"Drilling in this area would be a direct threat to the Porcupine caribou herd, the food security and ultimately the culture and livelihood of the Gwich'in people. This is a matter of human rights."    And what do you base that on?   Certainly you agree it will help Alaska with revenue as well as provide new badly needed jobs.  
Isn`t it better, if we are to arrive at energy independence (long a national goal since the first Arab oil embargo in the early seventies) to drill on land, rather than in the ocean??? where a mishap would be far worse?   
We need oil and gas and that energy "independence" to maneuver across that "bridge" to a far higher future use of newer more efficient energy sources in the near future.  We can`t shut down production of fuels we need for national defense as well as providing fuel for 90% of the air, ocean and land transportation of freight and passengers.  We have proven we can do it right here in Alaska.  Realities say we must stay vigilant and vibrant.