83 FR 17562 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program, Alaska

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 77 (April 20, 2018)

Page Range		17562-17563
FR Document		2018-08302

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.''

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 77 (Friday, April 20, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17562-17563]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[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

17562 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2018 / Notices

Duty-Free Entry Summaries legislation/generalized-system- by mail: Bureau of Land Management,
As of April 22, 2018, filers may preferences. 222 West 7th Avenue, #13, Anchorage,
resume filing GSP-eligible entry Dated: April 18, 2018. Alaska 99513–7599. You may also
summaries without the payment of Brenda B. Smith,
request to be added to the mailing list
estimated duties. for the EIS. Documents pertaining to the
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of
EIS may be examined at http://
Trade.
GSP Duty Refunds www.blm.gov/alaska.
[FR Doc. 2018–08411 Filed 4–18–18; 4:15 pm]
Persons who use a
Formal/Informal Entries BILLING CODE 9111–14–P telecommunications device for the deaf
CBP will automatically liquidate or (TDD) may call the Federal Relay
reliquidate formal and informal entries Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
of GSP-eligible merchandise that were DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR contact the above individual during
entered on or after January 1, 2018 normal business hours. FRS is available
through April 21, 2018, and filed Bureau of Land Management 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave
electronically via the Automated Broker [18X.LLAK930100.L16100000.PN0000] a message or question with the above
Interface (ABI) using Special Program individual. You will receive a reply
Indicator (SPI) Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to Notice of Intent To Prepare an during normal business hours.
the listed tariff number. Such entry Environmental Impact Statement for SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
filings will be treated as a conforming the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing is undertaking a Coastal Plain Oil and
request for a liquidation or reliquidation Program, Alaska Gas Leasing EIS to implement the
pursuant to section 501(b)(2)(A) of the leasing program pursuant to the Tax Act
Act, and no further action by the filer is AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, (Pub. L. 115–97, Dec. 22, 2017). The
required to initiate a retroactive GSP Interior. Leasing EIS will serve to inform BLM’s
duty refund. To avoid confusion, ACTION: Notice of Intent. implementation of the Tax Act,
importers should not submit post- including the requirement to hold not
importation GSP claims on tariff items SUMMARY: In accordance with Section fewer than two lease sales area-wide. It
filed with the SPI ‘‘A’’ at entry 20001 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of may also inform post-lease activities,
summary. CBP expects to begin 2017 (Tax Act), and the National including seismic and drilling
processing automatic refunds for these Environmental Policy Act of 1969, exploration, development, and
entries shortly after April 22, 2018. (NEPA) as amended, and in a manner transportation of oil and gas in and from
CBP will not automatically process similar to the administration of lease the Coastal Plain. Specifically, the
GSP duty refunds for formal covered sales under the Naval Petroleum Leasing EIS will consider and analyze
entries that were not filed electronically Reserves Production Act of 1976, as the potential environmental impacts of
via ABI, nor for formal and informal amended, the Bureau of Land various leasing alternatives, including
covered entries that were filed Management (BLM) Alaska State Office, the areas to offer for sale, and the terms
electronically via ABI with payment of Anchorage, Alaska, intends to prepare a and conditions (i.e., lease stipulations
estimated duties, but without inclusion Leasing Environmental Impact and best management practices) to be
of the SPI Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to the Statement (Leasing EIS) to implement applied to leases and associated oil and
listed tariff number. In both situations, an oil and gas leasing program within gas activities to properly balance oil and
requests for liquidation or reliquidation the area defined as the ‘‘Coastal Plain.’’ gas development with existing uses and
of covered entries must be made no later DATES: This Notice initiates the public conservation of surface resources, and to
than September 19, 2018, pursuant to scoping process for the Leasing EIS. limit the footprint of production and
the procedures set forth in http:// Comments on issues, impacts and support facilities on Federal lands to no
www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ potential alternatives to be analyzed more than 2,000 surface acres. The area
trade-agreements/special-trade- may be submitted in writing until June comprising the Coastal Plain includes
legislation/generalized-system- 19, 2018. The BLM will hold public approximately 1.6 million acres within
preferences. scoping meetings in Anchorage, Arctic the approximately 19.3 million-acre
Village, Fairbanks, Kaktovik and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Mail Entries
Utqiaġvik. The BLM may hold The purpose of the public scoping
For merchandise that was imported additional public scoping meetings in process is to determine the scope of
via the mail, addressees must request other communities if there is strong issues to be addressed and to identify
liquidation or reliquidation of covered community interest. The dates, times, the significant issues related to
entries no later than September 19, and locations of scoping meetings will implementing an oil and gas leasing
2018, pursuant to the procedures set be announced through local news program within the Coastal Plain.
forth in http://www.cbp.gov/trade/ media, newspapers, and the BLM Information received during scoping
priority-issues/trade-agreements/ website. will influence the development of the
special-trade-legislation/generalized- proposed action and alternatives and
system-preferences. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments guide the environmental analysis.
by any of the following methods: The BLM will work collaboratively
Baggage Declarations and Non-ABI • Website: [insert full URL]. with interested parties to identify the
Informals • Email: blm_ak_coastalplain_EIS@ management decisions best suited to
For non-ABI informal entries and blm.gov.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

local, regional, and national needs and
baggage declarations, travelers/ • Mail: BLM, Alaska State Office, concerns, as well as to develop a
importers must request liquidation or Attention—Coastal Plain EIS, 222 West proposed action and alternatives
reliquidation of covered entries no later 7th Avenue, #13, Anchorage, AK consistent with the following criteria:
than September 19, 2018, pursuant to 99513–7599. • The EIS will consider all Federal
the procedures set forth in http:// FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: lands and waters within the area
www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ Nicole Hayes, 907–271–4354; email defined by Congress as the Coastal
trade-agreements/special-trade- blm_ak_coastalplain_EIS@blm.gov; or Plain;

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2018 / Notices 17563

• The EIS will address oil and gas ADDRESSES: Nominations and completed —A completed Resource Advisory
leasing and will use scoping to identify applications for RACs should be sent to Council application; and
issues, impacts and potential the appropriate BLM offices listed in the —Any other information that addresses
alternatives to be addressed; SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the nominee’s qualifications.
• Under the Tax Act, not fewer than this notice. Simultaneous with this notice, BLM
two lease sales, each to include not FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: State Offices will issue press releases
fewer than 400,000 acres area-wide of Twinkle Thompson, BLM providing additional information for
the areas with the highest potential of Communications, 1849 C Street NW, submitting nominations, with specifics
hydrocarbons, must occur by December Room 5645, Washington, DC 20240, about the number and categories of
2024; telephone: 202–208–7301; email: member positions available for each
• The BLM will consider subsistence pseitts@blm.gov. RAC in the state.
resources and users, as well as potential SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Before including any address, phone
actions to minimize adverse impacts to Federal Land Policy and Management number, email address, or other
subsistence in accordance with section Act (FLPMA) directs the Secretary of the personal identifying information in the
810 of the Alaska National Interest Interior to involve the public in application, nominees should be aware
Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA); and planning and issues related to this information may be made publicly
• The EIS will appropriately consider available at any time. While the
management of lands administered by
the surface management of the Coastal nominee can ask to withhold the
the BLM. Section 309 of FLPMA (43
Plain. personal identifying information from
Future on-the-ground actions U.S.C. 1739) directs the Secretary to
public review, BLM cannot guarantee
requiring subsequent BLM approval, establish 10- to 15-member citizen-
that it will be able to do so.
including proposed seismic and based advisory councils that are Nominations and completed
exploration plans or development consistent with the Federal Advisory applications for RACs should be sent to
proposals, would require subsequent Committee Act (FACA). As required by the appropriate BLM offices listed
NEPA analysis based on specific and FACA, RAC membership must be below:
detailed information about where and balanced and representative of the
various interests concerned with the Alaska
what kind of activity is proposed.
Additional site-specific terms and management of the public lands. The Alaska RAC
conditions may be required by the rules governing RACs are found at 43
CFR subpart 1784 and include the Lesli J. Ellis-Wouters, BLM Alaska
Authorized Officer prior to authorizing State Office, 222 West 7th Street,
any oil and gas activity. following three membership categories:
Category One—Holders of Federal Anchorage, AK 99513, 907–271–4418.
Upon completion of a Record of
Decision, the BLM intends to conduct grazing permits and representatives of Arizona
lease sales in accordance with the Tax organizations associated with energy
and mineral development, the timber Arizona RAC
Act.
industry, transportation or rights-of- Amber Cargile, BLM Arizona State
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7. way, developed outdoor recreation, off- Office, One North Central Avenue, Suite
Karen E. Mouritsen, highway vehicle use, and commercial 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004, 602–417–9214.
Acting State Director, Alaska. recreation;
Category Two—Representatives of California
[FR Doc. 2018–08302 Filed 4–19–18; 8:45 am]
nationally or regionally recognized California Desert District Advisory
BILLING CODE 4310–JA–P
environmental organizations, Council
archaeological and historic Steve Razo, BLM California Desert
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR organizations, dispersed recreation District, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los
activities, and wild horse and burro Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553, 951–
Bureau of Land Management organizations; and 697–5217.
Category Three—Representatives of
[18X LLWO600000.L18200000.XP0000] State, county, or local elected office, Carrizo Plain National Monument
employees of a State agency responsible Advisory Committee
National Call for Nominations for
for management of natural resources, Serena Baker, BLM Central California
Resource and Monument Advisory
representatives of Indian tribes within District Office, 5152 Hillsdale Circle, El
Councils
or adjacent to the area for which the Dorado Hills, CA 95762, 916–941–3146.
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, council is organized, Alaska Natives as
Interior. appropriate to the state of Alaska, Central California RAC
ACTION: Notice of call for nominations. representatives of academia who are Serena Baker, BLM Central California
employed in natural sciences, and the District Office, 5152 Hillsdale Circle, El
SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is public-at-large. Individuals may Dorado Hills, CA 95762, 916–941–3146.
to request public nominations for the nominate themselves or others.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Northern California RAC
Nominees must be residents of the State
Resource Advisory Councils (RAC) that in which the RAC has jurisdiction. The Jeff Fontana, BLM Northern California
have members whose terms are BLM will evaluate nominees based on District Office, 2550 Riverside Drive
scheduled to expire. RACs provide their education, training, experience, Susanville, CA 96130, 530–252–5332.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

advice and recommendations to the and knowledge of the geographic area of Colorado
BLM on land use planning and the RAC. Nominees should demonstrate
management of the National System of a commitment to collaborative resource Rocky Mountain RAC
Public Lands within their geographic decision-making. The following must Amber Iannella, BLM Rocky
areas. accompany all nominations: Mountain District Office, 3028 East
DATES: All nominations must be —Letters of reference from represented Main Street, Cañon City, CO 81212,
received no later than June 4, 2018. interests or organizations; 719–269–8553.

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Document Created: 2018-04-20 00:02:33
Document Modified: 2018-04-20 00:02:33

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of Intent.
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.
Contact		Nicole Hayes, 907-271-4354; email blm_[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.
FR Citation		83 FR 17562

83 FR 17562 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program, Alaska

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 77 (April 20, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management