Meanwhile, U.S. imposes limits to Arctic drilling
Just as the Obama administration is set to suspend proposed exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean, Canada intends to search for oil in the eastern Arctic’s Lancaster Sound despite objections that endangered sealife will be put at risk. The federal Geological Survey of Canada will blast underwater air guns to look for oil and natural gas at the eastern entrance of the Northwest Passage this summer, the Toronto Star reports, including in Nunavut, where the government review board turned aside Inuit objections, and those of environmental groups. Lancaster Sound is home to 30 species of fish, and the summer home to one-third of North America’s beluga population, as well as endangered bowhead whales. Hunters and environmentalists worry air gun blasts could put them at risk. Meanwhile, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he won’t consider applications for permission to drill in the Arctic until 2011. Shell Oil will begin exploratory drilling this summer as far as 140 miles offshore, the Associated Press reports.