WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - A group of 18 mostlyDemocratic U.S. senators on Friday urged the Obamaadministration to stop Royal Dutch Shell's preparationsfor oil exploration in the Arctic, saying the region has aseverely limited capacity to respond to accidents.
The senators, from both coasts and several Midwesternstates, sent a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, urgingher to retire Arctic leases in the Chukchi Sea.
Jewell's department earlier this month conditionallyapproved Shell's exploration plan in the Arctic. The move meansthe company is likely to return to the Chukchi Sea this summerfor the first time since a mishap-filled drilling season in2012.
When Shell lost control of a drilling rig that year it "putnumerous lives at risk, including those of the Coast Guardcrews" and those of 18 people on the rig, the letter said. Theappeal was spearheaded by Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and theletter was signed by other liberals, including Dick Durbin ofIllinois and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent.
The senators also said drilling in the Arctic contradicted President Barack Obama's efforts to limit emissions linked toclimate change.
Shell CEO Ben van Beurden vowed to keep exploring the Arcticat an annual general meeting this week in the Netherlands,saying that new sources of oil must be developed to keep up withglobal demand. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Ken Wills)