A Repeat Of The BP Oil Spill In Our Arctic Wildlife Refuge?

As devastating as the Exxon-Valdez oil spill was to the
environment in the Prince William Sound, the climate
conditions in the Arctic are exponentially more difficult.

After the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, you might think it ludicrous to give an oil company exploratory permits to drill for oil in our Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  The Gulf of Mexico had ideal conditions for responding to an emergency oil spill; great visibility, calm seas, warm weather, and numerous local and federal response teams.  Even with those ideal conditions, 208 million gallons of crude oil leaked into the Gulf of Mexico. Contrast those ideal conditions with the Arctic climate; 20 foot seas, hurricane force winds, extended periods of darkness and below zero temperatures.  On top of that, the top officer in the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to that the government is not prepared to respond to an oil spill in the Arctic.  As if an oil spill in those conditions is not troubling enough, the Arctic is also home to numerous endangered species including polar bears, dolphins, whales and porpoises.  And yet, Shell has won conditional approval for exploratory drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas later this year.

Demand that a proven method of clean-up be in place before Shell is allowed to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic.
Email one or all of the following:
     Pre-composed message to Secretary Salazar
     Pre-composed message to your U.S. Representatives
     Pre-composes message to Congress


Watch Robert Redford's video on the dangers of drilling in the Arctic.

Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

If you watch the popular show "Deadliest Catch" on Animal Planet, than you are familiar with the unyielding nature of the Arctic. Now consider that the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, where Shell wants to drill, are even farther North than the Bering Sea where "Deadliest Catch" is filmed.

Norway Oil Spill

Ability to Clean Up a Spill in the Arctic

• Fact Sheet on the 2011 Arctic Oil Spill in Norway, demonstrating our limitations in cleaning up oil in icy waters.
• Video of the most recent test of oil spill response capacities in calm but icy Arctic waters.  The test was deemed a failure.
• Full Report by WWF on Response Challenges to an Oil Spill in the Arctic.