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The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 19 million acres of pristine land in northeast Alaska, may soon be open to oil drilling. Last December, Congress approved a measure to open the refuge’s coastal plain, known as the 1002 Area, to oil exploration. As early as next year, the Interior Department could be selling drilling leases.
In a recent front-page story, Steve Eder, an investigative reporter for The Times, and Henry Fountain, a Times climate reporter, examined how the region went from off-limits to open for business. Among their findings: The 2017 tax overhaul bill provided a rare opportunity to open the refuge for drilling; plans at the Interior Department are being overseen by appointees with deep ties to Alaska; and environmental evaluations have been fast-tracked by the Trump administration.
Mr. Eder and Mr. Fountain recently discussed their reporting. Their answers have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
How did this story originate?
HENRY FOUNTAIN This whole issue of drilling in the refuge has been around for 40 years, but it’s come to a head in the last year or so with the Trump administration.
There’s been this whole train of reporting this year about the Trump administration moving to undo Obama-era policies. So this was another example of it, and a really interesting one, because it’s happening so fast. This is also a very specific example of something that has been outlawed, and all of a sudden it’s being undone.
STEVE EDER I think there was recognition that this was an important topic and something that we ought to delve into and try to help explain to readers what’s happening and why it’s happening.
The idea was to pair up Henry’s scientific understanding and Alaska knowledge — he’s written a book about the 1964 Alaska earthquake and has spent a considerable amount of time there — with my background in delving deeply into this kind of topic. We both went to Alaska. We were on the ground together.
What was your trip to Alaska like?
FOUNTAIN We stayed in Anchorage; had a lot of breakfasts at this one great breakfast place, Snow City Cafe. And we made a quick trip to Fairbanks for more reporting.
EDER We ate a lot of salmon. We were so busy and focused on reporting, and when we weren’t reporting, we tended to be talking about what we were finding and trying to digest things as we went. It was my first time in Alaska, and Henry’s obviously been many times. So at the end of the week, we took an afternoon to explore a little bit, drive around. We went for a mini-hike in the Chugach Mountains just outside the city.
FOUNTAIN When we got back to New York, we and our editors realized that it would be important for the story to get a sense of what the refuge looks like now. The place isn’t easy to get to; there are no roads into or within it. It’s only reachable by plane, and winter weather can disrupt flights. But we got a freelance photographer, Katie Orlinsky, to take a bush flight up there from Fairbanks. She came back with beautiful photos and helped us describe the place.
What did being in Alaska allow you to bring to the article?
FOUNTAIN You get a sense that Alaskans don’t want people outside of the state telling them what to do. They’re very proud of their state and all the incredible places they have. It’s huge, and most of it’s wild and great and beautiful. So there’s a real sense of, “We’re in Alaska; we want to do what we want to do.” I got a sense of that talking to people directly. You wouldn’t get it so much on the phone. So I think going there was well worth it.
by Katie Van Syckle, NY Times | Read more:
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 19 million acres of pristine land in northeast Alaska, may soon be open to oil drilling. Last December, Congress approved a measure to open the refuge’s coastal plain, known as the 1002 Area, to oil exploration. As early as next year, the Interior Department could be selling drilling leases.
In a recent front-page story, Steve Eder, an investigative reporter for The Times, and Henry Fountain, a Times climate reporter, examined how the region went from off-limits to open for business. Among their findings: The 2017 tax overhaul bill provided a rare opportunity to open the refuge for drilling; plans at the Interior Department are being overseen by appointees with deep ties to Alaska; and environmental evaluations have been fast-tracked by the Trump administration.
Mr. Eder and Mr. Fountain recently discussed their reporting. Their answers have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
How did this story originate?
HENRY FOUNTAIN This whole issue of drilling in the refuge has been around for 40 years, but it’s come to a head in the last year or so with the Trump administration.
There’s been this whole train of reporting this year about the Trump administration moving to undo Obama-era policies. So this was another example of it, and a really interesting one, because it’s happening so fast. This is also a very specific example of something that has been outlawed, and all of a sudden it’s being undone.
STEVE EDER I think there was recognition that this was an important topic and something that we ought to delve into and try to help explain to readers what’s happening and why it’s happening.
The idea was to pair up Henry’s scientific understanding and Alaska knowledge — he’s written a book about the 1964 Alaska earthquake and has spent a considerable amount of time there — with my background in delving deeply into this kind of topic. We both went to Alaska. We were on the ground together.
What was your trip to Alaska like?
FOUNTAIN We stayed in Anchorage; had a lot of breakfasts at this one great breakfast place, Snow City Cafe. And we made a quick trip to Fairbanks for more reporting.
EDER We ate a lot of salmon. We were so busy and focused on reporting, and when we weren’t reporting, we tended to be talking about what we were finding and trying to digest things as we went. It was my first time in Alaska, and Henry’s obviously been many times. So at the end of the week, we took an afternoon to explore a little bit, drive around. We went for a mini-hike in the Chugach Mountains just outside the city.
FOUNTAIN When we got back to New York, we and our editors realized that it would be important for the story to get a sense of what the refuge looks like now. The place isn’t easy to get to; there are no roads into or within it. It’s only reachable by plane, and winter weather can disrupt flights. But we got a freelance photographer, Katie Orlinsky, to take a bush flight up there from Fairbanks. She came back with beautiful photos and helped us describe the place.
What did being in Alaska allow you to bring to the article?
FOUNTAIN You get a sense that Alaskans don’t want people outside of the state telling them what to do. They’re very proud of their state and all the incredible places they have. It’s huge, and most of it’s wild and great and beautiful. So there’s a real sense of, “We’re in Alaska; we want to do what we want to do.” I got a sense of that talking to people directly. You wouldn’t get it so much on the phone. So I think going there was well worth it.
by Katie Van Syckle, NY Times | Read more:
Image: Katie Orlinsky
[ed. OMG. Reporters interviewing reporters about their intrepid trip to the Wilds (which, it sounds like, mainly consisted of a short visit to Anchorage, eating at a yuppie breakfast joint, hiking near the city and a brief flight to Fairbanks.... oh, and eating lots of salmon). I don't know how many times I've heard journalists, bureaucrats, politicians, even scientists talk about being "out in the field" whenever they came to Anchorage (pop. 300,000), even while staying downtown at the Hotel Captain Cook. Here's the story: In the Blink of an Eye, a Hunt for Oil Threatens Pristine Alaska.]
