Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) — President Barack Obama says experts have concluded that Royal Dutch Shell has developed strong safeguards to undertake offshore oil exploration in Arctic waters.
Obama says his administration delayed Shell's application for exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea northwest of Alaska until it could provide necessary assurances. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the company's plan Monday after reviewing thousands of comments from the public, Alaska Native organizations, and state and federal agencies.
Obama says he is committed to reducing carbon emissions. But he says consumers will still need fossil fuels during a transition to other energy sources.
He says he would rather rely on oil and gas extracted in the U.S. under federal regulations than from foreign sources.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
