Watson, Elizabeth

English

University of Kentucky

June 21, 2012 (/full-blog/2012/06/federal-government-initiates-commenting.html)Federal Government Initiates Commenting Period forPotential OCS Lease Sale in Cook Inlet, Alaska (/full-blog/2012/06/federal-government-initiates-commenting.html)"Bureau of Ocean Energy Management" (/full-blog?category=%22Bureau+of+Ocean+Energy+Management%22), "Cook Inlet Planning Area of Alaska"(/full-blog?category=%22Cook+Inlet+Planning+Area+of+Alaska%22), "Cook Inlet" (/full-blog?category=%22Cook+Inlet%22), "Proposed Final OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program" (/full-blog?category=%22Proposed+Final+OCS+Oil+and+Gas+Leasing+Program%22), "request for interest"(/full-blog?category=%22request+for+interest%22) (https://static.squarespace.com/static/53fe85a0e4b0516a0c4fed1a/54002444e4b0123f9872f024/54002457e4b0123f9872f20d/1409295447481/1000w/) Image Source (http://www.oilonline.com/default/features_13/alaskacook_300.jpg)  By: Elizabeth Watson, Staff Member H O M E  ( / )S U B M I S S I O N S  ( / S U B M I S S I O N S )A B O U TJ O U R N A L  ( / A B O U T )M AST H E A D  ( / N E W- PAG E )P R O S P E C T I V E  M E M B E R S  ( / P R O S P E C T I V E - M E M B E R S )S U B S C R I B E  ( / S U B S C R I B E )STA F F  R E S O U R C E S  ( / STA F F - R E S O U R C E S )P U B L I C AT I O N SP U B L I C AT I O N  A R C H I V E  ( / P U B L I C AT I O N - A R C H I V E )VO LU M E  1  ( 2 0 0 9 )  ( / VO LU M E - 1 - 2 0 0 8 - 2 0 0 9 )VO LU M E  2  ( 2 0 1 0 )  ( / VO LU M E - 2 - 2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 0 )VO LU M E  3  ( 2 0 1 1 )  ( / VO LU M E - 3 - 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 )VO LU M E  4  ( 2 0 1 2 )  ( / VO LU M E - 4 - 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 )VO LU M E  5  ( 2 0 1 3 )  ( / VO LU M E - 5 - 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 )VO LU M E  6  ( 2 0 1 4 )  ( / VO LU M E - 6 - 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4 )VO LU M E  7  ( 2 0 1 5 )  ( / VO LU M E - 7 - 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5 )VO LU M E  8  ( 2 0 1 6 )  ( / VO LU M E - 8 - 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 )VO LU M E  9  ( 2 0 1 7 )  ( / VO LU M E - 9 - 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7 )VO LU M E  1 0  ( 2 0 1 8 )  ( / VO LU M E - 1 0 - 2 0 1 8 )SY M P O S I U MI N F O R M AT I O N  ( / SY M P O S I U M )B LO GF U L L  B LO G  ( / F U L L - B LO G )B LO G  A R C H I V E  ( / B LO G - A R C H I V E - 1 )0 Likes  On March 27, 2012, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the bureau within theDepartment of the Interior that “manages the exploration and development of the nation'soffshore resources,”[1] with an eye toward environmental concerns, published in the FederalRegister a request for interest (RFI) regarding oil and gas exploration and drilling in the CookInlet Planning Area of Alaska.[2]  The request initiates a 45 day comment period in which anyindividual, including private citizens and oil and gas corporations, may submit comments about“geologic and economic information,” “environmental, biological, archaeological, andsocioeconomic conditions,” and any other impact that may occur if a proposed federal lease Sale244 in 2013 were to occur in the Cook Inlet.[3]  While industry interest is a main goal of therequest for information, BOEM also voices particular interest in comments from “tribal, local,and state governments, Federal agencies, and the general public,” concerning the best ways toproceed in evaluating applicable laws, including: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act(OCSLA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Endangered Species Act(ESA).[4]   While Alaska’s state leasing program sees much success in this region, with the most recent salein 2011 covering 575,202 acres, “there are currently no active Federal OCS leases in CookInlet.”[5] Thus, through commenting, BOEM seeks to gauge the “renewed interest in exploringfor and developing additional hydrocarbon resources . . . both offshore and onshore.”[6]  Allcomments must be received by May 11, 2012, and the Federal Register outlines differentcommenting and disclosure requirements for individuals versus interested corporations.[7] In the Federal Register, BOEM emphasizes that after the commenting period and review ofenvironmental impact considerations, the bureau will “then decide on whether to proceed withfurther evaluation of this special interest sale.  This RFI does not indicate a decision to includeSale 244 in the Proposed Final OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012-2017 (FinalProgram) or to lease in the Cook Inlet Planning Area.”[8] And, without sufficient industryinterest, evidenced through commenting, the sale will not proceed.[9] With renewed industry interest, one expects to see many more comments received from theindustry during this time than the meager three comments received in a past federal lease sale ofthis area in 2008, which had no industry nominations.[10]  Additionally, expect more push backfrom those representing environmental concerns, such as the protection of the Beluga Whalepopulation in the Cook Inlet.[11]   [1] BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, http://www.boem.gov/ (last visited April 1, 2012).[2] 77 Fed. Reg. 18,260, 18,260.[3] Id. at 18,261.[4] Id. at 18,260.[5] Id. at 18,261.[6] Id. at 18,260.[7] See id. at 18261-62.[8] Id. at 18260.[9] Id. at 18261.[10] Id.[11] See Patti Epler, New drilling operation begins in Alaska’s Cook Inlet, ALASKA DISPATCH(Aug. 22, 2011), http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/new-drilling-operation-begins-alaskas-cook-inlet?page=0,0.   ShareCOMMENTS (0)  Subscribe via e-mailNewer PostEPA Exceeds Its Authority By RevokingMountaintop Removal Permit (/full-blog/2012/06/epa-exceeds-its-authority-by-revoking.html)Older PostA Gamble on Gambling: Let KentuckiansDecide to Pull the Lever or Not (/full-blog/2012/06/gamble-on-gambling-let-kentuckians.html)6 3 1  S O U T H  L I M E S TO N E ,  L E X I N G TO N ,  KY4 0 5 0 8 ( 8 5 9 )  2 5 7 - 4 7 4 7 B LO G . K J E A N R L @ G M A I L . C O M  ( M A I LTO : B LO G . K J E A N R L @ G M A I L . C O M )Newest FirstPreview  P O S T  C O M M E N T …SEARCHABLE ARCHIVE ( /PUBLICATION-ARCHIVE-1)

Federal Government Initiates Commenting Period for Potential OCS Lease Sale in Cook Inlet, Alaska

https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=1139&context=law_kjeanrlblog&type=additional

Federal Government Initiates Commenting Period for Potential OCS Lease Sale in Cook Inlet, Alaska

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of Kentucky