Obama administration gives Shell approval for Arctic drilling

The Obama administration on Monday approved energy giant Shell's request to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic Ocean off the Alaskan coast. Shell must still obtain several permits from regulators, including state authorities, before it can begin drilling.

"As we move forward, any offshore exploratory activities will continue to be subject to rigorous safety standards," Abigail Ross Hopper, head of the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, said in a statement.

The administration first permitted Shell to drill in the Arctic in 2012, but soon backtracked after a spate of safety and pollution problems. The Arctic approval comes after the administration in January announced it would allow drilling in previously off-limits parts of the Atlantic.

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