Following Arctic Power’s news report of the polar bear ESA listing we have put together a timeline of the history of this listing process.
1) February 16, 2005 - The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) petitions the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to include the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The FWS had 90 days to make a decision to address the issue on the petition, and a one year deadline to make a formal finding.
October 29 - World oil prices hit record levels today with the all time high price of $93.20pb recorded for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude. Alaskan oil prices (Alaska North Slope or ANS West Coast) rose correspondingly from $91.56 on Friday to $92.23 per barrel today. By comparison the average price for ANS over the last 10 years has been $31.15. The world oil price rise today was caused by a shut down of 20% of output by Mexican state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos or Pemex due to storm warnings in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the beginning of the year there has been a 67% rise in the world price of oil in US dollar terms.