The prospect of oil exploration this summer in Alaska’s northernmost waters is triggering calls for Washington to take a more comprehensive international leadership role in managing a new era of economic, military and scientific development in the Arctic.
With Royal Dutch Shell PLC expected to receive final permits in the coming days to explore for oil and gas in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, drilling supporters and critics say Washington must finally make Arctic policy a top national priority.
Alaska lawmakers and energy companies want streamlined ground rules for development and more funding for infrastructure and national security. Environmentalists advocate more explicit protections for the region’s sensitive ecosystems and the Native communities’ subsistence lifestyles.
