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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsShell'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
Stargazer99
(2,539 posts)After all, we know the god of money and business are the only things that count? right? Life has little or no meaning as long as it doesn't represent profit? You trust a corporation that has no soul?
abakan
(1,815 posts)If the walrus are a problem, just kill them and then we can drill. I hope people are watching to make sure that does not happen.
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)abakan
(1,815 posts)MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)The people on the ground in those organizations don't mess around. They risk life and limb to get the dirt on abusers. We'll know if they hurt the walruses immediately. I will post anything I receive about what's going on.
Uncle Joe
(58,112 posts)Thanks for the thread, abakan.
abakan
(1,815 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Coo coo ca choo!
abakan
(1,815 posts)They are the egg men.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)abakan
(1,815 posts)Semolina pilchard, climbing up the Eiffel Tower.
Elementary penguin singing Hari Krishna.
Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.
I am the egg man, they are the egg men.
I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob.
Goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob g'goo.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)And any incidental killing of polar bears could be devastating...those poor things are going to go extinct if we don't act/
abakan
(1,815 posts)If something is not done to stop the arctic melt off, they will go extinct.
emsimon33
(3,128 posts)abakan
(1,815 posts)who knew they were that powerful.