After weighing the needs of ecology and economy, the Interior Department last week issued a long-awaited report approving the proposed 800-mile oil pipeline running from Alaska's North Slope (estimated reserves: up to 10 billion bbl.) to Valdez on the state's southern coast. Compiled by Interior geologists, ecologists and engineers, the report called the oil "essential" to U.S. security, especially in light of the Middle East's political instability, and concluded that stiff regulations on the pipeline can "reduce foreseeable environmental costs to acceptable levels."
To prevent the $1 billion line's 180° oil from melting Alaska's permafrost, the report urged that only 52% of...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
