[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50472-50473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20832]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[18X.LLAK930000 L131000.DP0000]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program, Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Alaska State Office, is 
issuing the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Coastal 
Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program in accordance with the Tax Cuts and 
Jobs Act of 2017, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended (NEPA), and in a manner similar to the administration of lease 
sales under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, as 
amended.

DATES: The Final EIS is available to the public. After 30 days, the BLM 
can issue a Record of Decision (ROD).

ADDRESSES: Requests for information regarding the Final EIS may be 
mailed to: Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program EIS, Attn: Nicole 
Hayes, 222 West 7th Avenue, #13 Anchorage, AK 99513-7504. The Final EIS 
is available on the BLM Alaska website at https://www.blm.gov/alaska/Coastal-Plain-EIS or at the BLM Alaska State Office, BLM Alaska Public 
Information Center, 222 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99513.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Hayes, BLM Alaska State Office, 
telephone: 907-271-4354; email: [email protected]; or by 
mail: Bureau of Land Management, 222

[[Page 50473]]

West 7th Avenue, #13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7599. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay 
Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Ms. Hayes during normal 
business hours. FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to 
leave a message or question. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Final 
Leasing Program EIS analyzes implementing an oil and gas leasing 
program in accordance with Section 20001 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
of 2017, Public Law 115-97 (Dec. 22, 2017) ( Pub. L. 115-97), and the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 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 Leasing EIS analyzes 
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 required operating procedures) to be 
applied to leases and associated potential future oil and gas 
activities, to properly balance oil and gas development with existing 
uses and protection of surface resources. The lands comprising the 
Coastal Plain include approximately 1.6 million acres within the 
approximately 19.3 million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The 
Final EIS will result in a ROD that will approve an oil and gas leasing 
program in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 
consistent with the direction provided in PL 115-97. The Draft EIS, 
published in December 2018, did not identify a Preferred Alternative, 
because the BLM did not have one at that time. The Final EIS identifies 
Alternative B as the BLM's Preferred Alternative.
    In developing the preferred alternative, the BLM worked with 
interested parties to identify the management decisions best suited to 
local, regional, and national needs and concerns, in developing the 
preferred alternative consistent with the following criteria:
     Under Public Law 115-97, hold not fewer than two lease 
sales, each to include not fewer than 400,000 acres area-wide, 
prioritizing the areas with the highest potential for hydrocarbons;
     Consider all available Federal lands and waters within the 
Coastal Plain;
     Consider all five purposes of the Arctic National Wildlife 
Refuge;
     Address oil and gas leasing issues identified during 
scoping;
     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
     Consider current surface management of the Coastal Plain.
    Upon completion of a Final EIS and ROD, the BLM intends to conduct 
lease sales in accordance with Public Law 115-97.
    Future on-the-ground actions requiring BLM approval, including 
proposed seismic and exploration plans or development proposals, would 
require further 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.

Chad B. Padgett,
State Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2019-20832 Filed 9-24-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P