Great news: The Obama Administration just announced that it will cancel all lease sales for oil and gas drilling in the Arctic’s Chukchi and Beaufort Seas for the next two years. This grants by Shell and the other oil industry giants circling the region like sharks.
Today’s victory, combined with Shell’s recent decision to call off its drilling plans for the foreseeable future, have once more demonstrated that the Arctic is no place for drilling.
But the fight is far from over. Because today’s announcement only covers lease sales for the next two years, Arctic drilling is still very much on the table. The Obama Administration will soon release its next five-year offshore drilling plan for 2017-2022, which could include the Beaufort and Chukchi, as well as waters off our cherished Atlantic coast, from Virginia to Georgia.
What we really need is permanentprotection of our Arctic and Atlantic coasts from all offshore drilling -- shielding our coasts from the risk of a catastrophic oil blowout and preventing more of the carbon pollution that causes climate change.
This is an important step President Obama can take for the nation and our planet -- one that will help secure his environmental legacy and put America on the path to 100% clean energy.
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