Inupiaq woman fears potential Alaskan oil spill could threaten food

AnAlaskan Inupiaqwoman says she's worried an oil spill from Shell's planned Arctic drilling operation in the ChukchiSea could destroy fishing and whaling grounds.

The U.S. government upheld the oil company's lease last week, and while further review ofShell'sdrillingplan is needed, the company could begin drilling off the northwest Alaskan coast in July.

MaeHank, an Inupiaqwoman living in Point Hope, Alaska, is worried a spill could ruin her supply of traditional food.

"We rely on the bowhead whale or the white whale,and I depend on my traditional food," she said.

"When I was unemployed, I always made sure I had a freezer full of traditional food.We are ocean people. We are surrounded by the ocean from the north, the west and the south."

Hank also worries an oil spill could devastate Inuit communities in Canada.

That puts her in some tension with her community.

Local Inupiat corporations,such asthe Arctic Slope Regional Corporation,supportShell's plans.