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The Environment and Our National Interests
By Andy Obermann
February 25, 2004

Joy! The environmental hacks are at it again. According to a recent report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, conditions along the Missouri River are causing a crisis among the Missouri fish population--well, actually one species of fish, the Pallid Sturgeon.

The sturgeon is listed along with two birds "threatened" by recent trends along the Missouri River. The two species of birds are not in grave danger, as is the sturgeon. The solution for this travesty? Outlined in the report are several strategies for combating the situation. Included among these strategies is "...an aggressive watershed approach, habitat creation and restoration, test rises along the river and an adaptive management and monitoring program." Sound like a little much for a few birds and a fish?

Of course these great defenders of animals fail, yet again, to realize the damage this can do to American citizens. The main problem with this scheme is "test rises" along the Missouri. Farmers will undoubtedly face major flood situations, since these "test rises" are slated to happen in the spring and summer--when rivers naturally rise due to northern melting. Power plants located along the river and the barge industry will also bear a heavy burden. To save this fish, we should displace thousands of Missouri jobs--and the Missouri economy (reliant mainly on agriculture)? Yes, I believe that is a bit too far.

In the name of defending Mother Nature, however, the enviro-wackos will surely attempt to leverage this through Congress under the tenants of the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Let me clue you in on a little secret: No matter what we do, no matter how we regulate, species will go extinct. It's a fact of nature. Species that fail to adapt to their environment (whether naturally occurring or man-made) will perish. They are replaced with plants and animals that are better suited for their surroundings. I know it is shocking to many of you, but it is true. It has been happening for millions of years and it will continue to happen, no matter what we do. It is called evolution--survival of the fittest.

The same can be said for the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. Do you realize that we are sitting on a piece of land that could completely sever our dependence on foreign oil? Think about it, we could once and for all terminate our ties to the OPEC oil cartel--and the terror supporting states that constitute it. After all, you do realize that the money we pay for this oil, in part, goes to terrorist organizations, bent on destroying the west, don't you?

It is estimated that the amount of oil that can be drilled from ANWR may amount to 30 years of Saudi oil. Thirty years! Estimates range from 10 to 16 billion barrels available in the coastal portion of the refuge. The Governor of Alaska, Tony Knowles, both Senators from Alaska, Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens, and Alaska's sole representative, Don Young, support drilling. The vast majority of the people of Alaska support drilling. So, why not go ahead and drill? After all, by doing so, we'd only be using one half of one percent of the refuge (approx. 5,000 acres).

Well, the reason is quite frustrating, to say the least. One species of musk ox is endangered by using this vast, untapped resource. One species. One! We are putting our national interests on hold for one little fur ball. Don't get me wrong, I suppose musk ox are great, maybe we should have them as pets, but come on! This is nothing more than environmentalism run amuck.

Opponents to ANWR exploration, namely the ultra-left Juneau Empire, cite two main objectives to Alaskan drilling. First, they claim that by putting this oil reserve to use, we'd be harming an "amazing, beautiful, and ecologically important piece of our nation's heritage." We'll be, "...destroying the coastal plain of the Artic Refuge." What do they think we'll be strip-mining coal or something? With today's technology, it is possible to go into ANWR and pump the oil through pipelines causing little to no damage to the environment--with exception of those pesky musk ox, sorry guys.

Second, they claim that it will take up to ten whole years to get ANWR up to full production. Ten years. Wow, that's a lot. Ten years of development to assure an ecologically sound, environmentally friendly system to pump oil from the Alaskan Coast, to mainland production centers. It sounds like a bargain to me. It is merely a testament to our technological capabilities that ten years is all it will take to set up this system. And, let's not forget the economic upturn the nation will feel at the sign of lower fuel prices, due to increased domestic supplies.

Look, I'm not anti-environment and I'm not some greed-induced capitalist. I just see the realities of the situation. If it takes drilling oil from a small, remote place in Alaska to sever our ties to Middle Eastern, terror-supporting governments, I'm all for it.

On the whole, these environmental wackos need to seriously re-think their ideas, because if our interests (whether local or national) mean the sacrifice of some obscure animal, I say bye, bye birdie.

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Andy Obermann is a 21-year-old senior at a small private college in Central Missouri. He is majoring in both History and Secondary Education at Missouri Valley College.

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.