[at-l] A.N.W.R. VOTE - conservation issue - not trail

[yumitori@montana.com (Ron Martino)]

> > You're what? 0 for 6?
> 
> I don't think so.
> 
> True, I didn't mention musk oxen.  Sorry 'bout that.  Incidentally, as an
> aside, I have seen many more musk oxen on Univak Island (or was it Nunivak,
> I forget?) than ever thought about living in this area.

	Well, that could make this herd even more important - isolated
populations quite often have great value for their genetic diversity.

	And all the other species you said weren't there, but actually are?
That's what I was counting.

> I've been there.  The photos are engineered by folks with an agenda  to give
> an impression that isn't true.  The section of ANWR identified for oil
> extraction does NOT look like the  ANWR sections pictured in the web site
> (which, by the way, I did look at).

	I'm confused here, Al. You said earlier, "Unless you have actually been
there (I have, 7 years in the Arctic and Antarctic  although not
_exactly_  on this precise piece of real estate) you probably don't
realize the absolute worthlessness of this piece of
ground..."

	I will certainly bow to your superior knowledge of the Arctic, but why
do you doubt that these photos come from this section (1002 Area), which
you say you haven't visited? 

	Further, why would the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have a reason to
lie here? Either their claims have validity (and they listed their
sources so that's easy to check), or they will get raked over the coals
by the portions of the federal government that support the drilling.
Fish & Wildlife has everything to lose and nothing to gain by lying in a
report that does not aid the President's goals.

> The piece - - a very, very small piece of ANWR - - now being considered is a
> wasteland.  Drill away.  No harm, no foul.

	You keep saying that, but I'm not seeing any reason to believe you.
Sorry. I look into the issue and I find references to essential habitat
for numerous species, land that won't heal in the foreseeable future,
and a limited supply of oil under even optimistic estimates, all in a
region that comprises a tiny percent of the area potentially valuable
for oil extraction.

	Again I ask - why drill in the Refuge when there's so much land outside
it that /is/ available for that purpose?
 
> That is the extent of my contribution.  Reply if you wish but I see no point
> in continuing this discussion on this list.  It is time to go for a walk -
> someplace warm, I hope...
> 
> Al (Draggin' Anchor)

	As you wish. Watch out for the mosquitoes.

	Ron
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yumitori(AT)montana(DOT)com