Regional Priorities - Oil and Gas

Alaska

Our Goal: To address energy issues in a manner which protects public health and the environment; streamlines the permitting of exploration, extraction, and transportation of oil and gas resources in Alaska; and allows for consultation with tribal governments and other entities.

Background Oil and gas exploration and development in Alaska is increasing significantly in an attempt to meet national energy needs, and it is expanding beyond the traditional geographic areas most commonly developed. This expansion has raised concerns about potential degradation of the Arctic and Sub-Arctic environments. Additionally, tribal subsistence activities may be at risk, and trust responsibilities of the federal government to the tribes require government-to-government consultation. The Focus of Our Efforts NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) Review and/or Preparation (as Lead Agency) of Environmental Impact Statements NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permitting UIC (Underground Injection Control) Compliance and Enforcement New Air Source Permitting on the Outer Continental Shelf Wetlands and Ocean Disposal Government-to-government consultation with Tribes

- From the Regional Administrator Introduction Priorities Coeur d'Alene Columbia River Basin Oil and Gas Contaminated Site Clean-up Tribal Environmental Health Fine Particulates - Smoke & Diesel Emissions Adobe Acrobat Version From the Regional Administrator (52k) Introduction (111k) Coeur dAlene (226k) Columbia River (365k) Oil and Gas (440k) Contaminated Site Clean-up (103k) Tribal Environmental Health (142k) Fine Particulates - Smoke & Diesel (545k)

• High quality habitat for protected marine mammals and threatened and endangered species is maintained.
• Viability and success of subsistence food gathering is maintained.
• High quality of watersheds and airsheds is maintained.
• The overall environmental impact from exploration and development of oil and gas reserves is reduced.

• Quality of habitat for protected marine mammals and threatened and endangered species
• Viability and success of subsistence food gathering (primarily hunting, fishing and whaling)
• Quality of watersheds and airsheds
• Time spent reviewing and permitting oil and gas exploration and development activities
• Environmental impact of oil and gas exploration and development activities

Alaska Oil & Gas Areas: North Slope (NPR-A and ANWR,), Cook Inlet & the Trans Alaska Pipeline

• Create an internal EPA team to coordinate and expedite environmental review and permitting of oil and gas exploration and development activities
• Establish Oil & Gas Streamlining Task Force
  • identify environmental priorities and opportunities to streamline permitting processes
• Implement findings from Cumulative Effects of North Slope Oil and Gas Development Study
• Develop Alaska-based interagency team to assess and address environmental justice issues.