STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES A. McCLURE, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF IDAHO

Senator MCCLURE. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I thank you for your leadership in getting us to this point. I think it is fair to say the committee's reaction to your inquiry was partly the result of your own leadership in trying to move this issue forward.

Mr. Chairman, there are basically two questions before us today. One is, can this nation, with its will, technology, and concern, explore, produce, and transport oil from the coastal plain area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska in a way that has the minimum effect on the wilderness character of the plain?

I am firmly convinced the answer to that question is an unequivocal yes. The same question was raised with respect to Prudhoe Bay development during the early 1970's. Our experience there has shown that we are equal to the task. As one indicator, the caribou herd at Prudhoe Bay has increased dramatically since that time, possibly in part due to the development of the Prudhoe infrastructure.

We have learned many lessons in conducting development activities in a fragile arctic environment, and improvements are being made constantly.

A second question is, do we need to open up ANWR for our energy needs? Again, I am convinced the answer is yes. While the world is generally in better economic condition today than it was in 1973 and 1979, we are rapidly approaching the position where we again will have free world vulnerability to the economic effects of a marginal shortage of an essential commodity.

Critics of leasing at ANWR add that the administration is ignoring other possibilities, such as developing alternative fuels, and that we are going into the wildlife refuge when we could save equivalent amounts of oil as believed to be at ANWR, simply by driving more slowly and making our appliances more efficient.

A balanced energy policy is absolutely essential, and that does mean conservation and it does mean alternative fuels. But it also means we must pursue domestic production opportunities.

We also hear critics say: Do not drill that oil; burn our coal. But other critics point out we have an acid rain problem and a whole host of other problems, real or perceived, associated with the burning of our plentiful coal resources.

Coal is and shall remain an integral part of our energy future, but we should not automatically assume that, since we are the OPEC of coal, we can automatically shift to the combustion of coal. We have had an active alternative energy policy in this country, and I want to stress that we have had such a program. I have for the record the amount we have spent over the years 1978 through 1987 for alternative energy sources from the following programs: conservation R&D, multi-state distributions, including the Warner amendment, the Exxon agreement, et cetera, clean coal, coal R&D, gas R&D, oil R&D, solar and renewable, nuclear R&D, nuclear space and defense, and magnetic fusion.

The total in those programs is $1,595,721,000 in 1987. The high in those programs is $4,702,088,000 in 1986. I submit a number of

charts to show our commitment to alternative energy sources, because they tell the story.

Mr. Chairman, I am absolutely convinced we need to develop the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for domestic energy security reasons. But I am equally convinced we can do so in a reasonable, responsible, deliberate and environmentally sound manner. Wildlife and environmental resources can and must be preserved at the same time development occurs. I do not believe that any one of us would want it any other way.

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you in reaching a responsible solution to the development of ANWR, and I appreciate these hearings. I would urge that we maintain a schedule in the committee that leads to a wise decision to achieve the balance of these national objectives at the earliest time possible.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the charts that are attached to my statement be made a part of the record at this point.

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection. [The charts follow:]