ANWR is the size of Connecticut.
The North Slope region, which has been commercially mined for oil for many years, has cohabited with the Arctic wildlife quite successfully.
The part of ANWR that will be surface disturbed by drilling is tiny.
The pipelines that will carry the crude have already been shown to be environmentally benign.
The argument that the oil is insignificant is bogus.
Mining oil is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than shipping it in across the oceans of the world over long distances.
Alaska to US/World markets is not risk free, but is relatively safe.
Additionally, the gas that will become available is equivalent to possibly years of consumption.
Natural gas is in the long run more important as fuel than oil.
We have to get the oil out to justify the expense of gas pipelines.
The reactionary opposition to this is as naive and counter productive as the anti-nuke opposition.
Ed