U.S. Senators Urge Obama to Block Arctic Oil Drilling
Shell lost control of a drilling rig that year it "put numerous lives at risk, including those of the Coast Guard crews" and those of 18 people on the rig, the letter said. The appeal was spearheaded by Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and the letter was signed by other liberals, including Dick Durbin of Illinois and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent. The senators also said drilling in the Arctic contradicted President Barack Obama's efforts to limit emissions linked to climate change. Shell CEO Ben van Beurden vowed to keep exploring the Arctic at an annual general meeting
Low Water Mississippi: USACE Outlines Action Plans
. Gen. John Peabody and St. Louis District Commander Col. Chris Hall met with state and local representatives yesterday in Alton, Ill., to discuss current and future actions the Corps will take to maintain a safe and reliable navigation channel during low water. The meeting, which was led by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), was also attended by Capt. Byron Black, U.S. Coast Guard commander of the Upper Mississippi River Sector, Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (D-Ill.) and river industry representatives. "We've been preparing for this since early summer