Seattle Bay Filled With Kayaktivists Protesting Shell Arctic Drilling

More than 200 environmentalists calling themselves “kayaktivists” held a water-borne protest in Seattle’s Elliott Bay in an effort to persuade Royal Dutch Shell to abandon plans to make a second foray to into Arctic Ocean to conduct exploratory drilling for oil and gas. But Shell says its mind is made up.

The May 16 protest, lightheartedly called the “Paddle in Seattle,” was held in one of the city’s parks and in the nearby Bay not far from where the drilling rig Polar Pioneer is docked, while Shell awaits the final permits to begin the trip north.

The protesters, singing and otherwise clearly enjoying themselves, displayed signs reading, “Shell No, Seattle Draws the Line” and “Oil-Free Future.” Others bore Shell’s logo situated over crossed kayak paddles to evoke the image of the skull and crossbones.

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The protest seemed to include people from the entire spectrum of the Seattle area, which is known for embracing environmental causes. Among those present to oppose Shell’s drilling plans were the city’s mayor, Ed Murray, and the City Council.

One protester was Eric Day of the Swinomish tribe of western Washington State, who like many other Native Americans, brought his canoe to take part in the demonstration. Day said it’s important for all industries, including energy companies, to respect the livelihoods of those who rely on the environment for their subsistence.

“This is our livelihood,” he told The Associated Press. “We need to protect it for the crabbers, for the fishermen. We need to protect it for our children.”

That didn’t convince Curtis Smith, a spokesman for the Anglo-Dutch energy giant, who told Reuters, “The timeline now is just to make sure the rigs are ready to go.” Besides the Polar Pioneer, Shell is bringing in a second rig that’s expected to arrive in Seattle later this week.

On May 11, the U.S. Interior Department ruled that Shell may resume its work in the Chuckchi Sea north of the Bering Strait that separates Alaska and Russia. But the agency said the work, scheduled to begin this summer, can’t proceed until the company earns several federal permits. At that time, Smith said, Shell expects those permits will be issued fairly soon.

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The approval by the Obama administration carries risk. In 2012 Shell was granted a similar exploration permit but faced several procedural and safety problems that led to two of its drilling rigs having to be towed to safety. At the time, Interior criticized Shell’s management for improper supervision of contractors and said it couldn’t resume work there until the problems had been resolved.

Many of the protesters interviewed on May 16 said that despite Shell’s assurances, it’s unlikely that it can ever overcome the harsh weather and rough Arctic waters. They also pointed to the pristine, but fragile environment as another reason that oil drillers should stay away.

And they argue that the Chukchi Sea in particular is an important habitat for whales. One protester, Allison Warden of the Inupiaq Tribe in northern Alaska, said whales, which are vulnerable to oil spills, are a very important source of food for her people.

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“I don’t know what our culture would be without whaling. It’s at the center of everything we do,” she said. “It’s a different relationship than just going to the grocery store. The whale feeds the entire community.”

By Andy Tully of Oilprice.com

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