ON PREPARING FOR OFFSHORE DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FIRST SEASON FIELD HEARING BEFORE THE

• Main Author: Laura K. Furgione
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Barrow; Chukchi; Sea ice; Alaska; Aleutian Islands
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.305.6320; http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/Testimony/Furgione101112.pdf

members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on preparations for, and lessons learned from, the first season of drilling in the Arctic. My name is Laura Furgione, Acting Assistant Administrator for Weather Services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This year in the Arctic we have witnessed the lowest sea ice extent on record, 18 percent below the previous minimum in 2007 and 49 % below the 1979 to 2000 average. Shifts in ocean ecosystems are evident from the Aleutian Islands to Barrow, Alaska and across the Arctic Ocean, due to a combination of Arctic warming, natural variability, and sensitivity to changing sea ice conditions. As sea ice retreats, the Arctic waters become more accessible, creating cascading needs for scientific information and emergency response planning. As the maritime community anticipates a future open Arctic trade route, and as the energy industry anticipates and prepares for years of oil and gas exploration in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, this hearing puts a well-deserved spotlight on emerging Arctic opportunities and challenges, as well as the Federal Government’s role in helping the United States (U.S.) to safely and sustainably manage the use of its Arctic resources. One of NOAA’s missions is gathering and disseminating environmental information for situational awareness, economic decision-making, and public safety. We are receiving more requests for services such as detailed Arctic weather forecasts and severe storm warnings, better short- and long-term sea ice forecasts, and more comprehensive and upto-date nautical charts. NOAA also stands ready to deliver on its other core science and stewardship roles, such as providing baseline data for fisheries management and protected species and ecosystems, understanding how oil behaves in frigid waters, and assisting with emergency response. 1 Federal