The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency have reached agreement in principle with ConocoPhillips on the company’s proposed Alpine satellite development plan in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
The U.S. Department of the Interior said in a statement today that the agreement fulfills a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that Fish and Wildlife and EPA “evaluate the environmental impacts associated with ConocoPhillips’ revised project.”
Interior said the corps is expected to carry out remaining steps in the permit review “in the coming weeks.”
The department said the agreement in principle confirms that construction of a pipeline and bridge over the Nigliq Channel of the Colville River is acceptable to Fish and Wildlife and EPA “so long as the permit application includes conditions that reflect agreements reached” among ConocoPhillips, Fish and Wildlife and EPA.
“The conditions include engineering changes and substantial mitigation proposed by the company based on consultations with the resource agencies,” Interior said.
The department said ConocoPhillips agreed to allow other companies developing leases in NPR-A to use the same crossing, reducing environmental impacts associated with NPR-A development.
—Kristen Nelson
See story in Dec. 11 issue, available online at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 9 at www.PetroleumNews.com
