February 20, 2009
Representative Craig Johnson and Representative Mark Neuman, Co-Chairmen
House Resources Committee
Alaska State Legislature
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Re: HJR7, Urging the U.S. Congress to open the Coastal Plain of ANWR to oil and gas exploration, development, and production
Dear Representative Johnson and Representative Neuman:
On behalf of the Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc., (RDC), I am writing in support of HJR7, which urges Congress to open the Coastal Plain of ANWR to oil and gas exploration, development, and production.
RDC is a statewide, non-profit, membership-funded organization founded in 1975. The RDC membership is comprised of individuals and companies from Alaska’s oil and gas, mining, timber, tourism, and fisheries industries, as well as Alaska Native corporations, local communities, organized labor, and industry support firms. RDC’s purpose is to link these diverse interests together to encourage a strong, diversified private sector in Alaska and expand the state’s economic base through the responsible development of our natural resources.
The 1002 Area of ANWR is considered the nation’s most promising onshore oil and gas prospect, and there is strong support across Alaska for environmentally-responsible development of the oil and gas resources beneath the Coastal Plain. Such development could play a large role in Alaska’s future prosperity, create hundreds of thousands of jobs across America, and reduce our reliance on foreign oil.
We encourage the Committee to vote in favor of this resolution. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc.
