AP: Interior Secretary: Alaska Drilling Safe

[Eugene]

Interior Secretary: Alaska Drilling Safe

By H.JOSEF HEBERT
The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 30, 2006; 4:22 AM

BARROW, Alaska -- Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne declared after a
helicopter tour that drilling will proceed in a North Slope region
that has become the focus of a new dispute over Alaska oil drilling.

He said the area's wildlife will be protected.

Some members of Congress and environmentalists have argued that problems
with pipeline spills at Prudhoe Bay and pipeline corrosion 200 miles to the
west makes opening an ecologically sensitive area of the North Slope to oil
companies especially questionable.

But Kempthorne said Tuesday after seeing the region in person from the air
that he is more convinced than ever energy production can coincide with
environmental protection.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/30/AR2006083000516.html

[acmejack]

1. What else could we expect from this jerk?

We couldn't have a more environmentally unfriendly person "protecting" our National treasures.

[gratuitous]

2. Wow, he can tell that from a flyover?

I'm younger than Kempthorne, and I don't think I could make an accurate assessment with my eyesight from one flyover. Kempthorne must have exquisite vision.