Commentary

For several months the Department of Interior’s former Minerals Management Service (MMS) has been inviting comment on the Department’s OCS leasing program from 2012-2017.  We, at Northern Gas Pipelines, care about such agency action, because new supplies of crude oil are required if Alaska’s economic lifeline–The Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline–is to reverse its annual 6% loss of throughput.  Also, a high pressure (2400 psi), 48" gas pipeline will likely require more than the current 35 TCF of proven Alaska North Slope (ANS) reserves to properly finance its hefty price and long life along with natural gas tertiary recovery projects on the North Slope.  We have urged all of our U.S. readers–particularly elected officials–to comment.  We have been collecting comments and display a few here for your information and enjoyment.  When the new comment period opens later this year, we will alert readers and hope that thousands of you respond!  

 

Here is a comment your author provided.
Here is Governor Sean Parnell’s (NGP Photo, above-l) letter requesting cooperating agency status. 
Here is Governor Sean Parnell’s Letter issued yesterday.
Here is Mayor Dan Sullivan’s (NGP Photo-above-r) thoughtful letter.
Here is Senator Mark Begich’s (NGP Photo-l) earlier Comment.
Comments available on request, from Alaska State Senator Bill Wielechowski (NGP Photo-l), and  business owners Scott Hawkins, Kris Warren, Joe DiJulio, Haleena Hanson, Moshe Calberg Zorea, Nathan McKay, Stephanie Tischner, Lisa Falon, Chuck Dunn, Troy Hardwick, Jorge Mendivil and Solomon Crownover 
 
Here is Alaska State Representative Craig Johnson’s (NGP Photo, below-r) letter.
Here is the Alaska Support Industry Alliance’s Graham Smith (NGP Photo-below-l, with former Alliance president Jim Palmer) Letter.  Here is the Alaska Miners Association comment from Executive Director Steve Borell (NGP Photo-below center)
 
(Read More Commentary Below)
 

 

 

Department of Interior (DOI) said in a news release, which we received late yesterday, that it was extending the opportunity for public comment on its 2012-2017 leasing program.  But ‘extension’ is not exactly what it has done.  DOI is really saying that all comments received before midnight last night will be counted, that the whole planning process is suspended pending resolution of the Gulf oil leak and that scoping meetings and further public comment will occur at some time in the future.  They would have been better advised to simply extend the public comment period for 3-6 months, to provide citizens with a clear process.  But rather than clarity of process, the release tells readers, "The postponement of these meetings is consistent with recent announcements by the Department of the Interior to review safety and environmental issues associated with the OCS program while moving forward with prudent planning for the 2012-2017 Program by gathering public input and conducting environmental analyses. A Federal Register notice will be published later this year identifying a new public comment period along with dates and locations for the scoping meetings."   We would urge the Department to at least provide clarity to the public by formally extending the comment period–until a future date certain–as soon as possible.  -dh