American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves held a news conference on Capitol Hill Friday, highlighting what he termed the importance of opening Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
as part of a comprehensive national energy plan.
Graves joined Alaskan Senators Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski, along with Department of Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Karen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, in detailing how opening ANWR will help reduce U.S. reliance on foreign energy sources. Representatives from the American Legion, Teamsters, the Republican Jewish Coalition and a delegation of Alaska Inupiaq also attended the news conference.   
“An uninterrupted fuel supply is essential to meet the nation’s transportation needs,” Graves said. “ANWR represents one very important component of this comprehensive strategy. As a domestic energy source, ANWR can provide a means to further protect the nation from disruptions and fluctuations in the foreign oil markets.” 
ANWR represents America’s best hope for the nation’s next major oil discovery, he said. The U.S. Department of Interior estimates that ANWR holds between 9 billion and 16 billion barrels of recoverable oil.  ANWR represents a secure American supply of oil that could help reduce U.S. demand for foreign oil for 25 years or more, according to Graves.