Does Drilling make sense?

Interior finishes plan to open nearly 9 million acres in Alaska to drilling I see that Gale Norton (Interior Secretary) is getting around the ban on drilling in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge by drilling next to it. I'd be curious to hear comments from those who advocate this as to why the following comments below are wrong? - "It makes no sense to industrialize this incomparable wilderness area when there's only about six month's worth of economically recoverable oil ... and it would take at least 10 years to get it to market," said Charles Clusen, director of the Alaska lands project for the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group."

Seems to me if all we can get out of this area is a few month's worth, why not concentrate our energies on alternative energy sources? Waiting on an explanation.....

Quote of the day
"Hold a book in your hand and you're a pilgrim at the gates of a new city."
Anne Michaels