White House Say Yes To Arctic Oil Drilling, Ignoring Climate Risks

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Royal Dutch Shell have been given the green light by the US government to begin drilling for oil in the Arctic, despite protests from environmental groups who oppose the plans due to dangers to wildlife and climate.

Environmentalists are worried that Shell’s plans could cause significant damage to the Arctic’s environment that would be worse than the 2010 BP oil spill. Despite the protests, the US Department of the Interior granted two permits to Shell, so that they could begin preliminary drilling.

Rt.com reports:

“Without question, activities conducted offshore Alaska must be held to the highest safety, environmental protection and emergency response standards,” said the bureau’s director, Brian Salerno.

The US Geological Survey estimates the recoverable oil reserves in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas amount to 26 billion barrels. Oil deposit zones are about 8,000 feet (2.5 km) below the ocean bottom.

Currently, Shell is only allowed to drill “top-holes,” to a depth of 1300 feet (400 meters), and will need to file new paperwork once it has a ship capable of capping the well within 24 hours. Shell’s only vessel with that capability, the Finnish icebreaker ‘Fennica’, is currently limping to port for repairs after damaging its hull on a shoal earlier this month.

Environmentalist groups have condemned the government’s decision, citing climate change concerns and fears that Shell’s efforts could wreak havoc on the Arctic’s fragile environment worse than the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Shell shouldn’t be drilling in the Arctic, and neither should anybody else,” said Franz Matzner of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “President Obama’s misguided decision to let Shell drill has lit the fuse on a disaster for our last pristine ocean and for our climate.”

“We are committed to growing the ‘Shell No’ movement at a record rate until President Obama cancels all drilling leases and protects the Arctic Ocean,” said Michael Brune of the Sierra Club, one of the environmental groups protesting against Shell’s oil fleet based in Seattle.

The Alaska Wilderness League joined the chorus of disapproval. “This decision puts the fate of the fragile Arctic Ocean, and our climate future, in the hands of Shell Oil,” executive director Cindy Shogan said in a statement.

With the permit process now complete, drilling will begin as soon as the area is clear of sea ice, Shell spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh told AP.

“We remain committed to operating in a safe, environmentally responsible manner and look forward to evaluating what could potentially become a national energy resource base,” she said in an email.

Shell received the preliminary permissions in May, but was given a list of 18 conditions, including additional permits, establishing plans to contain any leaks, and staying at least four miles from walrus.

Anticipating the government’s decision, Shell’s drilling rig Polar Pioneer set out for the Arctic from Seattle last month. Protesters in kayaks picketed the rig, carrying “Shell No” signs and demanding “climate justice.”

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has also opposed the company’s plans to base its Arctic drilling fleet in the city, saying the contract with the port ran afoul of the existing land-use permits.

“Things like oil trains and coal trains and oil-drilling rigs are the past,” Murray said at a fundraiser for an environmentalist group in May. “It’s time to focus on the economy of the future. Clean energy, electric cars and transit, green homes and an environmentally progressive business community.”

2 Comments

  1. Eliminating warming through the use of natural techniques:
    Due to the production of fresh water. –
    Watered in dry and junk territory. –
    Gross weight gain green: grass, shrubs and trees. –
    And most importantly, due to the recovery and growth of ocean plankton.
    Technologies used:
    First.
    Production of fresh water in volumes of tens of cubic kilometers per year. I
    use water production in large rivers. Working person. Work is moderately
    expensive, up to 60% of the total cost of the program. As an example I give the
    production of fresh water in the Nile River, and benefits from the event.
    Second.
    Watering in dry and wastelands. No problem. Water is supplied to the arid areas
    of the rivers, streams, or sleeves, or in the newly built channels. Working
    person. Work is moderately expensive, up to 20% of the cost of the program.
    Third.
    Gross planting and growth of green matter: grass, shrubs and trees. Working
    person. Work is moderately expensive, up to 20%.
    Job natural technologies.
    Grass covers the soil. Locked soil reduces emissions of warm or hot air, and reduces its heating. And de facto become permanent now cooling the atmosphere. Example.
    Bare and in the summer the soil is heated from 40 to 60-70 degrees in the
    desert. The ground, covered with grass – about 20 degrees. Averaged emissions
    of hot air into the atmosphere is reduced to 2-3 times, or 200-300%. Nature
    Works. Free.
    The destruction of carbon dioxide. Statistics:
    “One hectare of forest adult consumes annually up to 6.5 tons of carbon dioxide and emits 5 tons of oxygen.” 1,000 hectares will be removed from the
    atmosphere by 6500 tons of carbon dioxide, a million – 6.5 six million, and so
    on, and so every year. Ready technology for the destruction of atmospheric
    carbon dioxide and eliminate warming. Powered by nature. Free.
    More.
    “One hectare of green plants absorb 60 tons of dust and cleaned of
    contaminants 18 million cubic meters of air.” This is 70% finished
    treatment plants! All connections will remove the light of nature, man will
    remove heavy. Powered by nature. Free.
    More.
    “It produces about 2 tons of volatile production – essential oils, resins,
    aromatics, balsam and other little studied therapeutic essential
    connections.” It is natural for the Human Health Factory, especially the
    reproductive parts of the community – women and children “. Powered by
    nature. Free.
    The above-mentioned technologies cooled creeks, sleeves and rivers. Nature Works.Free.
    Chilled and bleached rivers carry their water in the seas and oceans. Nature Works. Free.
    The waters of the oceans gradually cooled, resulting in a gain of ocean plankton. Nature Works. Free.
    Hence, the conditions under which the ocean removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are made and it will be displayed from the atmosphere and will eventually withdrawn. And as a confirmation of what has been said to give two quotations:
    “Ocean during heating increases the emissions of carbon dioxide, and when
    cooled – removes it from the atmosphere.” And another quote: “The
    ocean plankton withdraws from the air three times, four times more carbon
    dioxide than all the world’s forests.” Nature
    Works. Free.
    Sincerely, a developer of environmental programs, Victor Rodin. 30100, Ukraine,
    Khmelnytsky region. Neteshin. Tel. Kiev Star: 961336344. Address:
    rodin.vik@yandex.ua; dorosydos@gmail.com; Skype – kuzmitch36.

  2. Eliminating warming through the use of natural techniques:
    Due to the production of fresh water. –
    Watered in dry and junk territory. –
    Gross weight gain green: grass, shrubs and trees. –
    And most importantly, due to the recovery and growth of ocean plankton.
    Technologies used:
    First.
    Production of fresh water in volumes of tens of cubic kilometers per year. I
    use water production in large rivers. Working person. Work is moderately
    expensive, up to 60% of the total cost of the program. As an example I give the
    production of fresh water in the Nile River, and benefits from the event.
    Second.
    Watering in dry and wastelands. No problem. Water is supplied to the arid areas
    of the rivers, streams, or sleeves, or in the newly built channels. Working
    person. Work is moderately expensive, up to 20% of the cost of the program.
    Third.
    Gross planting and growth of green matter: grass, shrubs and trees. Working
    person. Work is moderately expensive, up to 20%.
    Job natural technologies.
    Grass covers the soil. Locked soil reduces emissions of warm or hot air, and reduces its heating. And de facto become permanent now cooling the atmosphere. Example.
    Bare and in the summer the soil is heated from 40 to 60-70 degrees in the
    desert. The ground, covered with grass – about 20 degrees. Averaged emissions
    of hot air into the atmosphere is reduced to 2-3 times, or 200-300%. Nature
    Works. Free.
    The destruction of carbon dioxide. Statistics:
    “One hectare of forest adult consumes annually up to 6.5 tons of carbon dioxide and emits 5 tons of oxygen.” 1,000 hectares will be removed from the
    atmosphere by 6500 tons of carbon dioxide, a million – 6.5 six million, and so
    on, and so every year. Ready technology for the destruction of atmospheric
    carbon dioxide and eliminate warming. Powered by nature. Free.
    More.
    “One hectare of green plants absorb 60 tons of dust and cleaned of
    contaminants 18 million cubic meters of air.” This is 70% finished
    treatment plants! All connections will remove the light of nature, man will
    remove heavy. Powered by nature. Free.
    More.
    “It produces about 2 tons of volatile production – essential oils, resins,
    aromatics, balsam and other little studied therapeutic essential
    connections.” It is natural for the Human Health Factory, especially the
    reproductive parts of the community – women and children “. Powered by
    nature. Free.
    The above-mentioned technologies cooled creeks, sleeves and rivers. Nature Works.Free.
    Chilled and bleached rivers carry their water in the seas and oceans. Nature Works. Free.
    The waters of the oceans gradually cooled, resulting in a gain of ocean plankton. Nature Works. Free.
    Hence, the conditions under which the ocean removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are made and it will be displayed from the atmosphere and will eventually withdrawn. And as a confirmation of what has been said to give two quotations:
    “Ocean during heating increases the emissions of carbon dioxide, and when
    cooled – removes it from the atmosphere.” And another quote: “The
    ocean plankton withdraws from the air three times, four times more carbon
    dioxide than all the world’s forests.” Nature
    Works. Free.
    Sincerely, a developer of environmental programs, Victor Rodin. 30100, Ukraine,
    Khmelnytsky region. Neteshin. Tel. Kiev Star: 961336344. Address:
    rodin.vik@yandex.ua; dorosydos@gmail.com; Skype – kuzmitch36.

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