The Obama administration is blocking new oil and gas
drilling in the Arctic Ocean, handing a victory to environmentalists who say
industrial activity in the icy waters will harm whales, walruses and other
wildlife and exacerbate global warming.

A five-year offshore drilling plan announced today blocks
planned sale of new oil and gas drilling rights in the Chukchi and Beaufort
seas north of Alaska. The plan allows drilling to go forward in Alaska’s Cook
Inlet southwest of Anchorage.

The blueprint for drilling from 2017 to 2022 can be
rewritten by President-elect Donald Trump, in a process that could take months
or years.

Besides Cook Inlet, the plan also allows drilling in the
Gulf of Mexico, long the center of US offshore oil production.

Ten of the 11 lease sales proposed in the five-year plan are
in the Gulf, mostly off the coasts of Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and
Alabama.

Confirming a decision announced this spring, the five-year
plan also bars drilling in the Atlantic Ocean.

“The plan focuses lease sales in the best places –
those with the highest resource potential, lowest conflict and established
infrastructure – and removes regions that are simply not right to lease,”
said Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

“Given the unique and challenging Arctic environment
and industry’s declining interest in the area, forgoing lease sales in the
Arctic is the right path forward,” Jewell said.

Industry representatives reacted bitterly, calling the
decision political and not supported by the facts.

“The arrogance of the decision is unfathomable, but
unfortunately not surprising,” said Randall Luthi, president of the
National Ocean Industries Association, an industry group.

“Once again, we see the attitude that Washington knows
best an attitude that contributed to last week’s election results,” Luthi
said, referring to Trump’s surprise victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

More than 70 percent of Alaskans, including a majority of
Alaska Natives, support offshore drilling, Luthi said, as do the state’s three
Republican members of Congress.

Jacqueline Savitz, senior vice president of Oceana, an
environmental group, hailed the announcement and praised Obama and Jewell for
“protecting our coasts from dirty and dangerous offshore drilling.” 

The announcement “demonstrates a commitment to
prioritizing common sense, economics and science ahead of industry favoritism
and politics as usual,” Savitz said.

Nearly 400 scientists signed a letter this summer urging
Obama to eliminate the possibility of Arctic offshore drilling.