Another step toward Chukchi drilling

According to APRN, and many other sources this morning, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued a draft air quality permit for Shell oil company's efforts to drill offshore exploratory wells in the Chukchi Sea. This granted permit is one of the last hurdles for Shell, which plans to drill up to 3 wells next summer in open water. If you're pressed for time, listen to APRN's brief report, here. Reuters has a longer report centered on Shell's statement about the new permit. The company press release says that Shell is pleased about the tentative permit approval, but it says that the length of the process that lies ahead may yet prevent exploratory drilling next summer. Read more, here. The Anchorage Daily News has a brief on the announcement, including a useful bit about a public comment meeting in Barrow, which Wainwright, Point Lay, Point Hope and Atqasuk can participate in via teleconference. The conference is set for Feb. 16, one day before the public comment period for the draft permit is set to end. Read more, here. Sen. Mark Begich's press release on the EPA's announcement can be found, here. And, read a press release from the Coast Guard, which plans to establish a safety zone around Shell's drilling ship "when it is anchored on location for exploratory drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas between July and October 2010." Read the whole release, here, including where to register a comment. We're not sure, but that last part implies to Alaska Beat that on-schedule drilling is a foregone conclusion.