Alaska sues to lift Arctic drilling suspension

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

THURSDAY Sep 09, 2010 16:48 ET
Alaska sues to lift Arctic drilling suspension
By DAN JOLING, Associated Press

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell says the state is suing to overturn the federal suspension of offshore drilling in Arctic Ocean waters.

In May, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar suspended Shell Oil's request to drill exploratory wells in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, and he canceled four Arctic lease sales.

Parnell says Salazar illegally failed to consult with state officials, consider the economic effects or issue a written decision explaining the basis for a moratorium.

Salazar spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff says the Interior Department is taking a cautious approach to offshore petroleum development. She says the Arctic presents unique environmental challenges and the department needs additional information about spill risks and spill response capabilities.

Read more: http://www.salon.com/wires/techbiz/2010/09/09/D9I4KFPG0_us_arctic_offshore_drilling/index.html

[benld74]

1. Sure go ahead, sue, win, drill, leak copious amounts of oil, CLEAN IT YOURSELF NO FEDERAL HELP!!!!

[primavera]

2. Sounds like bullshit to me

My understanding is that drilling requires a permit from both the state and from the fed. If the state wants to reserve the right to deny a permit (okay, so we all know that's never going to happen), it stands to reason that the fed ought to be able to deny a permit as well. Or is it Alaska's contention that the fed is obliged to simply rubber stamp every permit the state chooses to issue? Good luck convincing a court of that.