U.S. pursues Arctic claim, 5-13-08

The United States is spending $5.6 million this year on scientific research in support of a claim to large amounts of oil and gas in the Arctic Ocean that it does not have the legal right to make.

The money is being spent to prove that the foot of the U.S. continental slope off Alaska's coast extends beyond the 200-nautical-mile limit that any country can claim as part of its territory under the U.N. Law of the Sea treaty — which the U.S. Senate has never ratified.

"Because of [climate] changes, everyone wants to understand what the implications are," said Claudia A. McMurray, assistant secretary of state for oceans and international environmental and scientific affairs.

The recent ice-melting in the Arctic has made the region's natural riches more accessible, and the race to lay claim to those resources is in full speed. But the politically charged U.S. debate over ratifying the agreement raises questions about the U.S. ability to keep up in the race.

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