Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Governor Bill Walker of Alaska has demanded oil company be granted access to protected Alaskan wildernesses, to raise the money needed to pay for helping people affected by climate change.
According to the BBC;
“We are in a significant fiscal challenge. We have villages that are washing away because of changes in the climate,” Governor Walker said.
“I don’t see anyone putting together contribution funds to help move Kivalina; that is our obligation, we stand by that – we need to figure out how to do that. But those are very expensive – we have about 12 villages in that situation.
I asked him if extra drilling was needed to help pay for these impacts.
“Absolutely, in a responsible way as we have in the past.”
The governor argues that a small part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should be drilled to boost Alaska’s revenues.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34501867
Let us hope President Obama responds positively, to Governor Walker’s plea on behalf of his people, for oil exploration access to Federal land.
Gawd, the stupid really does burn!! Talk about swallerin’ the Walrus doo-doo, hook, haul-out & stinker.
From the point of view of adapting to climate change instead of trying to stop it, it makes perfect sense to do more drilling.
People of likeness voted him into office.
States are sovereign, just drill and tell the feds to pound sand. Screw the lawless courts and abc agency threats. Exercise the rights guaranteed by the constitution. People are tired of and fed up with big overreaching lawless feds. Grow some balls!!
Hard to know where to start here. Maybe we should start with the concept that when a bunch of people decide to plunk down in some location and the weather changes, then it isn’t anyone’s responsibility but theirs to pay for moving somewhere else.
Indeed, American politics run by the weather.
Nothing wrong with the principle but I understand the government built a school on the island and the people were pressured to relocate from the mainland.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/08/09/breaking-news-seventh-first-climate-refugees-discovered
Nothing that some Geomorphology Training couldn’t have prevented, eh?
True, but not worth the effort. The federal government must focus on its main task, sociomorphology. That’s where the training budget money goes.
Zactly, PS. The governor seems to think that government is the insurer. His message is, “Do any stupid thing you want; the government will back you up.”
It is precedented, though. The Feds spent billions of Other People’s Money after Galacticmegastorm Sandy, little of which was their responsibility.
Under our new liberal govt, nobody is ever responsible for what happens to them. Unless you are a white male, then not only are you responsible for yourself, but you are responsible for everything bad that happens to others as well.
Exactly, MarkW, exactly.
Keep on working because the people on welfare depend on it !!
The very conservative government of South Carolina, and it’s people – also equally conservative – were sure quick to apply for disaster funds from the US government during the recent flooding.
Since the very conservative people of S. Carolina are still taxed, whether or not they apply for disaster relief, why shouldn’t they apply for it?
It’s not like real insurance where your insurance is based on how much you use.
I should point out that the governor of S. Carolina is neither white, nor male.
So Chris, what does ‘very conservative’ mean? How does it compare to ‘conservative.’
Do you suggest I shouldn’t accept my Sociable Security payments?
Chris – …all the western states did likewise apply for “drought” dollars. And your point is?
“Maybe we should start with the concept that when a bunch of people decide to plunk down in some location and the weather changes, then it isn’t anyone’s responsibility but theirs to pay for moving somewhere else.”
They decided to “plunk down” there in 100BC – that’s when the forebears of the tribe first settled in that location.
No Chris, they were force relocated by the government to the housing that the government built to be able to create another group of people reliant on the government. Prior to that they were nomadic and moved where they wanted. Another government program run amuck….
Chris,
you made that 100BC junk up didn’t you?
Show us the paper that reveals what the sand bar at Kivalina was like in 100BC. Since it was probably warmer then it is almost certain it was under water.
Chris writes “They decided to plunk down there in 100BC”
Ah, the Roman Optimum. A very good year for settling cold places!
Did you glean that bit of information from a copper coin dated 100 BC? 😉
Anyway, glad to hear it. Little factoids like that must be useful someday!
Not sure why the fact that it happened in 100 BC has anything to do with it. In fact, anyone who expects the climate in any location to stay “as is” for 2000 years is horribly naïve.
Remember…these are people who crossed the land bridge to a frozen tundra, looked around them, and said “Well…this is nice…let’s settle here.” The smart ones continued on to California.
“…when a bunch of people decide to plunk down in some location and the weather changes…”
Yup, most eckspecially when they built ’em on a gravel sandbar!
Gambling in here? I’m stunned, stunned I tell you.
(Here’s your winnings, sir…)
(Thank you.)
I’m shocked! shocked! to discover gambling in Rick’s Cafe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbPi00k_ME
These villages being “washed away” are built on barrier islands which are short lived at best. Not the place to build anything let alone a village. Not a climate change problem but a human stupidity problem.
Is the governor taking the pipi out of Obama?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34503783
”
Alaska is seeking to boost on-shore drilling in the wake of Shell’s decision to abandon the Arctic, but there is significant political opposition.
The state derives 90% of its day-to-day income from oil revenues.
If a new global climate deal is agreed in Paris in December, it could have implications for the oil-rich US state.
Environment correspondent Matt McGrath reports.”
Here he is being interviewed.
Logical error. If you think the earth is going to boil because of man made CO2 emissions ..
We are not, but if you think so, that would be like asking for more of the same stuff that makes you sick ..
I disagree, it makes perfect sense, even if climate change were as bad as everyone says. If there is a limit to how much carbon can be burnt, why shouldn’t as much of that carbon budget as possible be Alaskan oil?
If the green “keep it in the ground” campaign ever comes close to succeeding, they will trigger the mother of all oil rushes, as fossil fuel giants each compete to ensure that the last carbon to be burnt was supplied by them.
Cmon, you have got to admire the chutzpah of the man. Everyone else is using the Climate Change story as the reason they need to do whatever it is they want to do next. It even gets blamed for Syrian refugees.
He’s just having a fair go at it too.
My thoughts also. He may well think “Hey, these nutters will clearly believe anything about global warming, so why not use it to get what I want too? Everybody else is.”
Yes, he has figured out a clever way to play the “It don’t make no dang sense” game that they mae up!
Genius.
Can anyone spell “re-election”?
exactly – he’s using climate alarmism to support fossil fuel drilling – it’s reductio ad absurdum logic – he seems to be more clever than gullible
There are 375 people on that island, and the problem they face is that the sea ice is thinning out. The ice acted as a barrier to waves during storms, but may not do so in the future. Allegedly, storms are getting worse. So it is a concern. But the articles I’ve read portray the people living there as waiting for someone else to do something for them. And those articles are written by globe-trotting “activists” who want to “raise awareness” of their plight among other activists, so that they can all pressure governments around the world to rob their citizens, and shovel the money (with 99.999% overhead charge) to “help out.”
I put that in quotes because the villagers don’t seem to want to relocate, they just want a bridge so that they can evacuate the island if necessary. The gov seems to know what they want better than they do, however. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to make oneself dependent on government…Actually, it never pays.
Incorrect. Kivalina village was originally located at the North End of the Kivalina Lagoon but was relocated in the past due to the changing shape of the island. Barrier Islands are notoriously unstable shifting position as tidal patterns change. Trying to stop this is foolish as wise old King Canute demonstrated to his court over 1000 years ago.
Northern Alaska isn’t exactly overcrowded and its not a poor state, relocation of 400 people and their houses is hardly an insuperable problem.
Why on earth the inhabitants of Kivalina have settled on an unstable tidal spit of land the access to which in summer is a pathetically low lying and fragile strip of land nobody knows except them. Should Alaskans have to pay for this stupidity – I think not but one would hope that the movement to other communities would be assisted by local government. To blame it on GW is absurd as this is never a permanently frozen area anyhow.
The Washington post article I read on the plight of these rather idiotically placed islanders is entirely sympathetic and waffles on about the loss of multi year ice as if it has any relevance to a spit of land in the straits that have never had multi year ice. Not one mention of the unusual weather in the N Pacific which is far more relevant. Things are a changing and I would reckon we wont hear much from Kivalina once the El Nina sets in and the Blob disappears
Put some skids underneath and tow to a better location. Done all the time. Problem solved
I know a sand bar where the surfing is terrific.
If I build a cottage on the sand bar, the “government” should compensate me when the cottage blows away in a good storm.
Signed,
The First Little Pig (I luv straw).
I perhaps should correct myself a little here having looked a bit further – it is by far the largest settled community in a very large extended area. The only communication seems to be by boat or aircraft – there are no roads. The community was made more permanent after a report in 1906 resulted in a school being built there. It would also seem (have a look on Google earth) that the spit of land goes on for hundreds of miles and is the only land available on that part of the coast without having to run a tidal narrows by boat which I would imagine is very dangerous with any ice about.
It doesnt change my stance on blaming GW rather than the current N Pacific seasonal pattern, but boy, they must be some hardy people there!! This was a very mobile community when first written about in the mid 1800s made more permanent by the ‘imposition’ of a school there and then I dare say an air strip and Army built rock breakwaters. So perhaps Government does have some responsibility for moving them.
An even quick glance at he local terrain would quickly identify that building a bridge or roadway would be a colossal undertaking as there appears to be no Highway for a quite considerable distance. The ice will eventually return whether that will be soon enough to save the community only time will tell and certainly not any current predictions or models.
Absolutely wonderful. Sheer genius.
Come to think of it, we all need cheap, reliable electricity to boost our economies in order to help pay for “climate change”.
I live in Sydney, where warming would impact me much more than Alaskans. Will someone pay my reparations?
Pray tell, which villages were washed away? Surely that would have made the news?
I wanna tell you all the story ’bout a Prez who interfered in everybody’s life
Who had a Governor of a state that was way up high
Well that Governor came home one afternoon and didn’t even stop to play
And he said people I got a note here from the President of the USA
Well the note said Mr Walker you’re misbehavin’ in your state that’s way up high
It’s reported you’ve been drillin’ and a runnin’ round with oil men and goin’ wild
And we don’t believe you oughta be behavin’ in the Nation this a way
And it was signed by secretary Jarrett of the Prez of the USA
Well it happened that the Prez had a conference that very afternoon
And they were sure surprised when Governor Walker and his oilmen entered into the room
And as he knocked over the teleprompter I can still recall the words he had to say
He said I’d like to address y’all and the President of the US of A
Well your EPA says, Climate Change is gonna’ mess up the shoreline in my State
And you say don’t use oil but Michelle sure uses it jettin’ ‘n vacationin’ every single day
But your enviros and EPA tell us oil use makes us hafta’ move our Kivalina town
And you know that costs money we get from sellin’ ya’ oil and drillin’ down
Well Secretary Kerry couldn’t be here cause he’s out upon his yacht once again
And if you smell Lisa Jackson’s breath you’ll find that Colorado river’s seepin’ in
And then you have the nerve to tell us as a Nation you think that we’re not fit
Well this is just a little Peyton Place and you’re all environmental hypocrites
No I wouldn’t put you on because it really did it happened just this way
The day Governor Walker socked it to the President of the US of A
The day Governor Walker socked it to the President of the US of A
That’s a real fine parody. I enjoy stuff like that.
It turns out that the “crazy ant” syndrome is also infectious.
Yes this is the era where the age of great advances in technology and democracies has led to the Age of Bizarro where cognitive dissonance is the norm and stupid is highly valued and rewarded.
It started in North Korea and spread globally from there.
Think of all the “climate change” that could be paid for if they just cancelled the Paris Climate-Fest.
Actually, if you believe there is naturally occurring climate change, this is perfectly reasonable.
We’ve built cities in deserts and villages on sand bars, then filled them with wailing moaners to remind us of our folly, with monotonous regularity.
Alan Robertson, great comment. Very funny and yet incredibly depressing at the same time.
Perhaps the governor is exploiting the Obama admin’s climate change hype in order to
1) Get more drilling, therefore more jobs and more tax revenue into the state
2) Get other people to pay for the problems in his state
Nowdays, everything needs a hat-tip to “climate-change”. What about “We need more oil-drilling because we need more oil”?
The reason a location like Kivalina is attractive is the natural harbor close behind the village and quick access to the sea. And nobody wants to live more than an 5 minute 4-wheeler ride from their boat when it’s used every day. But the erosion problem is not new, apparently dating to before “CAGW”.
http://www.cakex.org/case-studies/relocating-village-kivalina-alaska-due-coastal-erosion
I was surprised to learn from the link that the villagers had taken a vote as early as 1953 on the question of moving.
Drill and pump more oil, even though there is already too much, and the oil companies are doing lay offs, and we sit at the edge of a deflationary cliff ….
I don’t seem to recall which villages were “washing away” due to “changes in the climate” or is he talking about weather? I would think that we would have seen that in the news more than a few times. Does anyone remember what he’s talking about?
Never mind, I just saw Will’s comment above. So ‘erosion’ of a delta is ‘changes in the climate’ and there are ‘more frequent storms’ and it’s inconvenient to move. Sounds like a mini-New Orleans. How many of these places are there in Alaska ,anyway?
OK So as they say here’s the rest of the story: The barrier island is eroding as a consequence of a civic improvement project that destabilized the shore by removing and replacing gravel that served as a barrier to that erosion. Those facts of the matter used to be on the town’s webpage until the interior secretary visited and declared made them the posterchild for global warming. Many locals blamed a contractor that wouldn’t listen to the locals about the right approach for performing the excavation. The island has a population of some 450 residents comprising about 63 families. The government claims it is going to cost 63 MILLION DOLLARS to relocate the village 9 miles away on the mainland. This is a village whose primary source of food is generated by…WHALING!!!! Most extraordinary amount of bullshit packed in a news item by the Climate change crowd evah!
Hot off the press (announced today), here is some of the oil Gov. Walker is looking for. I am guessing enough to relocate a village ( the rest of the associated issues have been well covered by others) :
http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/Armstrong+And+Repsol+Restructure+Alaska+Project/10967372.html
“Over the last four years, the venture has drilled 16 wildcat and appraisal wells on the North Slope resulting in a 100% track record of finding oil with most wells having oil pay in multiple zones. Third-party engineering firm DeGolyer and MacNaughton reports C1 reserves of 497 million barrels of oil (MMBO), C2 reserves of 1,438 MMBO and C3 reserves of 3,758 MMBO.”
The problem discussed in the article is about erosion. Storms eroding away the shoreline and bringing the beach closer. The featured event was the overnight storm that brought the beach 10 feet closer to the airport. Not because sea level rose overnight. Erosion is only a climate change issue if storms are getting more frequent or more severe, which has not happened to any significant degree.
Sea level rise has been only inches over the last 50 years, half a foot if you look at measurements from satellites, less than that if you look at tide gauge measurements. The governor is a politician, and a politician’s job is protect the people he represents without costing them money. If the Alaska governor says their cities are washing away because of erosion then they look like idiots who built cities in a stupid spot and we would not have any sympathy for them. If he says the cities are washing away because of climate change then they look like victims, and they deserve special considerations. The man wants to make more money for his state, he can’t just say he wants to drill more to make more money, he has to spin it so that his request looks like he is taking action to counteract a force that has made the people of his state a victim.
…duh…
Biggest state in the union has not an ounce of spine. Take back all the land that is under federal oversight. Exercise your sovereignty! All of today’s politicians are hapless boys; posing as men.
Hey, why didn’t the tobacco companies think of this: grow more tobacco to pay for people’s cancer treatments due to smoking tobacco.
Wow.
traffy,
Hey, why didn’t marijuana dealers think of this: grow more weed to pay for psychiatric treatment due to dope smoking? That makes about as much sense.
Trafamadore (can’t figure out what your “handle” means, by the way ) , a more fitting analogy would be if someone used their private jet to fly around the globe fighting “climate change”,…..
In the 1970s, Governor Bill Walker of Alaska was probably too busy playing with his ‘Teddy Bear’ to have been aware of the massive oil find by ARCO on Gull Island, Prudhoe Bay. The Federal government immediately had it classified, capped, and the rig removed.
From Gull Island, alone, Alaska could produce 2 million barrels of oil every 24 hours for over 20 years, without any decrease in production. The oil flows out at about 136 degrees F at about 1,600 pounds of natural pressure. There is just so much oil in the area like at the Kuparuk oil field, America really does not have an energy problem.
What about the quality of the oil? It’s top grade!!!
Sulphur content – 0.9%
Flash point of the oil – 35 degrees F
Wax content – 6%
Asphalt content – 2%
Crude freeze temperature (pour point) 15 degrees F
I think every one needs to take a breath and cool down; I listened to the interview and the Governor did say “Climate Change” but the context wasn’t necessarily AGW style climate change, the Beeb put a lot of words in his mouth, to make the interview fit the official narrative.