Chaffetz, who beat Rep. Chris Cannon in the June primary, says his campaign will pay for the three-day trip starting July 14 and he plans to meet with local and federal officials, energy experts and community members. Trip organizers vow that no oil company is subsidizing or organizing the junket.

"Energy has become the No. 1 issue and I want to see firsthand part of the solution," Chaffetz said Wednesday.

The group, which includes six other GOP candidates, will fly into Anchorage and make its way up to the refuge in the northern part of Alaska where oil companies have been yearning to drill.

Environmentalists argue that drilling would destroy a sensitive ecosystem, disturb wildlife and set a precedent for more drilling in preserved areas.

Bennion Spencer, the Democrat hoping to win the now-open 3rd Congressional District seat, says drilling in ANWR is not the answer to what he calls a crisis. He says oil companies are sitting on 60 million acres of land with oil deposits but have not even tapped into their own inventory yet.

"We're not going to drill our way out of this oil problem," Spencer said.

Additionally, he added, despite the Republican push to open up the Arctic refuge, the oil would not hit the market for about 10 years and even under today's market prices, would only reduce the cost of oil by 41 cents a barrel.

While some Native Alaskans support drilling, many oppose it. The Alaska Inter-Tribal Council, which represents more than 200 tribes, officially opposes developing oil and gas in ANWR.

tburr@sltrib.com