President Bush is pushing for oil exploration in this refuge. Opening up protected areas is part of President Bush s long-term solution to the U.S. energy shortages and a major plank of his election campaign. This decision and other environmentally unfriendly acts have caused a controversy in the country. This has caused the Bush administration to back off of some development plans recently. It is not just strong environmentalist groups who are upset.
Polls show that more people favor protecting the environment than developing it.
Faith Gimmill is a spokesperson for the Gwich in people. She is a member of the tribe of 10,000 in who live15 villages spread across Alaska and Canada. Her people are close to the wildlife of the refuge that includes polar bears, musk ox, wolves, and moose. They are particularly close to the 160,000 Porcupine caribou that migrate in large herds from the ANWR to near the Gwich in villages. Every summer Gimmill and her family camp near Timberline Mountain and prepare to harvest caribou.