The Obama administration is canceling leases for five off-shore drilling projects in the Arctic Ocean and is announcing a six-month moratorium on new deepwater oil wells, according to news reports.

Shell Oil won't be allowed to drill five wells. Two were in the Beaufort Sea and three were in the Chuckchi Sea.

Alaska Natives opposed the projects. They are worried about impacts on whaling and subsistence hunting and raised the possibility of a disaster like the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will deliver a report to President Barack Obama on off-shore drilling today. Obama will hold a press conference to discuss the issue.

Get the Story:
Obama to extend ban on drilling new deepwater oil wells; Va., Alaska lease sales to be canceled (The Washington Post 5/27)
Obama to Extend Drilling Moratorium (The New York Times 5/27)
Lawmakers assail Minerals Management Service (The Washington Post 5/27)
Obama to suspend oil drilling in Arctic Ocean (McClatchy Newspapers 5/27)

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Editorial: Withhold off-shore drilling leases in Arctic Ocean (5/26)
MMS official in charge of offshore drilling to retire on May 31 (05/18)
Alaska Native village concerned about offshore development (5/17)
Editorial: Putting off shore drilling in Alaska on hold for now (5/12)
Interior plans to create separate royalty collection agency (5/12)
Column: Bad history for oil agency at Interior Department (5/10)
Johnny Flynn: Oil development one of the most dangerous (5/6)
Obama calls oil spill in Gulf of Mexico a 'massive' disaster (5/3)
DOI delays decision on off-shore drilling in Alaska (11/20)
Offshore drilling allowed in Native whaling area (10/20)