The Arctic Ocean is one of the most productive, fragile, and least understood marine ecosystems in the world. Unfortunately, it is also one of the world’s most threatened marine environments. Made up of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, America’s Arctic Ocean is facing accelerating and dramatic changes due to climate change, along with proposals for massive and risky oil and gas development.
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION RELEASES REVIEW OF CHUKCHI LEASE SALE 193: On August 18, the Obama administration released the final version of its court-ordered redo of an environmental review of a 2008 lease sale in the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea. At the same time, Shell Oil – the oil giant that hopes to start drilling in America’s Arctic Ocean next summer – was working to stop largest oil spill in UK North Sea waters in a decade. This final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) once again fails to address inadequacies identified by an Alaska District Court. In the SEIS, the Bureau of Ocean Energy, Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) states that while there are hundreds of pieces of missing information about the Arctic’s marine environment – this information is not necessary to make decisions about drilling. “While many statements of incomplete or unavailable information were broadly relevant to the important issues at hand, none were essential for a reasoned choice among alternatives,” according to BOEMRE. BOEMRE’s continued refusal to make decisions based on science about drilling in the Arctic Ocean ignores the concerns of the people of the Arctic coast – who rely on the Arctic Ocean to survive – as well as the 240,000 people nationwide who previously commented on this issue.
“Point Hope, Alaska is the oldest settlement in North America,” said Caroline Cannon, President, Native Village of Point Hope. “The cultural and subsistence traditions of Point Hope are inextricably linked to the health of the Arctic ecosystem and the resources of our traditional lands and waters. I am haunted by the worry that an oil spill will occur in our waters. Shell’s proposed oil and gas activities affect the very foundations of who we are as individuals and as a people. We have a right to life, to physical integrity, to security, and the right to enjoy the benefits of our culture. To risk our people for the profit of oil companies is heartbreaking.”
BOEMRE’s announcement also ignores the U.S. Geological Survey’s Arctic Science Initiative that exposed huge gaps in scientific information aboutthe Arctic Ocean – from simple species counts of marine mammals such as the threatened polar bear and the endangered bowhead whale to information about currents and tidal systems. This lack of information must be addressed before any decisions about drilling in the Arctic Ocean can be made. BOEMRE’s announcement flies in the face of information from such experts as the National Marine Fisheries Service, who recommended that more information on the effects of oil and gas activities on marine life must be obtained before proceeding with drilling.
Alaska Wilderness League calls on Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to hold off on any final decisions about drilling in the Arctic Ocean until a plan is in place to gather the basic essential information about this imperiled place, and oil spill response technology for the Arctic is developed and proven.
ACTION: To show broad public opposition to Shell’s plans to drill in the Arctic Ocean, the conservation community has launched the United for America’s Arctic coalition. Please join the coalition by emailing brian (at) alaskawild (dot) org or leah (at) alaskawild (dot) org. You can read the full statement here.
ARCTIC OCEAN OIL SPILL CLEANUP BRIGADES DEPLOYING ACROSS THE COUNTRY: With decisions about Arctic Ocean drilling happening throughout the fall, Alaska Wilderness League and the United for America’s Arctic coalition is raising awareness about Shell Oil’s unrealistic oil spill response plans. In these plans, Shell states such blatant falsehoods as a promise to recover 95 percent of any oil spilled in the Arctic Ocean using mechanical means. In sharp contrast, only 3 percent of oil was recovered in the Gulf after the Deepwater Horizon disaster and only 8 percent was recovered after the Exxon Valdez spill. Shell Oil’s response plans include glorified mop and bucket brigades in Arctic waters with icebergs as tall as apartment buildings and hurricane-force storms.
We plan to riff on the ridiculousness of Shell and Big Oil’s spill cleanup “plans” in the Arctic Ocean by deploying our own spill response cleanup brigades across the country.
Concerned citizens will don “hazmat” suits, masks, and hard hats along with their mops and buckets and march in opposition to Big Oil’s plans to drill in the Arctic Ocean. Alaska Wilderness League will provide the suits, masks, and gloves to event organizers. Organizers should encourage participants to bring their mops and buckets from home and perhaps purchase some extras at local dollar stores. In addition, participants will be asked to sign “Arctic oil spill cleanup” beach towels.
ACTION: Pull together a cleanup brigade in your area. You could deploy as part of a local fair, parade or other public event. You can learn more about these cleanup brigades here. To request a kit, please contact brian (at) alaskawild (dot) org.
