NPR-A, what it’s not
The National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska is not a wildlife refuge, it’s a petroleum reserve. The question is, will the Chevron decision change how the NPR-A is managed? Can we Alaskans be trusted to safeguard our own renewable wildlife resources?
The Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, the North Slope Borough, the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and Conoco Phillips are betting the answer to that is Yes.
In several new lawsuits filed against the current Administration, it’s being contended that the federal government failed to adequately address economic impacts to the local area, or complete an environmental impact statement prior to implementing new rules finalized in May, limiting oil and gas leasing on 13 million acres within the reserve.
The area in question is the Teshekpuk Lake region, known for it’s tremendous waterfowl nesting and caribou calving habitat.
Conoco Phillips owns 156 leases in the petroleum reserve including 82 within new federal Special Areas. According to the most recent lawsuit, Conoco Phillips notes the current Administration has tipped the scales so that resource preservation outweighs the reserve’s original intent to provide for energy production as outlined in the 1976 Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act.
Courtesty: Audubon Alaska
Once again, the issue of Alaska’s energy production, revenue generation, and resource management will be decided in the courts. The difference, the plaintiffs hope, will be a fair outcome due to the Chevron case, where federal agencies are no longer automatically granted deference.
While the people of the North Slope support responsible oil and gas production noting the wide range of public services it supports, the Center for Biological Diversity feels the new federal rules didn’t go far enough, fearing the increased greenhouse gas emissions will have detrimental results on Alaska’s wildlife and communities.
So who’s right and how should this play out?
I think we can all agree on some common threads. We all want Alaska’s wildlife and our arctic communities to thrive, well into the future.
The question is, can oil and gas development be done responsibly? Given the success of Prudhoe Bay, the still thriving Central Arctic Caribou Herd, and continually improving technologies and mitigation strategies, my bet is yes, we can develop the NPR-A responsibly. These cases now rest with the courts. The new Conoco Phillips case will go to US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason. The new North Slope Borough case will go to US District Court Judge Russel Holland. Hopefully the outcomes are favorable, allowing Alaska to move forward.
Between new oil and gas projects initiated by Conoco Phillips as well as Santos in recent years, Alaskans are in store for thousands of new jobs, increased State revenue, and a rejuvenation of our energy industry potential.
The Central Arctic Caribou Herd still calves just south of Prudhoe Bay, often choosing to be near or within the oil field for insect and predation relief.