Determination out for Cominco shallow gas lease applications

Kristen Nelson

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas has issued a final benefit determination for the first group of shallow natural gas lease applications.

The applicant for these four leases is Cominco Alaska Inc. All of the leases are in the Northwest Arctic Borough in the general vicinity of Cominco’s Red Dog mine.

The division said Aug. 24 that it received limited public comment during a 60-day public comment period. There was concern about the potential for interruptions to or loss of the subsistence fishery in the Wulik River drainage and potential impact on wildlife. The division said that mitigation measures would be imposed to protect subsistence activities, and that the potential threat to subsistence resources is minimal.

There is a 30-day public comment period on the determination.