ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Alaskan energy producers expressed dismay over a presidential decision to put the Bristol Bay off limits, though environmentalists lauded its stewardship.
President Barack Obama issued a declaration that puts the Bristol Bay out of reach of oil and natural gas producers indefinitely.
"This withdrawal prevents consideration of this area for any oil or gas leasing for purposes of exploration, development, or production," Tuesday's declaration read.
Kara Moriarty, president and chief executive officer at the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, said she questioned the action's wisdom given its indefinite term limit.
"Although it might not be prudent today to consider oil and gas leasing in Bristol Bay, it is unclear why President Obama would choose to address this issue in such absolute terms, particularly given it could have been more properly addressed through the established Outer Continental Shelf leasing process," she said in a statement.
Alaska is one of the leading energy producing states in the nation, adding an average 520,000 barrels per day to U.S. output. Moriarty said the moratorium was in opposition to what Obama calls his "all-of-the-above" energy agenda.
Bristol Bay is a key fishing ground, primarily for salmon. State ballot initiatives have called for protective measures to ensure the region's conservation.
"The president has shown wisdom and vision in protecting this amazing region of the world from drilling," Peter Lehner, executive director of Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. "Bristol Bay is a national treasure, and for decades NRDC has worked to save it from this kind of harmful industrial activity."
