Obama: Shell developed high safeguards against Arctic spills
May 14, 2015, 3:37 PM
CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) — President Barack Obama says experts have concluded that Royal Dutch Shell has developed strong safeguards to undertake offshore oil exploration in Arctic waters.
Obama says his administration delayed Shell’s application for exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea northwest of Alaska until it could provide necessary assurances. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the company’s plan Monday after reviewing thousands of comments from the public, Alaska Native organizations, and state and federal agencies.
Obama says he is committed to reducing carbon emissions. But he says consumers will still need fossil fuels during a transition to other energy sources.
He says he would rather rely on oil and gas extracted in the U.S. under federal regulations than from foreign sources.
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