Superbelt

The alaskan economy could use it because Alaskans can't live without the state welfare. I think the yearly check currently comes out to about 1200 dollars a year, correct? The only reason the Alaskan elected body want to drill there is to get themselves reelected.

ANWR is nowhere near the answer. As the second largest known reserves on american soil ANWR, at full output can be completely offset by increasing the national MPG across the board by, I believe, one mile a [edit] GALLON.
Our present leadership opposes increasing that MPG standard. That's where our problems lie for oil dependency.
ANWR's 18 month supply of oil is really nothing. It will not substantially reduce our dependency. Even if we developed all our oil fields in america and offshore, we will still have a substantial dependence on foreign oil.

The answer is not developing oil at home, it is to reduce our oil consumption.
I would like to at least save that oil for future generations if they need it. As we go on it becomes more and more valuable. A large part of crude is used to make the tar for our roads.