The US and Canada will freeze future oil and gas drilling in their Arctic waters, the White House said Tuesday, according to dpa. US President Barack Obama is making most of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas in Alaska off limits to offshore oil and gas leasing, while Canada will make all Canadian Arctic waters off limits to future drilling and will review the decision every five years. The move is designed to protect the "incredibly unique and vibrant ecosystems," protect the interests of indigenous people and minimize the risks of oil spills in remote areas. Obama will also ban new oil and gas leases along the US Atlantic Coast from New England to Virginia. The moves do not affect existing leases, and excludes one area near shore in the Beaufort Sea that is adjacent to existing leases, a senior US official said. Obama is taking the action under a provision of a US law that allows the president to remove areas from offshore drilling, and there is no provision for future presidents to roll back the move, US officials said. Incoming president Donald Trump has named several officials close to the oil industry to his cabinet.
