Actor Paul Newman Decries Proposal to Drill in Arctic Sanctuary

Posted: 05-Dec-2001; Updated: 21-Dec-2001

Even though Senate Republicans' latest attempt to attach the seriously flawed energy bill (H.R. 4) as an amendment to an unrelated piece of legislation has failed, they are likely to keep pushing their agenda till the end of the year and, if not successful, even beyond. A key component of the energy bill is opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling for oil. The bill dramatically favors the development of oil, coal and nuclear power over clean, renewable energy resources and conservation, and threatens the habitat and wildlife of a pristine northern ecosystem.

Incensed by such "short-sighted opportunism" all in the name of energy security, actor and philanthropist Paul Newman has added his voice to the chorus of protests against the large vested interests in Washington trying to make a case for more oil drilling. Says Newman, "Many of our elected leaders (including President Bush) have said our country must be less reliant on the flow of oil from unstable areas, and we agree. That's just common sense." But Newman strongly disagrees that the only alternative is to drill for oil in the nation's wilderness areas: "This would do nothing to decrease our nation's dependence on oil," he states. "The most effective way to achieve greater security is to use less oil, period. That's common sense, too."