Yet, here we are, with people and the government unable to stop furloughs, job losses, and lower revenue to keep the government functioning. Our public lands have certainly not been spared from this indiscriminate budget ax.
In a clear concession that no oil company is a match for Arctic weather, Shell's president Marvin Odum announced on Feb. 27 that Shell will "pause" it's exploratory drilling operations for the year.
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.
After a year of set-backs and accidents by Royal Dutch Shell, the Arctic Ocean got a welcome break when the company announced it will not drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean in 2013.
In late 2012, the BLM released a draft amendment to the existing management plan that would dramatically increase the scope and intensity of oil and gas development in the region.
The last four years have been incredibly important for oil and gas drilling on America’s wild public lands. Gone are the unbridled – and often illegal – leasing extravaganzas of the Bush administration that threatened millions of acres of wild lands.
On Sunday, February 17, thousands of Americans will head to Washington, D.C. to make Forward on Climate the largest climate rally in history. Join this historic event to make your voice heard and help the president start his second term with strong climate action.
