Federal Government Takes Important Step Towards Bristol Bay Lease Sale - Your Comments Needed!

On April 8, the federal government took a vital step towards selling off Bristol Bay's rich waters for oil and gas leasing.  A Notice of Intent (NOI) was released which begins scoping for the Bristol Bay sale (known as North Aleutian Basin Sale 214).  Scoping is the first step in a multi-year process required as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and provides members of the public the opportunity to express support or opposition to the lease sale and also to comment on what types of information and impacts should be considered in preparing the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the sale.  Public meetings will be held in locations throughout Alaska.  It will be vital for concerned individuals to attend meetings and express opposition to Bristol Bay offshore drilling in person and through submitted comments. The deadline for comments is July 7.

Ironically, the announcement to move forward with offshore drilling in Bristol Bay came on the same day that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published its decision reaffirming a large portion of the sale area as critical habitat for the North Pacific right whale (see map).  Considered to be the most endangered whale in the world, less than 100 individual North Pacific right whales are thought to remain in existence.  The whale's only known summertime feeding grounds are located in the productive water of Bristol Bay and the southeastern Bering Sea.

Go to the Take Action! page to find out more on how to comment.

Related resources:

• Minerals Management Service press release on the scoping announcement
• Official Notice in the Federal Register (PDF)
• Anchorage Daily News story, "Feds move towards drilling in right whale territory"
• National Marine Fisheries Service information on the North Pacific right whale

Secretary of Interior Approves 5-Year OCS Leasing Program

On June 29, 2007 Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne approved the Minerals Management Service (MMS) 5-Year Program for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing which includes a lease sale in Bristol Bay planned for 2011.  See AMCC's News Release 6-29-2007.  The 5-Year Program became official national policy on July 1, 2007.

House Natural Resources Committee Oversight Hearing

On June 28, 2007 the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing to probe provisions in the 5-Year OCS Leasing Program. Read AMCC's written testimony.

Congress Steps Up to Protect Bristol Bay

The Bristol Bay Protection Act (H.R. 1957), was introduced in the House on April 19, 2007 by Representatives Inslee (D-WA), Rep. Gilchrest (R-MD), and Rep. Hinchey (D- NY)). The bill would permanently protect the offshore waters of Alaska's Bristol Bay from oil and gas leasing. See AMCC's News Release 4-19-2007.

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) introduced the Senate companion to H.R. 1957 of the Bristol Bay Protection Act on May 7. “We can’t depend on drilling just because some refuse to take on our energy challenge in a meaningful way,” Senator Kerry said. “Bristol Bay contains some of our nation’s best remaining fish and wildlife habitat. This legislation will permanently prohibit drilling in Bristol Bay and uphold an important mandate that protects our coastlines from drilling.”

Bristol Bay in the News

Visit our Bristol Bay in the News page for a news feed of Bristol Bay offshore oil and gas related news stories from the past 30 days.