Today my House colleagues and I are starting our trip to ANWR. On the way, we’ll be stopping in Golden, Colorado to tour the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The lab’s purpose is to find fresh renewable ways to power our homes, businesses, and cars, a key component of the Republicans’ All-of-the-Above energy plan.

Hopefully we’re able to take some pictures there so I can share them with everyone. After that, we’ll be off to Alaska. I’ve got my video camera with me so I’ll be sure to take some good footage to share with everyone when I return next week. In the mean time, here are some facts from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) about the estimated amount of recoverable oil we have in ANWR.

According to the USGS, the mean estimate of technically recoverable oil in the Coastal Plain of ANWR is 10.4 billion barrels – all of which is now economically recoverable.

•    That’s more than twice the proven oil reserves in all of Texas.
•    That’s almost half of the total U.S. proven reserve of 21 million barrels.
•    That represents a possible 50 percent increase in total U.S. proven reserves.

What does 10.4 Billion Barrels of Oil Mean?
10.4 Billion Barrels produces:

•    436.8 Billion Gallons of Gasoline
      o    12.6 Billion Tanks of Gasoline (based on a 16 gallon tank)
      o    93 tanks of gas for EVERY registered passenger vehicle
•    10.4 Trillion Gallons of Diesel
      o    320 Million Tanks of Diesel (with Two 150 gallon tanks on a semi)
•    4.3 Trillion Gallons of Jet Fuel
      o    5.7 Million Tanks of Jet Fuel (on fully fueled 737-600s with 6,875 gallon tanks)

Let’s be clear about this. The Coastal Plain of ANWR, also known as the 1002 Area, is neither wilderness nor refuge. It was set aside by Congress and President Carter in 1980 for future oil development. Development would be limited to 2000 acres of the Coastal Plain or 0.01% of the entire 19.6 million-acre refuge. These lands were set aside for America to produce its own energy resources. What are we waiting for?