Federal Court Halts Arctic Drilling Leases
 Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 by Connie T.
You're making a difference...every day! A little more than a year ago we
asked you
to sign one of many petitions to the government asking them not to sell oil
and gas drilling leases in prime habitat to polar bears, seals, and other wildlife
that may face the danger of extinction.
Although, at that time, the George W. Bush
administration did proceed to auction off these leases in the Arctic off of Alaska's coast,
a federal Court of Appeals panel in Washington has just ruled that the Interior Department
did not properly assess the environmental impact of these leases.
We
find meritorious Petitioners' challenge to the Leasing Program on the grounds that the
Program's environmental sensitivity rankings are irrational, ruled the court. In light of the
Interior's failure to properly consider the relative environmental sensitivity; and
marine productivity of different areas of the OCS...and its derivative failure to strike a
proper balance incorporating environmental and coastal zone factors...we grant the relief requested.
Therefore, we vacate the Leasing Program.
The leasing program was to occur between 2007 and 2012
for offshore oil and gas development. It is estimated that the Arctic could contain up to
90 billion barrels of oil. However, the BA's plan did not account for the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act, National Environmental Policy Act, nor the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
More good news? Interior Secretary Ken Salazar under the Barack Obama administration has frozen
another five-year plan orchestrated by Bush including California, and the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, until
a four-state listening tour on energy issues is complete.
Related: There's a discussion
raging in our comments' section as to whether or not wolves in Alaska should be population-controlled. Get
in on it!
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