Salazar: “A key component of reducing our country’s dependence on foreign oil is the environmentally-responsible exploration and development of America’s…resources”
Hallelujah. The Interior Department’s bureaucracy that oversees offshore energy production – the Minerals Management Services (MMS) – finally cleared the way earlier today for responsible, job-creating energy production in the Chukcki Sea. Well, not exactly. But, as Sen. Murkowski says: “This is progress.”
Secretary Salazar didn’t exactly wax poetic, but here’s what he said in a press release entitled “Salazar Conditionally Approves Shell’s Exploration Plan For Certain Chukchi Sea Leases”:
“A key component of reducing our country’s dependence on foreign oil is the environmentally-responsible exploration and development of America’s renewable and conventional resources,” said Salazar. “By approving this Exploration Plan, we are taking a cautious but deliberate step toward developing additional information on the Chukchi Sea.”
In 2008, Shell’s subsidiary paid $2.1 billion for leases during Chukchi Sea Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193. The 2008 sale was included in the previous Administration’s 2007-2012 Five-Year Oil and Gas Leasing Program to cover leasing for oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf for that five-year period. The Exploration Plan now approved allows Shell to drill up to three exploration wells during the July-October open water drilling season.
“Our approval of Shell’s plan is conditioned on close monitoring of Shell’s activities to ensure that they are conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner,” added Salazar. “These wells will allow the Department to develop additional information and to evaluate the feasibility of future development in the Chukchi Sea.
Sens. Murkowski and Begich were also quick to applaud Sec. Salazar and MMS’s for finally getting off their respective cans and moving forward with a commonsense plan that will create good jobs up here and help drive down foreign oil imports from unstable regions of the world.
“This is progress,” Murkowski said. “Today’s announcement from the MMS is an encouraging sign that Alaska’s oil and natural gas resources can continue to play a major role in America’s energy security.”
“While this represents a step forward, significant hurdles remain before exploration can advance in the Chukchi,” Murkowski said.
“This is another positive step for Alaska’s oil and gas industry. While challenges remain, approval of this exploration plan demonstrates Alaska will continue to play an important role in helping meet America’s energy needs.”
“I will continue to work with Interior Secretary Salazar to include protections that address concerns Alaskans and the rest of the nation have to develop these resources in a responsible manner,” Begich said. “The successful development of these reserves and those of the Beaufort Sea are key to the long term viability of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the future of the Alaska natural gas pipeline.”
