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Alaska congressional delegation questions Arctic offshore DEIS Says document addressing future Arctic offshore permitting is flawed and threatens excessive restrictions on offshore exploration Alan Bailey Petroleum News
Alaska’s congressional delegation has raised concerns about a draft environmental impact statement, or DEIS, that the National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has prepared for Arctic offshore oil and gas exploration.
The Fisheries Service published the DEIS in December for public comments with, as reported by Petroleum News shortly afterwards, the intention of having an EIS that would establish future policies for the issue of marine mammal harassment authorizations for exploration drilling in state and federal waters offshore northern Alaska, and for the issue of geophysical permits for seismic surveys on the federal Arctic outer continental shelf. The EIS would apply to the years 2012-17.
The Fisheries Service has not yet decided on its preferred option from a range of alternative policies presented in the DEIS, but all of the alternatives would place restrictions on exploration activities, with those restrictions ranging from a possible ban on all exploration to limits on the amount of drilling or seismic surveying that could be carried out in a single year.
Lubchenco meeting In a statement issued on April 18 the three members of Alaska’s congressional delegation said that they had met with NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco to emphasize the importance of oil and gas exploration and development in the Arctic offshore and to raise concerns about the effects that the EIS might have on oil and gas activities. The delegation noted that the more aggressive alternatives in the EIS would prevent Shell, Statoil and ConocoPhillips from conducting simultaneous drilling in the Chukchi Sea.
“I understand the importance of NOAA’s role in ensuring explorers in the Arctic avoid conflicts with marine mammals but, as it stands, the DEIS is flawed and goes beyond the agency’s mission and expertise,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
“I appreciate Administrator Lubchenco taking the time to hear from a united delegation on this pressing issue,” said Sen. Mark Begich. “We all understand that marine mammals are important, but the document, as it stands, is flawed. I believe she understands that and am encouraged about our prospects to improve it moving forward.”
“As I made clear to Administrator Lubchenco today, this document — as written — is not only troubling to me, but to the entire Alaska delegation,” said Rep. Don Young. “Moving forward, it’s important that this document advances not hinders responsible development in the Arctic, and after today’s meeting, Administrator Lubchenco understands our concerns.”
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