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BLM head: issues of safety, health paramount in pipeline renewal At an Aug.5 hearing in Anchorage, Clarke said the agency was sticking with its decision not to extend the public comment period Kristen Nelson PNA Editor-in-Chief
Issues of safety and health are paramount in the evaluation of renewal of the trans-Alaska pipeline system, Kathleen Clarke, national director of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management said in Anchorage Aug. 5 before a public hearing on the draft environmental impact statement for the renewal.
Clarke reiterated BLM’s earlier decision not to extend the public comment period of the federal grant and right of way for the trans-Alaska pipeline.
“I believe that we have done an extensive outreach on the plan here,” Clarke said, “and we had scoping meetings that really turned over a lot of concerns and issues that have been dealt with extensively as we have gone through the process of developing these alternatives and coming up with our draft” EIS.
This is a renewal of “a pipeline that has been in place, so it is not new construction, there are not new corridors,” she said.
Clarke said she anticipates a renewal.
“I think what we’re doing right now is going through a very open public process to determine the terms and conditions of that renewal.”
Sound science In addition to safety and health issues, Clark said BLM is also making sure that there is “sound science in place.”
The DEIS, released in early July, had a 30-year renewal as the proposed action. Jerry Brossia, BLM’s authorized officer at the Joint Pipeline Office in Anchorage, said the three alternatives included the 30-year renewal, renewal for a shorter period of time and no renewal. “Our preferred alternative would be to renew it for 30 years,” Brossia said. Conditions for renewal are that the lessee is in commercial operation, is in full compliance with the law and in full compliance with the terms of the lease.
The Alaska Forum for Environmental Responsibility is asking for establishment of a citizens’ oversight organization for the trans-Alaska pipeline system.
Brossia said such oversight is not in the current terms and conditions for the right of way and said there are citizen boards already, including the regional citizens advisory council and a BLM regional advisory council.
Clarke said existing citizen boards already provide public input and public advice.
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