On Dec. 16, 2011 the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) gave Shell Oil conditional approval of their Chukchi Sea exploratory drilling plan. The agency directed Shell to shorten the proposed drilling season by 38 days to ensure that, if an accident occurs, they can cap a well blowout and clean up a spill before the sea ice returns. Alaska’s congressional delegation immediately blasted BOEM for being short-sighted. But are they really defending the merits of Shell’s plan or are putting their trust in the oil lobbyist talking points?
