|
Status of national Arctic strategy White House publishes report on actions conducted so far to implement the administration’s strategy for the Arctic region Alan Bailey Petroleum News
In January 2014 the Obama administration published its plan for implementing the National Strategy for the Arctic Region, the strategy presented by the president in May 2013. The White House has now published a status report, listing actions that the administration has carried out so far in implementing the plan. Some initiatives are ahead of schedule while others continue to be addressed, the report says.
Targeted leasing Actions relating to energy development have included the initiation of a “targeted leasing” approach to future Alaska outer continental shelf oil and gas lease sales, the report says. The Bureau of Land Management has prepared a report assessing the capacity and integrity of the trans-Alaska pipeline system. And the Department of Energy continues to fund research into the potential use of methane hydrate deposits as an energy source.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has conducted deepwater sea-floor assessments, to obtain oceanographic information that will help ensure safe and responsible non-renewable energy exploration and development in the Arctic, the report says.
Department of Energy researchers are investigating the improved modeling of severe climate and ocean conditions, to better plan the use of offshore equipment, including floating drilling platforms. And the administration continues to fund research into the ecosystems of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. Government agencies have also been conducting and sponsoring numerous other research projects, addressing Arctic environmental issues, including sea-ice observation and modeling.
Oil spill research With oil spill risks being a major concern in the Arctic, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, in conjunction with other agencies, is continuing to fund oil spill response research and response preparedness planning. Research covers topics such as oil spill detection and mapping under Arctic sea ice using autonomous vehicles; testing dispersant effectiveness in cold water; and the testing of skimmer hoses in an Arctic environment. Actions by the U.S. Coast Guard have included the testing of unmanned aerial systems for oil spill tracking and monitoring.
The Spill of National Significance Executive Steering Committee has established an interagency working group to address issues identified during a spill response exercise conducted in 2013. The Alaska Regional Response Team, the entity that coordinates federal oil spill contingency planning in Alaska, is leading an effort to collate information about the effectiveness of oil dispersants in the Arctic, and has been developing a dispersant use plan. The ARRT has also prepared a plan for the implementation of recommendations from an Arctic spill response assessment, published by the National Academy of Science in 2014.
Internationally, the administration has been working through the Arctic Council on cross-border oil spill response issues, and on other issues such as high-seas fisheries and Arctic regional environmental issues, the report says.
The Department of Energy has embarked on multiple efforts to promote the use of renewable energy resources in the Arctic, including technical assistance to support nonprofit and intertribal organizations with renewable energy development in Alaska Native villages, the report says. Work is in progress on several initiatives, including efforts to achieve sustainable funding for renewable energy deployments, the deployment of some solar power systems in Arctic Alaska and a study into existing wind-diesel systems.
Arctic transportation Looking broadly at transportation in the Arctic, the administration funded a study into Arctic maritime traffic, with a 10-year projection of that traffic. And the Federal Aviation Administration has taken several actions to improve Arctic air traffic communications and navigation. The Department of Homeland security is leading an interagency effort to identify capabilities needed for federal activities in ice-impacted waters. And work has continued in delineating the U.S. extended continental shelf, with the administration pushing for U.S. ratification of the International Law of the Sea Convention.
President Obama has ordered the formation of an Arctic Executive Steering Committee to coordinate the implementation of Arctic polices across multiple government agencies and other entities. And, as part of a strategy of “integrated Arctic management,” the administration has also been taking steps to coordinate the actions of different government agencies to balance economic development, environmental protection and cultural values, the report says.
|
