83 FR 45138 - Notice of Availability of the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Alpine Satellite Development Plan for the Greater Mooses Tooth 2 Development Project, National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 172 (September 5, 2018)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arctic District Office, Fairbanks, Alaska, is issuing the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Alpine Satellite Development Plan for the Greater Mooses Tooth 2 (GMT2) Development Project, National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The EIS supplements the September 2004 Alpine Satellite Development Plan Final EIS that originally analyzed the GMT2 Project, regarding establishing satellite oil production pads and associated infrastructure within the Alpine field.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 45138]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19197]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[18X.LLAK930000 L13100000.PP0000]


Notice of Availability of the Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Alpine Satellite Development Plan for the 
Greater Mooses Tooth 2 Development Project, National Petroleum Reserve 
in Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arctic District Office, 
Fairbanks, Alaska, is issuing the Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Alpine Satellite Development Plan for 
the Greater Mooses Tooth 2 (GMT2) Development Project, National 
Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The EIS supplements the September 
2004 Alpine Satellite Development Plan Final EIS that originally 
analyzed the GMT2 Project, regarding establishing satellite oil 
production pads and associated infrastructure within the Alpine field.

DATES: The BLM will issue a Record of Decision for the application for 
permit to drill no earlier than 30 days from the date of the Notice of 
Availability published by the Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Requests for information regarding the Final Supplemental 
EIS may be mailed to: GMT2 Final Supplemental EIS, Attn: Stephanie 
Rice, 222 West 7th Avenue #13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513. The GMT2 Final 
Supplemental EIS is available online at BLM Alaska's website at http://www.blm.gov/alaska. You may also request an electronic or paper copy of 
the GMT2 Final Supplemental EIS by contacting Stephanie Rice, BLM 
project lead, at 907-271-3202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Rice, BLM Alaska State 
Office, 907-271-3202. People 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. The 
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 GMT2 Supplemental EIS analyzes an 
application from ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. (ConocoPhillips). The 
application is for a permit to drill and related authorizations to 
construct, operate, and maintain a drill site, access road, pipelines, 
and ancillary facilities on federally managed land to support 
development of petroleum resources at the GMT2 drill site. BLM Alaska 
manages the surface and subsurface at the drill site and at the 
proposed infield road and pipeline route. ConocoPhillips may also 
develop subsurface resources owned by the Arctic Slope Regional 
Corporation, and may occupy surface lands owned by the Kuukpik 
Corporation.
    The proposed GMT2 site is approximately 25 miles southwest of the 
ConocoPhillips-operated Alpine Central Processing Facility (CD1) and 
will be operated and maintained by staff at the Alpine Central 
Processing Facility.
    The GMT2 Project was originally analyzed as the Colville Delta 7 
(CD7) drill pad in the BLM's September 2004 Alpine Satellite 
Development Plan Final EIS. The purpose of the Supplemental EIS is to 
evaluate any relevant new circumstances and information that have 
arisen since the Alpine Satellite Development Plan Final EIS, to update 
the alternatives in the 2004 EIS, and to address any changes to 
ConocoPhillips' proposed development plan for GMT2. The GMT2 Final 
Supplemental EIS analyzes four alternatives, including two alternatives 
with an access road, an alternative without an access road, and a no-
action alternative.
    The Supplemental EIS will result in a Record of Decision (ROD) that 
will approve, deny, or approve with modification, ConocoPhillips' 
application, as well as incorporate any additional mitigation measures 
that may be appropriate. The Draft Supplemental EIS, published in March 
2018, identified Alternative A, the Proponent's Proposal, as the BLM's 
preferred alternative. The Final Supplemental EIS also identifies 
Alternative A as BLM's Preferred Alternative.
    The key issues in the GMT2 Final Supplemental EIS are the 
protection of surface resources; the minimization of social impacts; 
and the identification of appropriate mitigation measures for the 
construction, operation, and maintenance of a drill site and access 
road, pipelines, and ancillary facilities to support development of 
petroleum resources at the proposed GMT2 site.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6(b).

Karen E. Mouritsen,
Acting State Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2018-19197 Filed 9-4-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P