Unalaska, AK – Today, the House of Representatives passed an amendment proposed by Rep. Don Young that would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency appeals board from reviewing air pollution permits for offshore drilling in the Arctic. The final vote was 243-185.

The amendment comes on the heels of a decision by Shell Oil to table their plan for drilling an exploratory well in the Beaufort Sea. That announcement came earlier this month, and the company listed EPA hold ups as a top concern. Shell continues to maintain a number of spill response assets in Unalaska.