Continuing debate over Shell’s Alaska plans

Shell’s Oct. 6 announcement of its intention to drill at least one well in the Beaufort Sea in 2011 drew some perhaps predictable criticism from the environmental lobby.

“As we’ve seen this year in the Gulf of Mexico, oil development is a dangerous, dirty, and risky business,” said Cindy Shogan, executive director of Alaska Wilderness League. “The turn of events in the Gulf prove that we cannot continue to operate as if it is business as usual. Instead of continuing with bad processes and allowing Shell to move forward with its permit to drill in the Beaufort Sea, the U.S. Department of Interior should require Shell to submit a new exploration plan. … We know that blowouts can occur in shallow waters such as in the Beaufort and there is only a limited ability to respond to them under any conditions — much less with broken ice.”

On the other hand, the state administration sees Shell’s plans as supporting the future economic well being of Alaska and the United States.

“I commend Shell’s persistence in pushing federal regulators to come down on the side of Americans who want an expansion of the jobs base and greater national security through increased domestic energy production,” said Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell. “The federal government should recognize that Shell has gone above and beyond existing environmental requirements to ensure protection of our resources.”

—Alan Bailey