BLM confirms original 45-day review period for pipeline right of way renewal

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

The Bureau of Land Management said July 31 that it has confirmed the original 45-day schedule for review of the draft environmental impact statement on renewing the right of way for the trans-Alaska pipeline system. BLM said that a number of environmental and Alaska Native groups had requested that the comment period be extended.

In announcing the decision to maintain the original review schedule, which ends Aug. 20, BLM Director Kathleen Clarke said, “I acknowledge that the DEIS is a lengthy document and that the public has a keen interest in the safe operation of the TAPS and renewal of the right of way. However, an extension of the comment period is unnecessary for a right of way renewal situation where the existing system has been in place and fully operational for 25 years. This is not a new construction project with alternate routes and major new impacts.”

BLM said it has cooperated closely with the state of Alaska in the preparation of the DEIS, a public disclosure document that describes current trans-Alaska pipeline system operation and assesses the impacts of renewing or not renewing the federal grant of right of way for up to 30 years. The DEIS was released to the public July 5. The six pipeline owner companies filed for a 30-year renewal on May 2, 2001.

BLM-Alaska State Director Henri Bisson noted that BLM has provided a very open and easily accessible public involvement process throughout, including:

• Providing a broad range of opportunities and methods for submitting comments and communicating, including the internet, e-mail, toll-free phones and faxes, and numerous meetings with the interested publics.

• Taking special steps to involve 21 affected Alaska Native tribes, under the Government-to-Government Executive Order.

• Maintaining constant public access to the right of way renewal process through the EIS website, a separate JPO website and EIS newsletters.

• Providing early information to the public via website on hearings dates, locations and times as well as notification of the actual comment period itself.

• Publishing weekly updates on renewal through the widely distributed JPO Weekly Report.

• Actually meeting the planned and repeatedly publicly stated publication date for the DEIS.

• Ensuring that the DEIS is well indexed, user friendly and easily searchable for topics of particular interest to people who want to comment.