SHELL GETS GREEN LIGHT TO DRILL
Signaling a dangerous time for North Slope communities
Anchorage,
AK—It’s a sad day for many Native Alaskan’s living on the North Slope as the
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) issues final approvals
for Shell to drill in the Chukchi Sea this summer.
Federal government failed at
every turn to protect the Arctic and Chukchi Sea.
“Federal
regulators have stated repeatedly that Shell’s drilling plan is ‘not expected
to adversely affect’ the environment, subsistence activities or wildlife yet it
has approved the harassment for over 28,000 whales and marine mammals and the
release of a wall of drilling sludge over ten feet thick at the drill sites”
said Mark Gutman, a biologist with Chukchi Sea Watch. “These approved releases will continue to ooze toxic
chemicals and could eventually wipe out the benthic community adjacent to Hanna
Shoal, a critical foraging area for walrus and many other marine mammals”, said
Gutman.
Climate
change, industry bullying and risk of region-wide oil spill wield triple
injustice.
“People
in the North Slope villages are subject to constant bullying and intimidation
by Shell. Many people are worried for
our ocean, the very source of our food, culture and health, but they cannot
speak because they could lose their jobs, be ostracized, possibly even lose
their homes” said an anonymous associate of Chukchi Sea Watch who lives in
Wainwright, Shell’s main base for its Chukchi Sea operations.
Alaska’s North
Slope villages are on the front lines of a disaster in the making.
“Villages
up and down the North Slope are already dealing with so many new challenges and
risks because of climate change. They
are getting hit again with Shell’s invasion of their land and communities and
yet again with the 75% prospect of a devastating spill”, said Ceal Smith, an
Ecologist also with the new Chukchi Sea Watch group. “The Iñupiat
know better
than anyone else how harsh and unpredictable the Chukchi Sea is and how futile
efforts to clean up the oil, when it comes, will be. It’s going to be a worry-filled and dangerous summer for our
friends on the North Slope”, said Smith.
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