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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Smoke blankets Rogue Valley as Stouts fire grows to 8,500 acres ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: Missing Jon Stewart ... Ticket Availability ... Smoke blankets Rogue Valley as Stouts fire grows to 8,500 acres ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: Missing Jon Stewart ... Ticket Availability ... COMMENTARY Chris Honoré: The kayaktivists versus Shell Comment By Chris Honoré DailyTidings.com By Chris Honoré Posted Jun. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Chris Honoré Posted Jun. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Perhaps you’ve seen the images of Seattle’s harbor filled with a rainbow of kayakers (called “kayaktivists”),  protesting the presence of Shell Gulf of Mexico’s ships moored nearby. To the profound dismay of environmentalists, the Obama administration recently gave conditional approval to the petroleum company to begin drilling in the Arctic waters of the Chuckchi Sea, an unforgiving area of heavy weather and icy waters. Federal scientists believe the region could hold up to 15 billion barrels of oil. For years environmentalists have insisted that oil companies be denied access to those waters, arguing that a drilling accident could have a more devastating impact on the fragile ecology of the area than the 2010 BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 men and released millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf. Shell, of course, is eager to get underway, reassuring all parties, including the Interior Department, that the company can execute the project safely. This is the point where cognitive dissonance comes into play. Words like “Seriously?” and “Really?” come to mind. According to the New York Times, “the closest Coast Guard station with equipment for responding to a spill is over 1,000 miles away. The weather is extreme, with major storms, icy waters and waves up to 50 feet high. The sea is also a major migration route and feeding area for marine mammals, including bowhead whales and walruses.” Administration officials insist all measures have been put into effect to ensure the drilling will be closely monitored. But according to the environmental group Oceana, “Shell has not shown that it is prepared to operate responsibly in the Arctic Ocean, and neither the company nor our government has been willing to fully and fairly evaluate the risks of Shell’s proposal.” There’s more. What the administration is ignoring, for reasons that are inexplicable, is that Shell was granted a permit to explore offshore Arctic drilling in the summer of 2012. However, that attempt was fraught with disaster. The Times reports the company experienced numerous problems. “Two of its oil rigs ran aground and had to be towed to safety …” At that time, the Interior Department concluded that Shell had failed a spectrum of basic operational tasks and management oversight. The petroleum company grudgingly acknowledged that it was unprepared for the challenges inherent in Arctic waters drilling. And yet the department is now satisfied that Shell’s new proposal has addressed all environmental and safety concerns. No more grounding of oil rigs. Promise. Regarding spills, well, measures are now in place for containment. After all, drilling will be limited to very shallow waters — no more than 140 feet — so no worries. BP was drilling in really deep water. Good to know. Buttressing a rising sense of cognitive dissonance is the fact that this oil should be left in the ground. As recently reported by NOAA, we just reached 400 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere for all of March, the first time in recorded history this has occurred. Expect whiplash weather (drought, rain, tornados), exacerbated by global warming. Now consider the pipeline owned by Plains All American off the California coast near Santa Barbara. Two weeks ago, a newer pipeline, constructed with no automatic shut-off valve, ruptured, releasing some 100,000 gallons of crude oil into the water. Oil has been washing up on Refugio State Beach and beyond, covering a fragile ecosystem with a black, sludgy sheen, soaking/killing the marine wildlife that inhabits the area, including pelicans and seals. According to news reports, Plains All American has been responsible for 175 spill incidents nationwide since 2006, including 11 in California. The cleanup continues and the impact on the environment is still being assessed. But then BP’s spill in the Gulf has yet to be fully evaluated in terms of its impact on the ecology of the vast area and on the businesses that rely on the waters for a living. Disregard the happy-meal spin BP has put on the outcome thus far. All things considered, is there anything Shell could say that would reassure? Not a word. Not a sentence. The kayaktivists have it just right. Chris Honoré lives in Ashland. By Chris Honoré DailyTidings.com By Chris Honoré Posted Jun. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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