Ruling backs Shell’s use of Seattle homeport for its fleet

Hillary Clinton, a Democratic hopeful for the US Presidency, has said she would block new permits for Alaskan offshore drilling because of the risk factors involved.

Mayor Murray says he’s “disappointed” but adds that the city will not challenge the ruling by deputy Hearing Examiner Anne Watanabe, who listened to arguments over five days this summer; documents were still being posted to the voluminous online case file as recently as last week.

So the city has lost its battle to use the code governing port operations to deny Shell a supply base on Puget Sound.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC said Monday it would end exploration off northern Alaska “for the foreseeable future“. City planners had decided the proposed activities weren’t allowed under the existing permit. He says it had called into question other common off-season uses of cargo terminals, which includes everything from fishing fleets to fire boats.

The materials loaded on the Polar Pioneer and other vessels at Terminal 5 met the Websters New Collegiate Dictionary definition of “good”, including the definitions relied on by (the department). The port and Foss both said they were pleased with the decision.

But Earthjustice, representing four environmental groups supporting the DPD decision, says it might appeal the Hearing Examiner’s ruling. Shell decided this week to abandon its quest for oil in the Arctic waters off Alaska.