Susan Murray on drill explorations in the Arctic Ocean

Susan Murray, deputy vice president, Pacific, Oceana

Given the disastrous attempt to drill exploration wells in the Arctic Ocean in 2012, the new Secretary should suspend all activities on Arctic Ocean leases and undertake a thorough, independent assessment of what went wrong and how decisions were made to allow such risky activity. The Secretary should focus on comprehensive planning for the Arctic that includes identifying important ecological areas, demonstrating response capability, and fairly balancing risks and benefits.