This story reports on the optimism among anti-drilling forces that under a Democrat controlled Congress, they can get the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge declared a permanently protected wilderness. While there are a couple of brief paragraphs that describe each side's position, the story concentrates on the forces lined up on each side with an emphasis on Ed Markey and allied foes of drilling. It's a reasonable news report but certainly no analysis of the issues.

I oppose the drilling, but wish this story presented the drillers' side. None was interviewed for this story. Not that I have any sympathy for them. But I think we ought to be wary of news stories that slant, whether our way or another.

This story characterizes pro-drilling arguments and quotes spokespeople from the anti-drilling side of the argument. Its first quotation states, "the consensis is that there should not be drilling" but neither the quotation nor the story tell us who this consensus includes or how it was formed. There is a fair amount of information provided but balance is lacking.

This is quite an important story. Full disclosure: I support not drilling, because the scientists use core samples from the ice in this pristine wilderness to measure pollution in samples from the rest of the world. Therefore, if the pure samples become contaminated, there would seem to be no other way to accurately determine if pollution in the rest of the world is getting worse. Therefore, I think the article stops just short of giving the best scientific reason for not drilling. ... More »

This AP story does a good job of presenting one of the upcoming crucial Congressional fights: to support the Bush White House in opening up Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling or to provide long-term protection for the ecologically and environmentally-sensitive area.

Any story or article that will help protect the environment and slow global warming will get a '5' from me!!

It gives faith to the people that are weary from fighting the drilling of ANWAR year after year.

By all means stop the drilling. No drilling anywhere....ever. And no exploration. Oil is yucky and pollutes Mother Earth. And keeps those nasty factories spewing out filthy emissions. And a big fat NO to nuclear energy which can explode and kill all of us.