SEATTLE — The Bush administration’s authorization of a major new offshore oil drilling program in the Arctic Ocean was dealt a serious setback Thursday when a federal appeals court ruled the plan did not adequately consider the impact on bowhead whales and the native villagers who make their living from the frigid coastal waters.
Ruling on the first of several major new projects for tapping oil and gas deposits from the Arctic floor, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the federal government should have prepared a more exhaustive environmental review before concluding that harm to whales, caribou and other Arctic wildlife either would be insignificant or could be mitigated.
In a 2-1 decision, the court ordered the federal Minerals Management Agency to prepare a more thorough review, a decision that likely puts the offshore exploration plan up for new consideration under the administration of Barack Obama.
