Court Suspends Shell's Arctic Oil Drilling Program
AP Via Yahoo:
A federal appeals court has ordered Shell Oil to stop its exploratory drilling program off the north coast of Alaska at least until a hearing in August.
The order, issued Thursday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, comes after the federal Minerals Management Service in February approved Shell's offshore exploration plan for the Beaufort Sea.
Opponents contend that the Minerals Management Service approved Shell's plan without fully considering that a large spill would harm marine mammals, including bowhead and beluga whales. They say polar bears could also be harmed, and they question whether cleaning up a sizable spill would even be possible in the icy waters.
Company officials are obviously disappointed, said Shell spokesman Curtis Smith. Read more...
Impeach Cheney frist!
Impeach deadeye Dickhead first and the stupid Monkey next.
Great news to save our environment.
How about that, a court ruling favoring the environment. What are they, activist judges? Just wait, they'll appeal it to the SCOTUS and those motherfuckers will rule 5-4 in favor of the corporate oil Shell game.
I'm sure oil prices will "surge" on this one.
It don't matter cuz all that Iraqi oil that belongs to us now will start flowing any... day... now...
channeling the spirit of alberto gonzales, this court decision is very quaint.
our foreign policy is dominated by oil, don't think our domestic policy is any different. bush has had NO problem shirking and jiving his way through quaint court rulings before, this one will be no different i predict.
i'm sure some bush political appointee in the EPA, DoD, DOE, etc. will write a brief about how bowhead whales, polar bears, orca's and others just LUV oil. if there is one thing that get's bush off the couch watching the rangers and eating cheeseburger pizza is his dependency on Big Oil.
I was watching an episode of Cops (don't ask why) and they were arresting prostitutes in a sting operation. It was what the officer said to the prostitute that caught my attention.
"You're under arrest for crimes against nature." What?! What do you think of when you hear the phrase "crimes against nature"? It reminds me of a scene from a Michael Moore movie where he asks a police officer to find out who polluted the air and arrest them. The cop was just looking at Michael Moore like he was from outer space.
BP also wants to increase the amount of ammonia and toxic sludge it can dump into Lake Michigan from its Indiana Harbor refinery.
The State of Indiana is (predictably) all for it, citing the creation of 50 jobs at the facility as justification. The surrounding states that share the lake are none to pleased however, and are are expected to challenge the decision at the municipal, state, and federal level.
I think it's a safe bet that the judge who handed down this ruling is not of of the conservative activist ideologue cronies Bush appointed.
Good! I just know it won't last long once the SC gets a hold of this case.
One day there will be nothing left on this earth to rape or pollute or ruin.
The corporations keep the world spinning, big oil will win this one.
Sorry folks.
One day there will be nothing left on this earth to rape or pollute or ruin.******************************************
The earth will (almost)always be here, it's the people on the planet that are in danger of wiping themselves out. No great loss btw.
Oh boo hoo hoo. Oh, oh boohoohoohoohoohoohoo, oh boo hoo hoo hoo, boo hoo hoo hoo. Boo hoo hoohoohoohoohoo, boo hoo hoo.
I'm inconsolable. Boo hoo hoo.
Smack!!!!! Quit raping the earth, Mo-fo's.
said Shell spokesman Curtis Smith.
"But the court has asked for more information, and we will provide it. We will comply with the court order and continue to welcome discussions with the North Slope communities," he said. "Alaska is a long-term investment for Shell."
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Translation = We will go back and talk to shrub, dick, and gonzo, umm, and we'll be back.
You know, for discussions wink wink
That 9th Circuit Court really chaps Cheney's ass. He's probably cleaning his shotgun right now.
hollow victory...big oil runs this country, what they say, goes. gotta keep up appearances for appearances sake.
I think of someone beating up a tree.
More Bush supporters loosing their taste for Kool Aid as the presnit hits a new approval rating low, 25%. http://politicalwire.com/archives/2007/07/23/bush_hits_25_approval.html
PNAAC Minister @ 17:
If the justices suit up as pen raised quail, they will have nothing to worry about. He'll miss.
Exxon still owes Alaska billions of dollars for the Valdez spill. But they fight it every day in court, because every day the delay making payment is a day the get interest on those billions. Eventually, the State of Alaska will lose because of a lack of interest or time causing people to forget.
Yet every year Exxon breaks records for profits, they export as much money, in the form of oil, from the State of Alaska every year as they owe the state.
With things like Exxon's spill, opening ANWR to drilling, and Shell's exploratory drilling the oil corporations only have to win ONCE and its over. The State of Alaska, environmentalists, and subsistence families have to win EVERY SINGLE TIME and it will never end as long as there is oil there.
Score one for the animals in that region.........at least for now.
pissed off patricia @ 23:
The Repugs are trying to score with the animals.
Solar power is so much more practical, and less messy.
Shell spokesman Curtis Smith should have said 'For the time being we will go back to trampling on human rights in Nigeria'
Tough shell. you can go fuck up your own backyard.
Radian @ 9:
A predictably disgusting and irresponsible response from BP (Big Profits). In essence they are saying, we'll just defer the heavy lifting to future generations so we can live well at their expense. I'll tell my daughter to send them a thank you note for their so called concern.
And I guess Shell and their money worshipping syncophants don't want anything to with the real and most effective solution to our energy needs---conservation, and living within our means. Why, that might put a dent in their obscene profit margins. These phonies are great at giving lip service to doing right but develop amnesia when it comes to implement it.
Conyers voice mailbox is full.
Someday, complex hydrocarbons will be made from pig shit, and methane (aka: natural gas) fuel will produced from sewage and other waste sources.
...but someday never comes. :(
Can't we find a way to drill SAFELY without harming the wildlife but still at least ATTEMPTING to rely on our own oil supply?! We let people who hate us control our oil supply, but refuse to force the oil companies to step-up precautions to protect the environment. It makes no sense.
It seems like no one on either side of the political isle can set aside partisanship to do what's best for the country. Period.
Stonicus @ 19:
Or how bout a million of them?
this is excellent news, however I do like to see oil being taken from other sources than the mid east. I think the environment takes precedent over oil, but if they can find a safe way to extract then good for both us and the environment!
If you appreciate the work being done by the lawyers that worked for this injunction, then think about checking out thier website - they are the CRAG Law Center, a non-profit law firm in Portland, OR.
Check it out at www.crag.org
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