Shell Can Start Drill Prep In Alaska's Chukchi Sea

Royal Dutch Shell PLC has been given a permit to begin preparation work at exploratory drilling sites in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska's northwest coast while it awaits certification for its oil spill response barge, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Thursday.

"We are allowing certain limited preparatory activities that we know can be done in a safe manner," he said in a teleconference with reporters.

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