Bush officials say oil drilling will not harm polar bears

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US officials defended plans for oil drilling in the Chukchi Sea off northwestern Alaska, telling lawmakers that it would not harm polar bears, already threatened by global warming.

Randall Luthi, director of the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service, which sells oil drilling rights, told Congress Thursday that the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act provides adequate safeguards to polar bears from oil exploration accidents such as oil spills.


In addition, he said, contracts with oil companies include measures to minimize the impact such activities can have on the polar bear population.

“We believe adequate protection exists,” he told the House of Representatives special committee on global warming.

The US government estimates crude oil reserves under the Chukchi Sea at 15 billion barrels.

AFP