A representative from the environmental interest group the Alaskan Coalition spoke Thursday to a room of about two dozen people, encouraging students to speak out against the drilling of oil reserves at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Lois Norrgard, organizer for the Upper Midwest Alaska Coalition, a collection of organizations dedicated to stopping drilling in Alaska, spoke about the importance of Iowans caring about preserving the refuge in Alaska.

Members of U.S. Congress will be meeting at the end of October to approve new ways of saving money, totaling $36.5 billion. These budgetary suggestions are a result of the 2006 Budget Resolution conference report which, for the first time since 1997, called for a mandatory “budget reconciliation.”

One proposed source of new revenue is drilling into oil reserves located beneath the now federally protected Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge, a 19.3 million acre in the northern corner of Alaska, is the largest completely preserved ecosystem left in North America, Norrgard said.

“Oil drilling in ANWR is ridiculous,” said Bernie Gerstein, former ISU professor of chemistry.

“ANWR is the last pristine wilderness we have, and despite what the oil companies are claiming, the entire wilderness will be covered with development.”

This area, along with providing breathtaking scenery and a pristine ecosystem, is also home to hundreds of species of native wildlife and native people, Norrgard said. If oil drilling in ANWR is approved, the entire ecosystem will be devastated, while offering very little long-term benefits to oil consumers.

Some of the adverse effects associated with drilling at ANWR would mean a “spiderweb of devastation across the refuge,” destroying untouched environment and displacing its inhabitants, Norrgard said.

Furthermore, the oil extracted from its reserves would not have a significant effect on gasoline prices, Gernstein said.

“Oil production from the refuge would not peak until 20 years from now,” Norrgard said.

“At peak production in 2025, the refuge would make up approximately seven-tenths of 1 percent of world oil production – much too little to affect prices.”

This would equate to under a penny per gallon, she said.

Norrgard encouraged Iowans to get involved by contacting their senators and representatives, because the benefits to drilling at ANWR are minimal.

“It’s important to have land protected from human development,” Norrgard said.

Norrgard said a bus was originally planned to leave from Ames to go to Washington, D.C., to rally for the cause, but lack of interest prevented the trip from occurring.