By Judi McLeod —— Bio and Archives December 22, 2016
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“Not only would this treaty give the U.N. jurisdiction over the open seas – 70 percent of the Earth’s surface – it would require that U.S. sovereignty over U.S. territorial seas be exercised “… subject to this Convention and other rules of international law.” Outrageous! And this is one of the least offensive provisions. “The treaty also creates an International Seabed Authority with the power to levy a $250,000 tax (application fee) on anyone who wishes to explore the seabed. It would also tax (royalties) everything that might be excavated from the seabed. It requires technology transfer from the nations that have technology to the nations that don’t – under the supervision of the U.N., of course. A more thorough analysis of the treaty is available online.”
“The ban relies on the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953, which says the president “may, from time to time, withdraw” federal waters from oil and gas development that are not already leased. It was announced as part of a joint action with Canada, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also made long-term, though not permanent, commitments to protect the Arctic from drilling. “Obama cited the Arctic’s “unique ecosystem,” the risk of damage from a spill, the high cost of working in the remote and frigid region and concerns about climate change. “It would take decades to fully develop the production infrastructure necessary for any large-scale oil and gas leasing production in the region – at a time when we need to continue to move decisively away from fossil fuels,” the president said in a written statement. “The announcement, coming one month to the day before Obama is to be succeeded by President-elect Donald Trump, is intended to help counter plans by the incoming administration to vastly expand energy extraction by fossil fuel companies. “Trump made clear his intentions for robust new drilling during the campaign, and his appointment to key cabinet posts of longtime loyalists to the oil industry has alarmed environmentalists. Major conservation groups had been pushing Obama in recent weeks to put the offshore areas off limits in perpetuity. “Past presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, have invoked the law to issue temporary bans. Obama’s action appears to be the first time the law has been used to impose a permanent drilling ban – and it is almost certain to be challenged. “A senior administration official said Tuesday that the White House was “quite confident” that the decision could not be undone by Trump, noting that the law specifies no provision for reversal. The official suggested that overturning the ban could require years of legal action and the passage of a bill in Congress. “Some oil industry leaders said they believed the next administration could easily reverse it. They cited a 2008 memorandum by President George W. Bush that lifted a temporary ban in certain offshore areas imposed by President Clinton. “Fortunately, there is no such thing as a permanent ban, and we look forward to working with the new administration on fulfilling the will of American voters on energy production,” wrote Erik Milito of the American Petroleum Institute. “Yet environmental groups say the 2008 reversal left intact other permanent changes Clinton made.
“The announcement includes a ban on drilling in large parts of the Atlantic, from New England to the Chesapeake Bay, where the U.S. administration is seeking to protect underwater canyons, some deeper than the Grand Canyon. Many are what scientists call biodiversity “hot spots,” providing homes to corals, beaked whales, fish, sponges and crabs. Officials say preserving the canyons will ensure better health for commercial fish populations. (LA Times) “But the big news was in the Arctic, long a stage for conservation battles. While 3.8 million acres are being protected in the Atlantic, 115 million are set aside in the Arctic. The ban there includes all of the Chukchi Sea and the vast majority of the Beaufort off the coast of Alaska, leaving out a portion near state waters and the onshore drilling fields of the North Slope. That area, the administration noted, includes known oil reserves, and its proximity to existing infrastructure and spill-response equipment somewhat reduces risks of serious damage from a drilling mishap. “That area already had not been designated for leasing in the federal government’s upcoming five-year program for the Outer Continental Shelf, which begins in 2017. Just last month, the administration said it would not sell new leases for drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic through 2022. That announcement also blocked expansion in the Pacific, leaving the Gulf of Mexico as the primary offshore production area. “While many lawmakers on the East Coast supported Tuesday’s decision, Alaska’s three-member congressional delegation sharply criticized it and other moves by the administration that have restricted oil development in that state, including previously announced protections for a wide swath of western Alaska and Bristol Bay, home to one of the world’s largest runs of wild salmon. “The vast majority of Alaska’s budget is funded through revenue from oil production, which has been in steady decline as production on the North Slope and the price of oil have declined. Many Alaskans view offshore drilling as a potential economic lifeline — and lawmakers said Tuesday’s decision would leave them with even fewer options. “President Obama has once again treated the Arctic like a snow globe, ignoring the desires of the people who live, work, and raise a family there,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. “I cannot wait to work with the next administration to reverse this decision.”In days of yore it was the loathsome Barbary corsairs who controlled the seas, making sea faring an industry that put human lives at risk. In the present day Obama has teamed up with Justin Trudeau, who replaces the late Maurice Strong as UN Poster Boy. Trudeau is the new owner of the Arctic Snow Globe; a dupe under the continuing influence of Obama. When he is replaced by Trump on January 20, Obama will go underground returning to the life of an activist from which he originated. Obama can accomplish far more as the darkest shadow at UN headquarters than he could as an appointed official, leaving policy to Trudeau the so-called new leader of UN managed One World Government. How’s that for a real-life 2017 nightmare coming to pass?
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Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’ experience in the print media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared on Rush Limbaugh, Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com.