I find it truly amazing that U.S. representatives of the New England area are relying on President Chavez of Venezuela to provide the area with fuel oil for the winter. Granted, the area does need assistance, but at what cost?

There are abundant oil supplies to be had in this country, but these same representatives in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts are against drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. If they had started the process when the oil companies wanted to drill, that oil would be flowing and heating homes in New England. It could also heat the homes of the villages there in Alaska, where heating oil costs are much higher. We think $2.26 per gallon for fuel oil is high; the average cost per gallon in those villages is between $5 and $6 a gallon.

The area to be drilled is a very small section, just about 2,000 acres. Having lived in Alaska for 35 years, I have been to the area, and it is not at all like what the media describe. Those against the drilling must have decided that since most people would never see the Refuge, they wouldn’t know the difference. Alaskans do.

We can get oil from someone who hates Americans or from America.

Pat Meek, Andover