Alaska oil delay win for polar bears
US environmentalists on Thursday hailed a delay in Royal Dutch
Shell’s Alaska oil drilling plans as a victory for polar bears, but
outraged local leaders said the move would cost jobs.
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Alaska polar bear. Google |
The Anglo-Dutch oil giant said it has put off plans to drill off
Alaska’s coast this year after a board of the federal Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) ordered further study on the impact.
“Despite our best efforts, critical permits continue to be delayed,
and the timeline for getting these permits is still uncertain,” Royal
Dutch Shell chief executive Peter Voser said as he discussed the
company’s financial results.
Royal Dutch Shell, which almost doubled its net profit in 2010, said
it would instead aim to start drilling in 2012.
The Sierra Club called the delay “a victory for worker safety and the
environment.” It voiced fear at how the Arctic Ocean — which experts say
is deeply affected by climate change — would cope with a BP-style oil
spill.
“The Arctic should not be an option for corporate polluters who are
already reaping in massive profits,” said Athan Manuel, the director of
the environmental group’s land protection program.
“The cold truth is there is no way to clean up an Arctic spill,” he
said.
The Center for Biological Diversity called on US authorities to make
the delay permanent.
AFP |
