No on Arctic drilling

To the Times: In a short-sighted and fiscally irresponsible move, my representative, Patrick Meehan, R-7, voted to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling in a purported attempt to pay for the tax cuts promised by President Trump.

Despite the obvious environmental damage that will result from our politicians’ bull-headed loyalty to “drill, baby, drill,” the idea that drilling in the Arctic will help fund much of anything – let alone our president’s enormous corporate tax cuts – is ludicrous.

Indeed, based on Bureau of Land Management records of average high bids for leases in the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska, the Center for American Progress estimates selling drilling rights in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge will bring in only $37.5 million over the next 10 years.

This blatant attempt to mislead the American people into thinking that drilling in the refuge is financially viable would be laughable if it wasn’t so damaging. This perverse thoughtlessness from Rep. Meehan is disappointing and frankly, unacceptable.

Pennsylvania’s 7th District deserves better than leaders like Rep. Meehan who vote in such fiscally irresponsible ways while doing lasting damage to America’s natural resources. And if Rep. Meehan does not recognize this basic fact soon, he will be forced to reckon with it come 2018.