Viewpoints
Arctic Power
By Adrian Herrera
July 02, 2007
Monday
In response to Charlotte Tanner's of Louisville, KY comments
on Arctic Power funding and activities published online June
29th on SitNews: Clearly Ms. Tanner hasn't a clue what she is
talking about. For the record, Arctic Power is a not-for-profit
organization whose members make up a broad cross section of the
population of Alaska. Less than 5% of Arctic Power's private
money comes from any groups associated with oil production in
Alaska. The majority of our operating costs come from the State
of Alaska as well as the people of Alaska in private donations.
So for her to claim we are a "bogus grassroots" or
"big oil money group", couldn't be farther from the
truth. Ironically, as Ms. Tanner clearly doesn't know, both
Connoco Phillips, nor BP Exploration who operate most all of
the North Slope make no contributions to Arctic Power at all
nor have done for many years. Members of Arctic Power are mostly
private individuals who truly believe, as does over 75% of Alaskans,
that opening the 10-02 Area of ANWR is the right thing to do.
Arctic Power makes no contributions to political campaigns of
any sort, nor has it ever done so in its entire existence. Arctic
Power's sole purpose has been to educate Congressional members
into the national benefits of opening the 10-02 Area. This is
done by working with the Alaska delegation in their efforts to
sheppard legislation through the House and Senate.
The Alaska State Legislature
as well as the Governor of Alaska have consistently supported
Arctic Power's activities both by unanimously supporting legislation
promoting the opening of the 10-02 Area as well as granting funding
to Arctic Power for its activities in D.C. This has been the
case every single year for the past 15 years! The Alaska delegation
similarly supports Arctic Power and its activities on the Hill.
To have such broad bi-partisan, multi-body support on any political
issue is very rare and shows just how much Alaskans and ALL their
democratically elected leaders support the opening of the 10-02
Area as well as Arctic Power activities.
Perhaps Ms. Tanner, not being
currently in Alaska and living far away, simply isn't aware of
the facts? Perhaps Ms. Tanner should do a bit more research
and gain a bit more knowledge before making untrue accusations
about subjects she knows little or perhaps nothing about.
Adrian Herrera
Anchorage, AK
Received July 01, 2007 - Published July 02, 2007
About: Arctic Power staff analyst
in Washington DC and Alaska 2003 until present.
Related Viewpoint:
 Clean
Elections By Charlotte Tanner - Louisville, KY
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