Activists warn of risk of disastrous oil spill in Russian Arctic

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/08/russia-arctic-oil-spill-warning.html

Environmentalists warned Tuesday that drilling for oil in the Arctic could put Russian protected land at risk of being polluted by an oil spill before federal emergency crews could reach the remote area.

Their warnings were backed up by an analysis from a Russian think tank, commissioned by Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, showing that an oil spill could reach nature reserves and protected areas in as little as 18 hours. Although some help could arrive within a few hours, Greenpeace Russia said it would take professional teams three or four days to arrive at the site.

A tanker accident could send 10,000 metric tons of oil spilling out into the Pechora Sea for five days, the Informatika Riska Center estimated. More than 50,000 square miles could be at risk of being severely affected in the event of a major spill, Greenpeace warned.