[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17562-17563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08302]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[18X.LLAK930100.L16100000.PN0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program, Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 20001 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
of 2017 (Tax Act), and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
(NEPA) as amended, and in a manner similar to the administration of 
lease sales under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, 
as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska State Office, 
Anchorage, Alaska, intends to prepare a Leasing Environmental Impact 
Statement (Leasing EIS) to implement an oil and gas leasing program 
within the area defined as the ``Coastal Plain.''

DATES: This Notice initiates the public scoping process for the Leasing 
EIS. Comments on issues, impacts and potential alternatives to be 
analyzed may be submitted in writing until June 19, 2018. The BLM will 
hold public scoping meetings in Anchorage, Arctic Village, Fairbanks, 
Kaktovik and Utqia[gdot]vik. The BLM may hold additional public scoping 
meetings in other communities if there is strong community interest. 
The dates, times, and locations of scoping meetings will be announced 
through local news media, newspapers, and the BLM website.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Website: [insert full URL].
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: BLM, Alaska State Office, Attention--Coastal Plain 
EIS, 222 West 7th Avenue, #13, Anchorage, AK 99513-7599.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Hayes, 907-271-4354; email 
[email protected]; or by mail: Bureau of Land Management, 
222 West 7th Avenue, #13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7599. You may also 
request to be added to the mailing list for the EIS. Documents 
pertaining to the EIS may be examined at http://www.blm.gov/alaska.
    Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the 
above individual during normal business hours. FRS 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:  The BLM is undertaking a Coastal Plain Oil 
and Gas Leasing EIS to implement the leasing program pursuant to the 
Tax Act (Pub. L. 115-97, Dec. 22, 2017). The Leasing EIS will serve to 
inform BLM's implementation of the Tax Act, including the requirement 
to hold not fewer than two lease sales area-wide. It may also inform 
post-lease activities, including seismic and drilling exploration, 
development, and transportation of oil and gas in and from the Coastal 
Plain. Specifically, the Leasing EIS will consider and analyze the 
potential environmental impacts of various leasing alternatives, 
including the areas to offer for sale, and the terms and conditions 
(i.e., lease stipulations and best management practices) to be applied 
to leases and associated oil and gas activities to properly balance oil 
and gas development with existing uses and conservation of surface 
resources, and to limit the footprint of production and support 
facilities on Federal lands to no more than 2,000 surface acres. The 
area comprising the Coastal Plain includes approximately 1.6 million 
acres within the approximately 19.3 million-acre Arctic National 
Wildlife Refuge.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine the scope 
of issues to be addressed and to identify the significant issues 
related to implementing an oil and gas leasing program within the 
Coastal Plain. Information received during scoping will influence the 
development of the proposed action and alternatives and guide the 
environmental analysis.
    The BLM will work collaboratively with interested parties to 
identify the management decisions best suited to local, regional, and 
national needs and concerns, as well as to develop a proposed action 
and alternatives consistent with the following criteria:
     The EIS will consider all Federal lands and waters within 
the area defined by Congress as the Coastal Plain;

[[Page 17563]]

     The EIS will address oil and gas leasing and will use 
scoping to identify issues, impacts and potential alternatives to be 
addressed;
     Under the Tax Act, not fewer than two lease sales, each to 
include not fewer than 400,000 acres area-wide of the areas with the 
highest potential of hydrocarbons, must occur by December 2024;
     The BLM will consider subsistence resources and users, as 
well as potential actions to minimize adverse impacts to subsistence in 
accordance with section 810 of the Alaska National Interest Lands 
Conservation Act (ANILCA); and
     The EIS will appropriately consider the surface management 
of the Coastal Plain.
    Future on-the-ground actions requiring subsequent BLM approval, 
including proposed seismic and exploration plans or development 
proposals, would require subsequent NEPA analysis based on specific and 
detailed information about where and what kind of activity is proposed. 
Additional site-specific terms and conditions may be required by the 
Authorized Officer prior to authorizing any oil and gas activity.
    Upon completion of a Record of Decision, the BLM intends to conduct 
lease sales in accordance with the Tax Act.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

Karen E. Mouritsen,
Acting State Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2018-08302 Filed 4-19-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P