ANWR 1002 area lease sale likely in December, says Balash

Kay Cashman

Petroleum News

Joe Balash told Petroleum News July 22 that the lease sale planned by the U.S. Department of the Interior for federal lands in the ANWR 1002 area is tentatively scheduled for December. Balash is Interior assistant secretary, Land and Minerals Management, which oversees all federal lands and waters and their associated mineral and non-mineral resources.

“The preliminary final EIS has gone to cooperators for review They have 10 business days to get us comments. I will conduct government to government meetings in Arctic Village on the 8th and Kaktovik on the 9th” of August.

“Unless there’s a surprise, we should be able to publish the final EIS in early September,” he said in response to a query from PN. “The process that will follow - Record of Decision, Expression of Interest, Notice of Sale - should all lead to a sale date in December.”

The EIS, or environmental impact statement, is to implement an oil and gas leasing program for the ANWR 1002 area.

- KAY CASHMAN