Wright Testifies Before House Subcommittee

Ariel CEO Karen Buchwald Wright was invited to testify in Washington, D.C. before the Congressional Regulatory Reform and Oversight Subcommittee (Small Business) in May on the potential impact of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. Wright was representing small and medium manufacturers as part of her duties as vice-chair of the Advisory Council to the President on Manufacturing.

Chaired by Congressman W. Todd Akin, R-Mo., Wright stated that trillions of cubic feet of recoverable gas may exist in ANWR and that these resources may rival the initial reserves at Prudhoe Bay. "Testifying before this committee allowed me the opportunity the bring the topic of natural gas before Congressman Todd and his colleagues, Lynn A. Westmoreland, R-Ga. and Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Delegate from Guam," Wright said.

Wright wanted the committee to consider the impact of the natural gas supply to the North American continent: 96 percent of natural gas used in the United States comes from the United States.

"The impact of drilling in ANWR and other currently restricted areas of the lower 48 states will have considerable impact on manufacturing and economic growth in the United States. Although oil is important, it is natural gas that will have a much more significant impact, either positive or negative in the next 10 years. Ariel, because we are both a manufacturer and an OEM of heavy capital goods for the oil and gas industry, has a good perspective on the importance of both available, affordable energy and the manufacturing it supports.

"The demand for natural gas will continue to grow and our country needs to find and produce new natural gas wells to meet the increased demand for this clean-burning fuel," Wright concluded.

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