Defenders of Wildlife Blog

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the third bill in a series of three fast-track drilling pieces that favors Big Oil profits over safety of coastal communities and environments. H.R. 1231, “The Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act,” is a massive handout to the oil and gas industry. This legislation forces the federal government to take on 50% of the cost of seismic testing for oil and would require the administration to open up coastal and Arctic offshore drilling areas regardless of economic or environmental consequences. These areas would include the coasts of California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and the fragile Arctic marine ecosystem off the coast of Alaska.

H.R. 1231 does not solve our gas price problem, but it does put at risk hundreds of thousands of jobs that rely on clean coastal waters. It also threatens thousands of miles of coastal habitat and exposes countless bird and marine species to the dangers of offshore drilling.

Rodger Schlickeisen, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife said,  “The House today rewarded Big Oil for carelessly causing the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. After deliberately weakening safety practices on offshore drilling rigs only yesterday, the House’s vote to open America’s most fragile and beloved coasts to polluting drill rigs adds insult to injury.

“The House of Representatives had three chances to prove to the American public that it had their interests at heart, but instead chose to vote for Big Oil each time.”

“Big Oil has hit a trifecta this week. The House of Representatives had three chances to prove to the American public that it had their interests at heart, but instead chose to vote for Big Oil each time. By now there can be no doubt that the House majority’s interests lie not with what is good for the country but what is good for the wealthy and polluting oil industry.”

Learn more:

Congress is suffering from oil disaster amnesia – read about the first reckless drilling bill to pass the House and the second that fast-tracks the permitting process and eliminates environmental and safety considerations.

See how Defenders is working to protect America’s coasts from the dangers of offshore drilling.

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the second in a series of three fast-track drilling bills that imposes arbitrarily rushed permitting deadlines that would force the Secretary of the Interior to approve or deny drilling permits within 30 days, and automatically approve within 60 days.

H.R. 1229, ironically called “Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work,” eliminates important safety and environmental considerations and gives experts far too little time to adequately evaluate the safety and environmental implications of drilling – exactly the type of reckless protocol that contributed to the disastrous BP Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Rodger Schlickeisen, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife said, “This bill should more accurately be called, ‘Pandering to Big Oil Interests at the Expense of Coastal Economies and the Environment.’ By fast-tracking the important review process, the bill puts at risk the very fishermen, restaurant and hotel owners, and coastal communities, wildlife and habitat still reeling from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.

“Instead of lowering the bar for Big Oil, Congress should be working to safeguard those jobs and the healthy environment on which they depend.

“Instead of lowering the bar for Big Oil, Congress should be working to safeguard those jobs and the healthy environment on which they depend. Congress should pass legislation that ensures safer operations in any water depth, provides better spill response, lifts the existing liability cap and secures funding for restoration efforts in the Gulf.”

A vote on the last bill of this reckless drilling suite is expected this week. H.R. 1231 requires the administration to open up coastal and Arctic offshore drilling areas regardless of economic or environmental consequences.

Learn more:

Congress is suffering from oil disaster amnesia – read about the first reckless drilling bill to pass the House.

See how Defenders is working to protect America’s coasts from the dangers of offshore drilling.

A recent oil spill off of Norway's coast shows how difficult - if not impossible - it would be to clean up a spill in Alaska's waters.

Even as Republicans in Congress continue to do Big Oil’s bidding, YOU joined more than 250,000 people from across the country to demand that oil companies keep out of America’s Arctic Ocean.

Earlier this week, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) introduced legislation that would waive environmental laws – even as we continue to clean up the largest manmade environmental disaster in U.S. history – and force the Obama administration to allow risky drilling in the Arctic Ocean. Meanwhile, more than 250,000 people called for no leases sales in the Arctic’s Chukchi and Beaufort Seas in the nation’s 2012-2017 offshore drilling plan during a public comment period that ended today.

Many cited the lack of science and the inability to clean up an oil spill in Arctic waters as reasons why the federal government cannot include lease sales in Arctic waters in the new five-year plan. Currently, there is no proven way to clean up an oil spill in the Arctic’s extreme conditions. In addition, there is a serious lack of scientific data on the Arctic, which is often called “the least understood area in the world.”

“Americans have spoken loud and clear, and safeguarding the pristine Arctic Ocean has come out ahead of embarking on a potentially devastating search for oil.”

Defenders’ offshore drilling expert Richard Charter said, “Americans have spoken loud and clear, and safeguarding the pristine Arctic Ocean has come out ahead of embarking on a potentially devastating search for oil. The risk of another massive oil disaster such as the one that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico less than a year ago – or worse, is simply too great to hand over the keys to an industry looking to make a profit at any cost.”

Keep drilling out of Alaska's Beaufort Sea (Photo courtesy of NOAA)

America’s Arctic Ocean is a national treasure. Home to many of our nation’s most beloved wildlife species – polar bears, walrus, ice seals, bowhead whales, beluga whales and more – these Arctic waters are the “garden” for the Inupiat people of Alaska’s Arctic coast. This fragile and abundant marine environment is under great stress from the impacts of climate change – the Arctic is projected to be free of summer sea-ice by 2030. With so much at stake, the federal government must not allow a headlong rush into risky drilling in America’s Arctic Ocean.

Learn more:

See how Defenders is working to protect wildlife and natural habitats from the dangers of offshore drilling.

Didn’t get the chance to speak up? You can still help! Call the White House and let the president know that you OPPOSE drilling off American coasts.

Norway's Coast Guard says they are learning how to best clean up the oil as they go.

Conditions in the Arctic Ocean can be a challenge, to say the least. From subzero temperatures, days of near-complete darkness, broken sea ice and 20-foot swell-conjuring storms, it is an environment unsuitable for much, let alone oil and gas drilling. Defenders has been fighting efforts to open up Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas for exactly this reason: an oil spill would devastate the fragile ecosystem supported in these waters, and despite the oil and gas industry’s feeble attempts to argue otherwise, the technology to clean up a such a spill doesn’t even exist.

And now we have proof. On February 17, an Icelandic oil tanker ran aground on the Southern Norwegian coast and began leaking heavy oil into surrounding waters. Greenpeace reports that cleanup operations are underway, but have been difficult due to ice covering the area. Frieda Bengtsson, an oceans campaigner for the group who spent time at the site last week with the Norwegian Coast Guard, told Alaska Public Radio Network that it’s shocking how slow the cleanup process is, and that two days of snowfall made it impossible to find much of the oil.

Sea ice renders this boom useless in Norwegian waters

Tragically, the spill occurred close to Norway’s Ytre Hvaler national park – the country’s only national marine reserve. An area rich in wildlife and coldwater coral reefs, already birds, seal pups and other animals have been impacted by the oil. To make matters worse, Bengtsson says the cold weather is making it difficult to handle sea birds that have been affected.

Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas are too rich with life to risk a spill such as this or one of even greater proportions. Defenders will continue to fight efforts to open these Arctic treasures to the devastating consequences of oil and gas drilling.

Learn more:

Take action! Click here to see how you can help stop the next offshore oil disaster.

See how Defenders is working to protect fragile Arctic ecosystems from the dangers of offshore drilling.

As part of my job at Defenders, I continue to learn about the myriad tools we all have to help make wildlife management work in good times, and during crises like oil spills. I made a commitment after the heart-breaking BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico to be a better citizen by becoming a certified Wildlife Sea Otter Responder. Recently, on a clear, crisp, cold Saturday, about 40 of us gathered in a windowless training room to spend the day with trainers from International Wildlife Research (IWR), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Sea Life Center and the Alyeska/SERVS to get a first-hand look at what it takes to be a certified responder.

Sea otters are unique among arctic marine mammals since they rely on the thickness and distinctive make-up of their fur, rather than blubber, to keep them warm or cool and dry. They live in sea-ice covered coastal areas and spend considerable time floating on their backs, often eating shellfish or nursing and caring for their pups that, unlike the young of other aquatic mammals like seals, cannot swim when first born.

Most of us hope we never get that call to respond, because doing so would mean heartbreak and tragedy for sea otters, other marine life and coastal communities.

Sea otters require very specific round-the-clock care when oiled. Their survival and return to the wild depend heavily on certified Wildlife Sea Otter Responders both knowing their jobs and doing them correctly – the first time and every time.

The IWR team that leads these trainings includes scientists, veterinarians and wildlife specialists with expertise and real world experience in the care and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife. In fact, many of them are actual veterans of the infamous Exxon Valdez Spill in Prince William Sound in 1989. IWR has provided expertise for preparing and executing oil spill response operations for sea otters and other marine and land mammals for over 15 years.

Karla Dutton and vet tech Willow are demonstrating the proper taping technique to put on XL-sized protective equipment.

As I embarked on the 9-hour training, I was struck by not only the complexity of the course, but also the very real and serious commitment I was making by being there. After much coffee, careful listening to lectures and participating in a number of team problem-solving sessions, we were deemed ready for any oil spill emergency that might come our way. As a result, I now have my certificate and am on the national register of first responders.

The course and the online training and exam are well worth your time if you feel motivated to be part of a group who could be called in to help wildlife in an oil spill someday. Most of us hope we never get that call to respond, because doing so would mean heartbreak and tragedy for sea otters, other marine life and coastal communities. But 40 more people are now prepared if the phone rings.

Learn more about sea otters and what Defenders is doing to protect all wildlife  from the threat of oil spills.

Caribou graze on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Is protecting the environment a trend for outgoing politicians?

President Bill Clinton moved to save millions of acres of forests from development when he retired from the Oval Office. Former President George W. Bush protected nearly 200,000 square miles of ocean habitat in the twilight of his administration.

And today, Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who recently announced that he won’t seek reelection in 2012, has introduced a bill aimed at designating the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as Wilderness.

Although this may look like a trend, it isn’t, in fact, all that trendy. For one, Sen. Lieberman doesn’t quite fit the mold (conservation groups have long considered him a champion for the refuge given that he has proposed similar legislation many times before). And for generations, our country’s leaders have defended national treasures in good times and in bad.

For example, past presidents from Theodore Roosevelt on down to Ronald Reagan have set in place policies to protect our country’s wildlife and lands. We owe Teddy our gratitude for designating the first wildlife refuge, and the ol’ Gipper thanks for ensuring that wildlife and habitats get due consideration on our national forests.

The Arctic Refuge Turns 50

Polar bears depend on habitat in the Arctic refuge for survival.

This year, the Arctic refuge — home to polar bears, wolves, great herds of caribou, millions of migratory birds and more — is celebrating its golden anniversary. But after 50 years, this unique place is still not safe from the threat of drilling. Year after year, Big Oil, backed by the best lobbyists money can buy, has pushed to industrialize this special place.

Sen. Lieberman’s latest effort to increase protections for the Arctic refuge’s most sensitive lands has the support of  18 other senators and comes despite the fact that much of Congress appears poised to press for more drilling.

We are not yet so desperate that we must burn our cathedrals for firewood. — The late, great environmentalist, David Brower

The late, great conservationist David Brower, once said: “We are not yet so desperate that we must burn our cathedrals for firewood.” And there’s strong evidence that shows drilling in the Arctic will have neither a real impact on our energy consumption, nor much (if any) effect on gas prices at the pump.

Let’s hope that more of our nation’s leaders get the message.

Take Action

You can help protect the Arctic refuge and the polar bears, arctic foxes and other animals that depend on it for survival.

• Learn more at Defenders’ Action Center
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