Right now in Alaska, we have several issues going on that are of great interest in the Bush. First of course is Salmon Fishing. . . This salmon season all across SouthWestern Alaska came a bit slower than expected, but the harvest itself has gone well, except for along the Yukon and Kuskokwim drainage. Personally, I feel like we caught our expectations and hope to catch more once the Coho really start pushing.
Another of the biggest stories out of Alaska is the deployment of two offshore drilling rigs owned/operated by Royal Dutch Shell. They have proposed to do exploratory drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas off the North-West cost of Alaska. This drilling season is already being hampered by larger than "normal amounts of sea ice that even the already familiar shippers are concerned about. But of course everyone has been assured by US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that everything is just fine and that Shell is ready to face the Arctic Ocean, diamond tipped drill bit first of course.
In preparing to do this exploration, Shell was required to obtain a multitude of permits from various federal agencies. Foremost in those permits is the Clean Air Permit issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Of the two drill rig ships, the Kulluk and the Noble Discoverer, neither has met the requirements of the already issued permits. To me, this is sort of like giving someone a driver's license on the "promise" that they will figure out how to drive under the present laws... but wait, Shell has said that they intend to "lobby to make changes to the permitting system".
So the 16 year old driver gets the DMV to make it alright to drive on the sidewalk or do donuts in the middle of the road, while everyone else has to follow the rules.
So, where do our elected leaders stand on this issue? As you may already know, the Shell operations were pandered to the White House and the EPA by our Democratic Senator, Mark Begich. I believe it's fair to say that he's all for whatever Shell wants to do. Our other Senator, Republican Lisa Murkowski (in cahoots with Washington Representative Doc Hastings is focused on making sure that Shell is protected by American law enforcement agencies from environmentalist groups like Greenpeace.
The pair of lawmakers say Greenpeace's activities "threaten the safety
of offshore drilling operations and the workers." And the work could
unfairly limit Shell's work in an already short summer drilling season,
they note. I find it incredulous that a elected representative would take position with a foreign corporation over the concerns of American citizens. In fact, our Governor, Sean Parnell directed the Department of Law to sue the federal government to adapt fuel standards for arctic transport ships essentially negating the requirement to use low-sulfur emitting fuels. Yet another example of how the elected representatives of We The People have chosen to pander for foreign corporations over the best benefit of their own people.
Furthermore, what's the deal with Representative Hastings anyway? Here's a guy that should be focusing on the issues of Washington State and staying out of Alaska's business. This same legislator has already shown unwaivering support for the development of the proposed Pebble Project in South-West Alaska. I guess the ole' adage of follow the money must apply here.
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/shell-offshore-drilling-vessel-noble-discoverer-drifts-near-shore-unalaska
http://www.themudflats.org/2012/07/15/shell-drill-ship-runs-aground/
http://www.adn.com/2012/07/12/2540495/shell-looks-for-change-in-permit.html
http://www.adn.com/2012/07/13/2541301/lawmakers-question-why-greenpeace.html
http://www.adn.com/2012/07/07/2534935/mr-president-arctic-drilling-is.html
http://www.adn.com/2012/07/14/2542245/alaska-sues-feds-over-ship-fuel.html