ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich says Arctic offshore drilling needs a federal coordinator to smooth applications through the bureaucracy.
The Alaska Democrat spoke Monday at a news conference with representatives of oil companies trying to drill off state shores, including Shell Oil.
A bill introduced by Begich would create an Arctic outer continental shelf coordinator's office.
The measure would require federal agencies to be coordinated in the permitting process and require narrower periods for court consideration of permit appeals.
Begich describes the regulatory situation for Shell and others in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas as a "whack-a-mole" game.
He says each time one federal roadblock is addressed, another pops up.
