Sensitive Alaska wetlands spared from drilling plan -- for now

When Teshekpuk Comes to Shove

In good news for conservationists, the Department of Interior has announced willingness to exclude the sensitive Teshekpuk Lake wetlands from a region of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska that it wants to open to oil and natural-gas drilling. The move has little to do with concern for ecosystem health and much to do with getting the drilling plan past the U.S. District Court of Alaska that blocked the lease sale earlier this month; the court said the feds hadn't adequately assessed the environmental impact of the proposed drilling. DOI is asking the court to allow a sale of nearly 8 million acres to go forward next week, while 373,000 acres near the lake -- which the feds believe may harbor 2 billion barrels of oil -- undergo further environmental review. The Teshekpuk Lake area is a major stopping point for migratory birds and caribou. The Bush administration now must wait for the court's decision on this latest plan.

straight to the source: Reuters, Tom Doggett, 23 Sep 2006

straight to the source: Anchorage Daily News, Associated Press, H. Josef Hebert, 23 Sep 2006

straight to the source: Bloomberg News Service, Jim Efstathiou Jr., 22 Sep 2006

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Comments: (2 comments)

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Who doesn't buy soap?

Actually, there are probably some Grist readers who make their own.

But all the rest of us should concede it's a product made by somebody else for a profit. And if someone either makes a bit more $, or saves the consumer a bit, by putting it in a smaller, more environmentally friendly box, then that's greenwashing I can applaud.

Tom Belford TheAgitator.net

by tbelford at 4:55 PM on 25 Sep 2006

Wal-mart

I am excited the Wal-mart has promised to reduce packaging. However, I am sure the suppliers of small electronics will maintain their stance on oversized packaging to thwart theft. But it's a good start to reduce waste...or...increase the selling of more goods by increasing their shelf space. In the end...does the enviroment benefit?

A good question??

Wal-mart does good in their compliance with other political leadership to appease the public, but it's hard not to see the CEO and his chronies are motivated by bottom line. They are a very smart business and could be used as a model for success, but the ethics and morality values are falling way short of thier stock quote.

by maidenamerica71 at 5:05 AM on 26 Sep 2006

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