Shell's Arctic Drilling Plan May Have A Walrus Problem

Source: huffpo

WASHINGTON -- Shell's plan to drill in the Arctic this summer has met plenty of opposition from environmental advocates. But it might be the walrus that stops them from proceeding.

The Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service issued Shell a letter of authorization on Tuesday allowing the company to have a small number of what are known as "incidental takes" of polar bears and Pacific walruses -- or harm caused to the animals or their habitats unintentionally in the course of permitted activities.

But the letter lists precautions the company must take to avoid contact with the walruses, which includes a directive to maintain a minimum of 15 miles between drilling sites in compliance with provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The act requires this distance between drilling operations to avoid impacts on foraging or migrating walruses, and as a number of environmental groups pointed out last week, Shell's two proposed drill sites are only 9 miles apart -- a violation of that law.

Interior granted Shell "conditional approval" to begin exploratory drilling in the Arctic this summer, but the company still needs additional permits before it can begin. The letter is another step in the process toward obtaining final permission, but the spacing requirement may present a challenge.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/01/shell-arctic-drilling_n_7701208.html

Incase there is any confusion. I'm for the Walrus