House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement on the announcement made today by the U.S. Department of the Interior that it will cancel the two potential Arctic offshore lease sales scheduled under the current five-year offshore oil and gas leasing program for 2012-2017:

“This Administration has dangerous priorities. It drives Shell out of the Arctic by giving the company regulatory hell for years, then uses this victory for big special interest groups to stop any hope for future energy development in the Arctic. While the Obama Administration pats itself on the back, Putin is patting this Administration on the head. Obama has once again played directly into Russia’s hands as he destroys our nation’s energy potential.”