There is a 75 percent chance that one or more large oil spills will occur if Shell's Arctic drilling plans get approved.
That's right, a 75 percent chance! This is according to the Obama administration's own study. Once the oil is spilled, hundreds of miles of sea ice, dark winters, and the harsh cold will make an oil spill nearly impossible to clean up. The administration also admits that drilling "could result in the loss of large numbers of polar bears."
The government is seeking comments right now about the environmental risks associated Shell's plans for oil and gas drilling in the Chukchi Sea.
Tell the administration to halt drilling in the Arctic once and for all.
Dear Acting Director Walter Cruickshank,
According to the administration's own report about the environmental impacts of gas and oil drilling in the Chukchi Sea there is a 75% chance of an oil spill disaster.
In 2012, Shell's oil drilling season failed dramatically when one of its drilling rigs ran aground off of Kodiak Island, Alaska. The drilling rig's critical oil spill containment dome was crushed like a "beer can" during testing and both of its drilling rigs came under federal investigation.
Based on Shell Oil's disastrous track record and according to the government's own report -- it's not if an oil spill will happen, but when. If we want to protect our iconic wildlife and our sensitive ecosystems, we should not to drill in America's Arctic.
The administration cannot continue to push an outdated and dangerous 'all of the above' energy strategy, encouraging mega oil companies to take ever increasing risks to capture the last of the oil, hastening dangerous global climate change and putting the Arctic and the iconic wildlife that call it home in peril.
If we are serious about addressing climate change safeguarding America's Arctic Ocean from oil and gas drilling would be a tremendous step forward.
I am urging you to take a big step toward a clean energy future and declare Arctic drilling 'off limits' forever. Lease 193 cannot, in the face of all the evidence about the dangers of Arctic drilling and climate change, be allowed to go forward.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
