Stop Drilling in the Arctic Ocean

  • by: Victoria Ramos
  • recipient: President, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, And the EPA.

On February 22, 2015, the Obama administration passed the first-ever federal oil regulations to secure safe drilling in the Arctic, but it isn’t enough to save even just a small fraction of what could possibly be lost there. If we allow these gas and oil companies to drill there it will infiltrate and damage the northern coastlines, destroy natural habitats and harm wildlife severely. If we don’t take action and prevent these companies, like Shell, they will infiltrate and damage our entire world. We are basically allowing the federal government take money from lobbyists and let companies who already have fortunes, be able to control even more without a worry about keeping the planet safe. It’s allowing Shell to have control of our future natural resources, and be capable of damaging the Arctic and everything below. This is inhumane and this needs to be stopped immediately, we have the power to demand clean energy resources and say no to more oil drilling monopoly. 

According to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Report, “ Arctic sea ice basically acts like a air conditioner for the planet, reflecting energy from the sun”. On Sept. 17, the Arctic sea ice reached its sixth highest record of heat on NASA satellite record in 2014. It's critical that we insure that the Arctic is kept from melting completely from humans damages. Allowing drilling for such a small percentage of oil that will not even benefit or lower the price of gas is ridiculous. How can we allow such a valuable area to be destroyed in a flick of time for a little more oil. From the article “Why Trash an American Treasure for a Tiny Percentage of Our Oil Needs”, by the Natural Resources and Defense Council (NRDC), “ It would take 10 years for any Arctic Refuge oil to reach the market, and even when production peaks -- in the distant year of 2027 -- the refuge would produce a paltry 3 percent of Americans' daily consumption. The U.S. government's own Energy Information Agency recently reported that drilling in the Arctic would save less than 4 cents per gallon in 20 years.” 
Although the Shell company has been employing thousands of Alaskan citizens, the damage drilling will leave behind will never have enough workers to make a difference the pollution they will create. The Arctic sound be addressed as a national area, and must be untouched from harmful companies. For this to happen we must show the president, BOEM, and the EPA that not only the to Arctic is endanger but the entire world and wildlife too. If the demands aren’t met we should enforce higher safety regulations with a clear and precise backup plan for any future accidents, not the same plan they used in the past oil spills. This petition is the voice of America to show the government that the future generation is entitle to protect whats necessary before its ruined. 

References
Ocean Conservancy. The Arctic. 2015.
EPA. Future Climate Change. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2015.
Why Trash an American Treasure for a Tiny Percentage of Our Oil Needs. Natural Resources and Defense Council.
Snow, Nick. OGJ Washington Editor. DOI propose arctic-specific drilling regulates for Alaska OCS. Oil & Gas Journal. 20 Feb 2015.
2014 Arctic Sea Ice Minimum Sixth Lowest on Record.(Video) NASA. NASA.GOV 17 Sept. 2014. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.
Beinecke, F. Four Years after BP Oil Disaster Many Lessons Remain Unlearned. Natural Resources Defense Council Staff Blog. 18 April. 2014.
US Gov Fact Sheets. (2015). BOEM: Oil and Gas Facts Sheets.
Nicholas, T. And Sharp, C. Saving the Arctic: The Expedition. Greenpeace USA. 12 February. 2012.
Plaugic, L. The US proposes the first Arctic-specific federal regulations for oil and gas drilling. The Verge Magazine. 21 February. 2015. 
Atkin, E. White House Proposes First Ever For Oil Drilling In The Arctic. Climate Progress. Thinkprogress.org. 22 February. 2015.

 


Dear [president],


Thank you for recently make the first-ever drilling regulation in the Arctic, but it isn't enough action to prevent what will happen to the whole north hemisphere if we allow it. The Arctic Ocean should be addressed as a national area, and must be untouched and protected from harmful companies. For this happen we urge the President, BOEM and EPA to take our demands that not only the Arctic is endanger but the entire world and wildlife too if we do not change. If the demands aren’t met we should enforce higher safety regulations with a clear and an extensive precise backup plan for any future accidents, not the same plan they used in the past oil spills.  This petition is the voice of Americans to show the government that the future generation is entitle to protect whats necessary before it's ruined. Since the upcoming generation will be the ones becoming decision makes, take payers, and law abiding citizens. We citizens should have a first priority on deciding whether we allow these companies cause damages that will be left for centuries after we die. The consequences are endless, but showing the public and the government that we have the power to take action against this by starting now.


The article Fighting Drilling in the Arctic, National Wildlife Refuge “In 2012 Shell Oil’s “state of the art” Arctic Ocean drilling operation faced a string of malfunctions, equipment damage, the collapse of a spill-containment dome and complete loss of control of its drill rig.  And still, its drilling operation is only on temporary hold.  We recognize that the Shell company is beginning to drill July of 2015.  The Obama administration is even considering additional lease sales in the Arctic Ocean in 2017.” We have a short few years to stop this before its too late, we urge this to be stopped.


 


Sincerely,


Victoria Ramos


 

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