Obama administration approves Arctic drilling.
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN)The
Obama administration, citing "rigorous safety standards" and a long
review process, has granted conditional approval to energy giant Shell
to begin oil drilling in the Arctic waters off the coast of Alaska.
The
Interior Department wrote in a statement that Shell could begin
drilling in the Chukchi Sea once several environmental conditions are
met, including a sign-off from agencies assessing the impact on
endangered species.
Abigail
Ross Hopper, the director of the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, said her agency had taken "a thoughtful approach" to
Shell's requests for drilling permits in the Arctic.
"As we move forward, any offshore exploratory activities will continue to be subject to rigorous safety standards," she said.
Shell
has been pressing for years to gain permission from the federal
government to tap Arctic Ocean oil reserves, a move environmentalists
have protested for the perceived risks to the environment and wildlife.
Tim Donaghy, a senior research specialist for Greenpeace, panned Monday's decision.
"Instead
of holding Shell accountable and moving the country towards a
sustainable future, our federal regulators are catering to an
ill-prepared company in a region that does not tolerate cutting
corners," he said.
