Concerns about oil and gas drilling in the Arctic were raised again this week when the federal government gave Royal Dutch Shell the final permit it needs to drill for oil off Alaska’s northwest coast.
Advertisement
The statement distances the Democratic front-runner from incumbent Barack Obama, who was this week criticised by environmental campaigners as “hypocritical” for allowing drilling to go ahead while also stating that he will call for worldwide cooperation on climate change at an upcoming conference with delegates from Arctic nations.
It said 47 percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters surveyed in a poll this month said they supported Clinton for the party’s nomination, down 9 points since July and marking “the first time her support has dipped below 50 percent in national CNN/ORC polling on the race”.
In terms of the ability to operate in the area, Kish says “we’ve operated on the north slope of Alaska. producing oil for decades”. But with the news yesterday that the Obama administration has given final approval to Shell to drill this summer in the world’s most pristine waters, she must have felt obligated to mention it again. Bernie Sanders have been vocal in their opposition to Keystone, Arctic drilling and other projects deemed risky for the environment. The bureau approved the permit to drill below the ocean floor after the oil giant brought in a required piece of equipment to stop a possible well blowout.
Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club agrees.
But Clinton’s Republican opponents pushed back, working to portray the Democrat as hostile to U.S. energy development.
Clinton has said she won’t take a stance on whether to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada into the U.S., unless the decision is still pending if and when she’s elected.
Advertisement
Clinton is right. After seeing the destruction created by the big oil companies with the Deepwater Horizon spill, it should be self-evident that these corporations can not be trusted with our planet’s most precious treasures. She said she “would really hope” a decision would come soon, adding she felt some responsibility since she was involved in the process earlier.
