The U.S. Coast Guard began multi-day investigatory hearings on May 20 into Royal Dutch Shell's drilling rig the Kulluk, which went aground near Kodiak Island, Alaska, last New Year’s Eve.

The Forest Service proposed a ban last year on horizontal drilling, also known as fracking. Their decision will determine how this forest is managed for at least the next decade.

In April, after hearing from fellow rangers in western parks about how drilling is infringing upon national parks, Ranger Ellis Richards created 

This is wonderful news for one of the most sensitive and remote environments in the world, and it comes only after oil companies were humbled by Arctic weather conditions last year.