This article, written by John M. Broder of the New York Times,
Shell seeks to weaken air rules for Arctic drilling discusses the oil company, Shell, pleading to the Environmental Protection Agency. Shell is asking the E.P.A to loosen air pollution requirements for their Discover drill rig. Shell is also asking for a modification to an air permit for their Kulluk drill ship. Shell claims that their Discover rig can not meet the certain air quality requirement set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Photo Source (Associated Press;http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/shell-seeks-to-weaken-air-rules-for-arctic-drilling/?ref=greenhousegasemissions)
Should the E.P.A lower air quality requirements for shell so they can drill in the Arctic? Are there other ways around this issue than lowering requirements of permits? Could this lead to more and more oil companies asking for a lowering of their air quality permit?
This article reminds me of Kuletz's book on nuclear testing sights. Though the connection is very slight, both the book and this article discuss a crucial theme. On page 104, in Tainted Desert, Kuletz writes, "If the mountain cannot be verified as safe by scientific experts, the policy makers will bend science to its will, making it safe by changing the criteria for safety, by changing the radiation levels considered safe for human beings." This relates to this article because in both situations, companies are trying to change safety criteria for their own, selfish purposes. Air pollution will be worsened in this case, as the health of human beings will be exacerbated in the book. People will do what they need to do for money, even if it hurts the world around them. It's terrible.
ReplyDeleteEnvironmental questions like this are always very complex. Ideally, Shell would find a way to meet the air quality standards set by the EPA. However, because the arctic does not have a consistent national border, it would technically be possible for Shell to simply ignore US jurisdiction and approve the project from a different country. It is for this reason international treaties like the Kyoto treaty are useful for things that impact the entire planet.
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