Washington would benefit from ANWR leasing

For the last two decades, federal legislation allowing oil and gas exploration in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has been stymied. Now, it is part of federal tax reform, which Congress is likely to approve.

Allowing new oil and gas leases would greatly help Washington refineries, workers and state and local economies. Current crude supplies from Alaska’s North Slope are declining and refiners have looked elsewhere for replacement stocks; i.e., oil-by-rail from North Dakota.

ANWR is not the picturesque landscape you might imagine with towering snow-capped peaks and lush green forest...