EPA Appeals Board Lets Air Quality Permit for Chukchi Drilling Go Through, but New GAO Study Says Government Still Not Adequately Prepared for Arctic Offshore Spill

The air quality permits for Shell Oil’s Chukchi Sea drilling plans have passed muster with an appeals board of the Environmental Protection Agency.  A similar appeal that was granted was what stopped Shell from drilling there last season.

Shortly after news of the unsuccessful appeal came out, Representatives Henry Waxman and Ed Markey released a critical study of the Interior Department’s oil spill prevention and management capabilities by the Government Accountability Office that said there are still spill risks that have not been adequately addressed, especially in Arctic waters.