"Plan to Protect Refuge Has Alaskans Offended and Fearful Over Money"

"ANCHORAGE — Bitter reaction here to the Obama administration’s proposal to protect a huge portion of the Arctic goes beyond political divisions over oil and environmental policy, to questions about how Alaskans are perceived and respected in their sometimes awkward long-distance relationship with the rest of the nation, residents and political leaders say.

That President Obama blindsided the governor and angered Alaska’s congressional delegation on Sunday with a proposal to ban energy exploration on 12 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to be designated as wilderness proves that Alaska simply does not matter to Washington, some residents said.

'He just alienated an entire state,' said Stephanie Kesler, 56, a telecommunications technologist here in Alaska’s largest city, who said she had twice voted for Mr. Obama. It’s not about the oil for her, she said at a downtown coffee bar on Monday. Before Sunday’s announcement, she said, she was 'on the fence' about how best to protect the 22 million acre refuge."

Kirk Johnson reports for the New York Times January 26, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"How Much Oil And Gas Is At Stake In ANWR?" (NPR)

"Murkowski Critical Of Proposal For Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" (NPR)

"Obama's Arctic Refuge Drill Ban Won't Change Much, For Now" (NPR)

"Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 101: Three Questions on Where Things Stand" (Christian Science Monitor)