[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19318-19319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7547]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAK930000 L16100000.DS0000.12XL]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Integrated Activity Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement for the National Petroleum Reserve--
Alaska and Announcement of Public Subsistence-Related Hearings

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, 
as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as 
amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the National 
Petroleum Reserve--Alaska (NPR-A) Draft Integrated Activity Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (IAP/EIS) and by this notice is 
announcing the opening of the comment period. The BLM is also 
announcing that it will hold public meetings on the Draft IAP/EIS and 
subsistence resource hearings to receive comments on the Draft IAP/EIS 
and its potential to impact subsistence resources and activities.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft IAP/EIS on or before May 29, 2012, 
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its 
notice of the Draft IAP/EIS in the Federal Register. Public meetings on 
the Draft IAP/EIS will be held in the following communities in Alaska: 
Anaktuvuk Pass, Anchorage, Atqasuk, Barrow, Fairbanks, Nuiqsut, Point 
Lay, and Wainwright. Public hearings on subsistence resources and 
activities will occur in conjunction with the public meetings for the 
Draft IAP/EIS in the potentially affected communities of Anaktuvuk 
Pass, Atqasuk, Barrow, Nuiqsut, Point Lay, and Wainwright. The dates, 
times, and locations of the meetings and hearings will be announced 
through public notices, media news releases, and/or other mailings at 
least 15 days in advance.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Draft IAP/EIS for the 
National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en.html.
     Fax: 866-611-9420 (toll Free) or 907-268-4224.
     Mail: NPR-A IAP/EIS Comments, AECOM Project Office, 1835 
South

[[Page 19319]]

Bragaw Street, Suite 490, Anchorage, AK 99508.
     Hand delivery: AECOM, 1835 South Bragaw Street, Suite 490, 
Anchorage, AK, or to the BLM Public Information Center in the Federal 
Building, 222 W. 7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK.

Copies of the Draft IAP/EIS are available for review at the BLM's 
Alaska Web site at http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en.html. A CD or paper copy 
may be requested by calling Jim Ducker, BLM project lead, at 907-271-
3130.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Ducker, BLM Alaska State Office, 
907-271-3130. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-
877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. 
The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message 
or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during 
normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Please note that public comments and 
information submitted, including names, street addresses, and email 
addresses of persons who submit comments, will be available for public 
review and disclosure at the above address during regular business 
hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) Monday through Friday except holidays.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    This IAP/EIS will result in a Record of Decision (ROD) that will 
supersede the RODs for two previous plans for portions of the NPR-A: 
The Northwest NPR-A IAP ROD signed January 22, 2004 and the Northeast 
NPR-A Supplemental IAP ROD signed July 16, 2008 and may amend the 
Colville River Special Area Management Plan signed July 18, 2008. This 
Draft IAP/EIS offers four alternatives for future management of the 
NPR-A. There is no Preferred Alternative.
    Decisions to be made as part of the plan include, but are not 
limited to, lands that would be made available for oil and gas leasing, 
restrictions on oil and gas activities and other BLM-authorized land 
uses, expansion of the number and size of Special Areas, and 
recommendations for inclusion of rivers in the national Wild and Scenic 
Rivers System. None of the alternatives would preclude development of 
infrastructure across NPR-A in support of Chukchi Sea oil and gas 
development.
    Alternative A is the No Action Alternative and represents the 
decisions made in the existing Northeast NPR-A and Northwest NPR-A 
plans. Those two plans do not address more than 9 million acres in the 
southwestern part of the NPR-A.
    Alternatives B through D would make decisions for the entire NPR-A.
    Alternative B would make 48 percent of the NPR-A available for oil 
and gas leasing, add more than 7 million acres of Special Areas, and 
recommend 12 rivers for Wild and Scenic River designation.
    Alternative C would make 76 percent of the Reserve available for 
oil and gas leasing, add approximately 700,000 acres of Special Areas, 
and recommend three rivers for Wild and Scenic River designation.
    Alternative D would make all of the NPR-A available for oil and gas 
leasing and would not expand Special Areas or recommend any Wild and 
Scenic River designation.
    The public is encouraged to comment on any of these alternatives. 
The BLM asks that those submitting comments make them as specific as 
possible with reference to chapters, page numbers, and paragraphs in 
the Draft EIS document. Comments that contain only opinions or 
preferences will not receive a formal response; however, they will be 
considered and included as part of the BLM decision-making process. The 
most useful comments will contain new technical or scientific 
information, identify data gaps in the impact analysis, or will provide 
technical or scientific rationale for opinions or preferences.
    Section 810 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
requires the BLM to evaluate the effects of the alternatives presented 
in this Draft IAP/EIS on subsistence activities, and to hold public 
hearings if it finds that any alternative may significantly restrict 
subsistence activities. The analysis of environmental consequences 
indicates that actions anticipated to be taken under Alternative D and 
the cumulative impacts associated with actions anticipated under all 
alternatives may significantly restrict subsistence activities.
    Therefore, the BLM will hold public hearings on subsistence in 
conjunction with the public meetings on the Draft IAP/EIS in the 
potentially affected communities of Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk, Barrow, 
Nuiqsut, Point Lay, and Wainwright.

Ronald L. Dunton,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-7547 Filed 3-29-12; 8:45 am]
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