Letters to the Editor

Letter: Oil development

I would like to make a comment on two of your commentary articles from your Monday edition of Sept. 23 in regard to the fair share for our oil and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling opposition.

The fair share of our oil does constitute the real issue of the taxes the oil companies doing

business in Alaska. Why should there be tax breaks for them? They make so much more profits doing business in Alaska than anywhere else; taxing them will really alleviate the deficit this state has been facing for so many years. And why should ConocoPhillips be the only oil company required by law to disclose its profits? The restrictions for the other oil companies making so much money in Alaska should be removed; our representatives in Washington, D.C., need to head this as an imperative issue with the other lawmakers.

The monies that are made by these oil companies are the answer to the deficit in our state; the lawmakers in Juneau need to swallow their own pride without neglect to the financial woes this state is facing and do something about it. Like start equalizing or remove the tax breaks given to oil companies; they’re not going to stop drilling for oil in Alaska because it is the profits they are making. The outgoing BP being replaced by Hilcorp from Texas has to be put in place, as with ConocoPhillips, with disclosure of profits.

Who had the foolish idea to give tax breaks, anyway? Our foolish lawmakers in Juneau? This has to change to better the condition in Alaska and have an answer to the deficit.

The ANWR drilling opposition, on the other hand, has the environmentalists using the groups in Interior Alaska as a reason to fight against the opening of the oil-rich reserve. We have not heard any serious damage of land in any group’s land or hurt any subsistence lifestyle in the route coming from the North Slope, other than the Exxon Valdez oil spill some years ago, the fault of only one person operating the tanker that could have been avoided altogether.

We may still speak of oil-rich Prudhoe Bay, but it won’t be so in time to come; open your eyes and know the truth of the dwindling oil from this oil-rich perspective. ANWR has to be opened to development because it is needed for Alaska’s dwindling, waning prosperity and for programs that have been threatened.

ADVERTISEMENT

— Billy M. Lincoln

Toksook Bay

Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.

ADVERTISEMENT