[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50087-50088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20030]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Alpine Satellite Development Plan for the Proposed 
Greater Mooses Tooth Unit Development Project, AK

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, and the Alaska National Lands Interest Conservation 
Act of 1980 (ANILCA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
Arctic Field Office, Fairbanks, Alaska, intends to prepare a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for development of 
petroleum resources in the Greater Mooses Tooth (GMT) Unit, at the 
proposed GMT1 drilling and production pad. The Supplemental EIS is 
being prepared for the limited purpose of supplementing the Alpine 
Satellite Development Plan (ASDP) Final EIS, dated September 2004, 
regarding the establishment of satellite oil production pads and 
associated infrastructure within the Alpine field.

DATES: Scoping comments may be submitted in writing until September 6, 
2013. At this time, the BLM has determined not to hold public scoping 
meetings. If the BLM determines, after consultation with cooperating 
agencies, that public scoping meetings are appropriate, the BLM will 
schedule these meetings and provide appropriate public notice. The BLM 
will provide additional opportunities for public participation upon 
publication of the Draft Supplementary EIS, including public meetings 
and a public comment period. Any Federal, State, local agencies, or 
tribes that are interested in serving as a cooperating agency for the 
development of the Supplemental EIS are asked to submit such requests 
to the BLM by September 6, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues related to the proposed 
GMT1 Development Project by any of the following methods:
     Email: BLM--AK--AKSO--GMT--1--Comments @blm.gov.
     Fax: 907-271-5479
     Mail: GMT1 Scoping Comments, 222 West 7th Avenue, Stop 
13, Anchorage, AK 99513.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
Fairbanks District Office Public Room, 1150 University Avenue, 
Fairbanks, AK 99709; and the Alaska State Office Public Room, 222 West 
7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99513.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bridget Psarianos, Project Lead; 
telephone: 907-271-4208; address: 222 West 7th Avenue, Stop 
13, Anchorage, AK 99513. Contact Ms. Psarianos if you wish to 
add your name to our mailing list. 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: On July 22, 2013, ConocoPhillips, Alaska, 
Inc. (CPAI) submitted an application with the BLM for issuance of a 
right-of-way grant and related authorizations to construct, operate, 
and maintain a drill site, access road, pipelines, and ancillary 
facilities to support development of petroleum resources

[[Page 50088]]

within the GMT Unit. The proposed project is located in the National 
Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The GMT1 project would facilitate 
the first production of oil and gas from Federal lands in the NPR-A, 
which is located on Alaska's North Slope and encompasses approximately 
22.1 million acres of public land. The BLM holds surface ownership of 
the drill site location, and the majority of the infield road and 
pipeline route. CPAI proposes placement of fill material on 73.1 acres 
to construct the GMT1 drill site, an approximately 7.8-mile-long gravel 
access road from the CD-5 pad currently under development to the GMT1 
drill site including a spur to a pipeline valve, pipelines, bridge 
abutment, communication equipment, and power lines for oil and gas 
production. The proposed GMT1 site is approximately 14 miles west of 
the ConocoPhillips-operated Alpine Central Facility (CD-1). Oil, gas, 
and water produced from the reservoir would be carried via pipeline to 
CD-1 for processing. Sales quality crude would be transported from CD-1 
via pipeline to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Gravel required for 
construction of the drill site and access road would be obtained from 
the Clover Material Source, also located within the NPR-A on BLM-
managed lands. The proposed drill site would be operated and maintained 
by Alpine staff and supported using CD-1 infrastructure. The proposed 
GMT1 pad would be approximately 11.8 acres, and may consist of 
approximately 33 wells.
    The purpose of the Supplemental EIS is to evaluate any relevant new 
circumstances and information which have arisen since the ASDP Final 
EIS was issued in September 2004, as well as to address any changes to 
CPAI's proposed development plan for GMT1. The GMT1 project was 
referred to as CD-6 in the ASDP Final EIS.
    New information includes multi-year studies on hydrology, birds, 
and caribou, a regional climate change assessment for NPR-A, and more 
information on the material site (potential gravel source). Earlier 
this year the BLM adopted a new Integrated Activity Plan (IAP) for NPR-
A, which contains new protective measures. Additionally, the polar bear 
has since been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act 
and critical habitat has been proposed. The currently proposed GMT1 
Project is very similar to the project approved in the November 2004 
Record of Decision for the ASDP Final EIS, with several notable 
changes, which include: A relocated drill site and reduced road and 
pipeline length as a result of the drill site relocation; increased 
length of the Ublutuoch River bridge; reduced Clover material source; 
an additional 3.3 miles of ancillary pipeline from CD1 to the pipeline 
tie-in north of CD4; and a redesigned pipeline to provide space for a 
future pipeline of up to 24-inches in diameter.
    At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues 
for evaluation in the Supplemental EIS: Air quality and climate change 
impacts; biological resources, including special status species; 
cultural resources; geology and soils; hydrology and water quality; and 
reasonably foreseeable future activities, such as a drilling program at 
proposed GMT2, which was also evaluated as part of the 2004 ASDP EIS.
    The BLM will use NEPA public participation processes to assist the 
agency in satisfying the public involvement requirements under Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f)) 
pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). The information about historic and 
cultural resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed 
action will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to 
such resources in the context of both NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA.
    The BLM will consult with Federally Recognized Indian tribes on a 
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 
and other policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust 
assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, and tribes that may 
be interested in or affected by the proposed action that the BLM is 
evaluating, are invited to participate in the development of the 
environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1502.9, 43 CFR part 2880.

Ted Murphy,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-20030 Filed 8-15-13; 8:45 am]
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