WASHINGTON (June 28, 2012) – Today, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar released the long-awaited 5-Year Program for Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Development for 2012-2017, including plans for the Arctic Ocean. The National Audubon Society has the following response:

“Currently there is no demonstrated ability to clean up oil in icy Arctic Ocean conditions. A major spill in the Arctic Ocean would make responding to the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster look easy,” said Taldi Walter, Audubon’s assistant director of government relations. “Moreover, the Arctic Ocean is one of the least-understood ecosystems on the planet even as it is home to iconic wildlife like polar bears, whales, walrus and countless migratory birds. By pushing ahead with even more aggressive leasing and drilling in the Arctic Ocean, the new plan fails to appropriately recognize either of these basic problems.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Audubon comments on the draft 5-Year Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program (for 2012-2017): http://ak.audubon.org/sites/default/files/documents/1-9-12_final_deis_comment_package.pdf

For maps and information on birds, wildlife, sea ice, and human uses, see Audubon Alaska’s ARCTIC MARINE ATLAS: http://ak.audubon.org/arctic-marine-synthesis-atlas-chukchi-and-beaufort-seas