The federal government said this week that it plans to waive environmental review requirements for winter oil and gas exploration in the 23-million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska within the state’s North Slope.
Environmental law organization Earthjustice said in a statement that the administration is using old environmental studies from ecologically distinct areas to justify expanded drilling without considering the environmental impact, and it noted that the department was moving forward with the plan without seeking public comments.
The Department of the Interior said in a Federal Register notice that legislation enacted in 1976 and 1980 establishes that the department’s management of the area should focus on securing leases to boost oil and natural gas production, with secondary considerations for environmental preservation. The department said that it will exempt wintertime exploration and drilling activities in the area from assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires that federal agencies incorporate environmental considerations when they evaluate permit applications.
Interior officials said that the environmental consequences are already known and the permitting process is inefficient. However, it may still evaluate individual projects that pose an unusually high risk of environmental harm.
The exemption covers vibration-based seismic surveys, road and ice pad construction, water withdrawals, well and test well drilling, and helicopter-assisted equipment removal.
Earthjustice said that the reserve is the home to polar bears and seals that depend on sea ice, migratory birds, and caribou herds. The legislation enacted in 1976 notes the importance of the western Arctic for wildlife as well as for indigenous cultural practices and food sources, and it requires that the Bureau of Land Management mitigate harm from fossil fuel exploration and extraction and provide maximum protection for the environment.
The legislation enacted in 1980 also directed the government to ensure the protection of ecological and cultural resources, Earthjustice said.
Caribou in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Photo courtesy of Bob Wick/BLM
