Delegation Welcomes Final Environmental Impact Statement on NPR-A Integrated Activity Plan
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, today issued the following statements after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for an updated Integrated Activity Plan (IAP) for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). The final EIS will be followed by a record of decision that will guide management of the NPR-A.
“As Alaskans work toward economic recovery, having a robust plan to unlock the potential of one of the most promising areas on the North Slope is a powerful tool,” Murkowski said. “NPR-A holds billions of barrels of oil that will ensure the continued operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and support good jobs for thousands of Alaskans. I thank Secretary Bernhardt and his team for restoring reasonable access to the Reserve while ensuring adequate protection of ecologically sensitive areas.”
“This is a key milestone in fixing the flaws of the 2013 IAP and ensuring we can fill the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, through reasonable access and development as the NPR-A was intended under its original purposes,” Sullivan said. “The NPR-A contains vast resources that will be vital as we get our economy going again and continue expanding the role of the U.S. as an energy superpower. I want to thank Secretary Bernhardt for his continued work to ensure the Department of the Interior works with Alaskans to realize our full potential.”
“For years, the oil reserves from the NPR-A have powered America and provided economic opportunity for countless Alaskans. The release of the final EIS for the updated Integrated Activity Plan is welcome news for our state and the North Slope communities whose livelihoods depend on energy exploration. I will continue working hard to ensure that Alaska’s vast resources are front and center as we continue pursuing American energy dominance. I want to thank President Trump and the Bureau of Land Management for conducting a thorough and effective EIS process, and I look forward to seeing what is next for the NPR-A,” Young said.
The NPR-A is administered by the Bureau of Land Management under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act and other federal laws. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the 23 million-acre region on the western North Slope – roughly the size of the State of Indiana – contains 8.7 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil.
The final EIS is available on the NPR-A IAP e-Planning website.
