The Issue In A Nutshell

The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A), also referred to as the Western Arctic, is a 23 million acre expanse of land in the northwestern region of Alaska that supports critical habitat for wildlife and fish, significant biological diversity, and provides unique recreational opportunities. Largely pristine, and the western neighbor to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the area is America's largest single block of unprotected wild lands.

Although 10 percent of the land in the NPR-A has been leased since it was established in 1923, pressure to open significant blocks of the area is mounting rapidly. In January 2003, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released an irresponsible Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to determine the appropriate multi-use management of the 8.8 million acre northwest planning section of the NPR-A. The document presented three alternatives-two development options and one conservation option-as well as a no action alternative.

Final Decision Opens Entire Area

A final EIS decision was announced by the Bush administration on November 20. It opened up 100 percent of the nearly 9 million acres of this NW area to oil and gas drilling. The FEIS failed to give real protection to a single acre, resource, or cultural value of the area.

The FEIS also weakens current environmental safeguards, by allowing the Bureau of Land Management to modify or waive all of them on a case-by-case basis for "economic" reasons. In addition, it changes existing prescriptive lease stipulations to vague "guidelines" set by the industry itself. These decisions were made in the absence of a monitoring program and were made without scientific basis.

BLM will initially delay offering leases in some areas near Peard Bay and Kasegaluk Lagoon, but these deferrals offer no real or permanent protection for these important wildlife and subsistence resources. The decision apparently recognizes the sensitivity of these vital resources, yet still makes these areas available immediately for seismic work, as well as future oil and gas development.

Public Comment Overwhelmingly Condemned Administration Alternatives

By the end of the comment period, April 2, at least 95,000 citizens had submitted comments to BLM, urging it to go back to the drawing board to develop a supplemental alternative that would better balance development with environmental protection. More than 100 American scientists signed a letter to Interior Secretary Norton advocating protection for the area's most special places and important wildlife. Conservationists had urged a management plan that would allow some oil and gas leasing, but would protect such special places as Kasegaluk Lagoon, Peard Bay, Dease Inlet-Meade River, Southern Ikpikpuk River, and Colville River Special Area, endorsing an Audubon Wildlife Habitat Alternative. This Audubon Wildlife Habitat Alternative, coupled with wilderness and wild and scenic designations, would have been a sound plan for the area.

Conservation Recommendation

To provide a more credible and responsible plan for management of the northwest planning area, conservationists asked the BLM to write a supplemental DEIS that lays out a balanced, science-based approach to energy development and environmental protection. They urged protection for:

Dease Inlet-Meade River. The productive wetlands complex of Dease Inlet-Meade River should be designated by BLM as a new special area. The northeastern portion should be given additional protection in a no-lease zone to conserve its high-density waterbird nesting habitat, caribou insect-relief habitat, and polar bear denning habitat. The marine waters of both Dease Inlet and Elson Lagoon should be designated as no-surface activity zones within the special area to protect these important and sensitive habitats. Elsewhere in the special area, there should be special stipulations to protect habitats for threatened spectacled eiders and yellow-billed loons.

About 65 percent of the area identified by BLM as having high oil and gas potential would be available for leasing under the Dease Inlet-Meade River Special Area recommendation. In comparison, Alternative C of the DEIS would permit less than 2 percent of the area considered to have high oil and gas resource potential to be available for leasing.

Peard Bay. This area provides high-density shorebird and waterfowl habitat and includes abundant high-density nesting areas for the threatened spectacled eider. It is also a known denning area for polar bears. Peard Bay's high wildlife values and low potential for oil development justify its designation as a special area, with a no-lease zone and permanent protection.

Kasegaluk Lagoon. Kasegaluk Lagoon has the richest avian diversity of any coastal lagoon system in Arctic Alaska, providing important habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. This area also provides important marine mammal habitat, particularly for beluga whale summer concentrations and spotted seal haul outs, and is used by grizzly and polar bears that seasonally feed on marine mammals. The Lagoon is also an important subsistence area for the communities of Point Lay and Wainright. Kasegaluk Lagoon should be given permanent protection, including a no-lease zone.

South Ikpikpuk River. The southern Ikpikpuk River and adjacent wetlands have high values for fish and wildlife and the area southeast of the headwaters have high densities of nesting peregrine falcons. The interior coastal plain, which borders the Northeast Planning Area, provides anadromous fish habitat and nesting for peregrine falcons. The entire southern portion of the Ikpikpuk River system should be a special area, with a no-lease zone instituted. Additionally, the Ikpikpuk River flowing north to Teshupuk Lake, should be protected with a two mile no-surface activity zone along the west side of the river.

Teshekpuk Lake. While an existing "special area," this lake merits additional protections based on its internationally significant goose molting area and valuable caribou habitat.

Colville River. While designated in certain parts as a "special area," it is significant for the avian resources and large carnivore habitat provided by its central river portion.

Back to Fact Sheets