Feds say Chukchi Approval is part of their, "...all-of-the-above energy strategy to expand safe and responsible domestic energy production. ...   Under the permit..., Shell will be allowed to begin certain preparatory activities in the Chukchi Sea that will increase overall safety."  BSEE inspectors will be present on the Noble Discoverer to provide continuous oversight and monitoring of all approved activities. BSEE safety experts have already conducted thorough and comprehensive inspections of the drillship and Shell’s response equipment.  (ADN Story Here). Many Current Events Are Connected In Ways That Affect Economies and Energy Investments In [...]

Bureaucrats Plan to Execute the Beringia Treaty This Month Without Senate Ratification As the Congress Ignores Another Erosion of Its Constitutional Responsibility   Commentary by Dave Harbour According to our reliable Wikipedia source, "A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations.  A treaty may also be known as an international  agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms. Regardless of terminology, all of these forms of agreements are, under international law, equally considered treaties and the rules are the same."   Properly following the treaty process is [...]

A Shameful Management of the Country's Resources   The Obama Administration is again considering use/misuse of the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, designed to be used in a national emergency.  The average price per barrel paid for the SPR oil is less than $30.  Today's price hovers around $100.  (Could the real motivation be arbitrage?) At the same time, this month the Obama Administration announced the BLM plans to essentially lock up the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) at the same time the USFWS hopes to recommend wilderness designations for the approved oil [...]

ADN by Becky Bohrer.  Battle Lines Drawn Over Coastal Management Bloomberg News:  Alaska Governor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) asked U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar (NGP Photo) to help expedite an Army Corps of Engineers decision on permits to develop the state’s Point Thomson oil and gas field after it was delayed.   No More Dithering, Feds: Let Shell Move Forward Now      By   Senator Cathy Giessel Alaska State Legislature (See our earlier commentary)   Some of us in Alaska have been as attuned to Shell’s offshore drilling plans as we [...]