports. If this takes a step in Trump's favor, our environment will reap the consequences.

The Washington Post article notes that along with the rigs themselves, the plan would call for the construction of various large infrastructures. This aggressive change in a region that has been closed off to oil and gas exploration for years would affect animals living in the habitat such as polar bears, wolves, migratory birds and the Porcupine caribou herd. Multiple native villages in the region have different opinions on the matter. Kaktovik residents have "endorsed the idea of drilling on the refuge, on the grounds that they would receive a share of royalties from any discoveries" according to Mufson and Eilperin. However, the executive director of the Gwich'in Steering Committee Bernadette Demientieff was quoted in the WP saying the bill "disrespects the Gwich'in Nation and all people in the Arctic and world who suffer the impacts of climate change."

In my opinion, any effort to drill for oil is reckless. I grew up seeing the aftermath of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010, which happened after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded. That spill killed thousands of birds and marine life, not to mention the eleven men who died working on the rig. I see no benefit of oil drilling aside from raking in cash into the pockets of greedy people who want to put their success over the wellbeing of our planet. It's sickening that there have been so many studies, tests and data showing the repercussions of drilling for oil, yet we continue to do it anyway.

There's not much one can do to fight against the hand of power in situations like these. However, thinking of the upcoming election, remember to exercise your right to vote and get people in office who want to see our Earth prosper, not perish.