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Fueling Controversy: How Many Inspectors Make Safety Checks in Alaska Oil Fields

Number 18314
Subject Oil
Source Wall Street Journal (New York)
State NY
Year 2001
Publication Date July 10
Summary The Wall Street Journal reports on the inadequate control and regulation of the oil industry in Alaska. The article details the oil industry lobbying efforts before the state lawmakers, who believed oil companies were capable of monitoring pipeline corrosion themselves. The story reveals that only five oil-field safety inspectors supervise the drilling sites in the state, compared to nine employed by Indiana, "which takes a full year to produce the amount of crude oil that Alaska pumps in three days." The reporter points to the unusual practice of Alaskan inspectors to schedule their visits instead of using the element of surprise.
Category General
Pages 2
Keywords Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation;Alaska's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission;pollution;environment;wildlife;regulation
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