Shell Oil is gambling on a plan to drill in the rough waters of the Arctic this summer — and America's threatened polar bears stand to lose big.
It's been 26 years since the Exxon Valdez ran aground off Alaska's coast, creating an environmental catastrophe that still lingers today. Yet Shell Oil still refuses to acknowledge the unacceptable risks associated with Arctic drilling.
Scientists say that there is a 75 percent chance of a major oil spill if Shell's plans proceed. During a 2012 attempt to drill in these waters, Shell's rig broke free and ran aground. And the company's best plan for oil containment was “crushed like a beer can” in tests.
The polar bears who rely on these waters to survive are already imperiled. Drilling operations could be disastrous. Not only would the new operation deepen America's addiction to oil and gas that is fueling habitat-destroying climate change. It would also risk poisoning polar bears with toxic oil in the likely event of a spill.
Tell President Obama that we can't risk the lives of polar bears and other wildlife for the sake of more profits of another oil company. Please sign the petition now.
Dear President Obama,
I strongly urge you to direct federal agencies to stop Shell Oil's plans to drill in the Arctic Ocean this summer.
Not only would Shell's operation deepen America's addiction to oil and gas that is fueling destructive climate, it also poses an unacceptably high risk of a cataclysmic oil spill.
Your own scientists admit that there is a 75 percent chance of a major oil spill if Shell's plans proceed. During a 2012 attempt to drill in these waters, Shell's rig broke free and ran aground. And the company's best plan for oil containment was “crushed like a beer can” in tests.
Such a spill would be disastrous for polar bears and other Arctic wildlife. Oiled bears can lose their insulation against the cold, causing them to freeze to death. Toxic oil in their fur can poison them or make swimming difficult, causing them to drown.
A spill could also wreck fisheries and kill other Arctic wildlife, as occurred in the wake of the Exxon Valdez spill and the 2010 BP oil disaster.
[Your comments]
The risk is simply too great. Please do whatever you can to stop Shell's latest gamble for profits and protect the Arctic's unique and important wildlife.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
