Thursday October 22, 2009, 1:23 am
Conservation groups based in Alaska have accused the Obama administration of repeating the mistakes of George Bush after it gave the conditional go-ahead for Shell to begin drilling offshore for oil and natural gas in the environmentally sensitive Beaufort Sea.

The Minerals Management Service, part of the federal Interior Department, yesterday gave Shell the green light to begin exploratory wells off the north coast of Alaska in an Arctic area that is home to large numbers of endangered bowhead whales and polar bears, as well as walruses, ice seals and other species.

Whale experts warn that the bowhead stocks are sensitive to noise and could be driven further off shore by the disruption of drilling. That in turn would have an impact on their chances of survival, which have already been harmed by early side-effects of global warming.

There are also fears that any drilling could lead to oil spills which would be impossible to clean up amid the Arctic's broken sea ice

Read full story here http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/20/us-shell-drilling-arctic

Thursday October 22, 2009, 1:23 am
This is the worst decision ever approved

Thursday October 22, 2009, 2:21 am
Thanks for this article, Claudia.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 2:53 am
Thanks.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 3:01 am
I am disgusted. Noted with anger. Thanks Claudia.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 3:07 am
:( No, no, no, make the Arctic a marine reserve and leave the ecosystems alone.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 3:33 am
So what you are telling me is that Obama is following in the footsteps of Bush? Shall we then refer to him as Obush?

Thursday October 22, 2009, 4:31 am
i'm sickened by this and mad too

Thursday October 22, 2009, 5:17 am
This is horrible and I can't believe they caved again but then there is all the money again!!

Thursday October 22, 2009, 6:09 am
Big bucks talk and get you about anything you want!!!!! This fault goes not only to the President but to every senator and congressman in Washgington.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 9:55 am
OMG, I just can't believe it - it is such a pristine environment and so sensitive to damage both noise as well as pollution, how can they consider it? No matter how good the oil company is, accidents still happen. Such dreadful news. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 10:15 am
Thannxxx Claudia... it is a pity that they did not give the Obama administration lessons in environmental issues... then perhaps he would of had a change of mind.. This is another piece of the diamond that we ar egoing to looooooooose..

Thursday October 22, 2009, 1:38 pm
While I don't agree with the decision to allow drilling in Alaska, I have to say that calling him Bush based on one decision shows the true ignorance of people. When Obama's four year term is up, then we may truly begin comparing him to Bush. We should take every factor of Obama's presidency not just one. We all talk big but I feel as though must of us would be afraid what would happen if we didn't cave under big oil corporations. I understand the negatives on drilling there but did anyone consider this statement (whether it be true or not, everyone seemed to ignore it): Shell must now satisfy the authorities that it has met air and water quality standards and safeguards for whale protection before it can begin drilling. The oil company's head in Alaska, Pete Slaiby, said objections had been taken into account.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 1:47 pm
Why do you always presume huge negative environmental impacts ?

We have had massive offshore oil drilling for decades in the North Sea without that happening.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 1:58 pm
The US government has behaved so badly over this -- Bush administtarion and Obama. The Alaskan governement want the polar bear delisted from being endangered, and the US have just given the thumbs up to Shell to drill in the Artic. Might be a different story if the polar bear were more valuable than oil.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 4:43 pm
awe shit! how could this be?? i thought this was supposed to be the leader that would turn the u s around?? instead he's turning into a baby bush.i cannot freakin' believe this. they don't give a flyingf--k about our planet or its life in any way manner shape or fourm!i'm so begining to wish for a caticlizum of some kind to wipe us and let Mother Nature start fresh!! thanks for the info Claudia

Thursday October 22, 2009, 4:46 pm
ya we also had the EXon Valdize! one in our north was enought thanks ! and besides an spill up there will be unrecoverable!!and the destruction will be terminal !

Thursday October 22, 2009, 5:58 pm
No event can cause permanent destruction - given time nature will heal any wounds. E.g. twice a year you can visit Trinity site in New Mexico and see for yourself how nature has recovered from a nuclear blast.
The last effects from the Exxon Valdez incident are expected to be gone after about 30 years.

And drilling or not - if the ice melts a lot of shipping will go through the area anyway.

Thursday October 22, 2009, 10:54 pm
What the heck happened to the start of new green tecnology!? There are factories already retooled, and ,any more retooling to make bldes for the wind turbines out in the midwest. We got to the attention of the administration to continue working on these energy effeicent mearsures, plus solar. It looks like the GOPs are quite happy to just contune with oil and coal, and the hell with clean air and not being dependent on oil.

The Pubbie have the President so busy with all the chaos that dear old W left us, that he can't even take a second breath to try these nes and cleaner and in the long run more economical.

This bupartiship doesn't seem to have a chance in President Obama's favor. He tries by the left over Bushies just keep saying no, just like did in past Presidents try to make some headway. No wonder the Republicans party is know as the party of NO's. If it's not their way they pack up and leave the sandbox in a temper tantrum. Isn't it about they grow up and realize they are adults, and a supposedly working for the people of ALL the United States, not just Big Business, Big Oil, etc.

Lync

Thursday October 22, 2009, 11:11 pm
"Why do you always presume huge negative environmental impacts ? "

Because oil and water don't mix ... if they are drilling, the liklihood of impacts is great ... and the North Sea is not immune either:

Large oil spill near North Sea oil platform: Norway

Thousands of tonnes of oil poured into the North Sea Wednesday as it was being piped from an offshore platform to a loading buoy, Norwegian authorities and the platform's operator said....

According to preliminary estimates from the Petroleum Safety Authority, some 3,840 cubic metres, the equivalent of 24,150 barrels or 3,220 tonnes of oil, had spilled into the sea....

details:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gKH21ZKRRYqBvlHS1Q-lBK51G_Fg

Friday October 23, 2009, 5:00 am
Big Mistake!!! This guys popularity is going down quite rapidly!

Friday October 23, 2009, 2:40 pm
This is the biggest mistake to US can make to improve our environment. Drilling hole that far north where the atmosphere is extremely thin will increase the global warming effect. Not only will the pollution kill endangered species it will also increase the melting of the polar ice cap. We need to focus our energy on sources that won't harm our atmosphere. Stop the drilling and burning.

Saturday October 24, 2009, 6:30 am
As I've said more than once but it seems to fall on deaf ears: this is America - the BUCK is the bottom line
so corporations rule here - not the majority of people. People no longer count - it's MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
ALL THE WAY, ALL THE TIME. This is NOT the country I grew up in, it is so changed now I can't recognize
it.

Saturday October 24, 2009, 4:24 pm
This makes me sick. TY Claudia