Which activity has been debated in ANWR?

• A. Logging
• B. Tourism
• C. Oil drilling
• D. Mining

Answer: (C)

Oil drilling has been the main topic of debate in ANWR because the refuge exists to protect a sensitive Arctic ecosystem while many see valuable oil resources in the coastal plain. Proponents argue that extracting oil could reduce dependence on imported energy and boost jobs and revenue. Opponents worry about disrupting critical wildlife habitats—caribou calving grounds, migratory birds, and other species—and about spills or long-term ecological changes in a pristine environment. The tension between conserving the habitat and pursuing resource development is what makes oil drilling the focal point.

Logging and mining aren’t central issues in ANWR because protections limit such extractive activities, and tourism, while present, isn’t the core policy controversy there. The key debate centers on whether to allow oil drilling and the potential ecological risks versus potential economic and energy benefits.