BLM Alaska News Release Feed

BLM Seeks Nominations to Resource Advisory Councils (02062012)

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 17:00:30 -0700

The Bureau of Land Management in Alaska announced it is seeking public nominations for five open positions on its Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises BLM-Alaska on public land issues. The Federal Register published the formal call for nominations on January 25, 2012. The deadline for nominations is March 12, 2012.

The BLM’s RACs, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the Bureau carry out its stewardship of 245 million acres of public lands. The Bureau, which manages more land than any other federal agency, has 29 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located. Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members with an interest in public land management, including such individuals as conservationists, ranchers, outdoor recreationists, state and local government officials, Tribal officials, and academics. The diverse membership of each RAC is aimed at achieving a balanced outlook that the BLM needs for its mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses.

“I value the advice given to the BLM by these citizen-based Resource Advisory Councils,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey. “The people who live, work, and recreate near or on BLM-managed lands deserve a formal voice on public land issues, and their input will enhance our agency’s ability to manage the public lands for multiple uses while conserving resources for future generations.”

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council. Nominees must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be judged on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council’s geographical area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision making. All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations; a completed background information nomination form; and any other information that speaks to the nominee's qualifications.

The five positions open on the BLM-Alaska Resource Advisory Council are in the following categories:

One vacancy in Category One – Representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use, and commercial recreation.
One vacancy in Category Two – Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, and dispersed recreation activities.

Media Alert: BLM-Alaska to hold Twitter #tweetchat on 2012 Iditarod (1/27/2012)

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:30:40 -0700

Anchorage – The Bureau of Land Management is hosting a Twitter #tweetchat to discuss the 2012 Iditarod National Historic Trail and its centennial. Musher Dan Seavey and BLM Iditarod National Historic Trail Coordinator Kevin Keeler @BLMAlaska will host the #tweetchat on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. AKST (10 a.m.-12 p.m. PST/ 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. MST/ 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. CST/ 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. EST). Tag with #iditarodnht2012

2012 BLM Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards (01/25/2012)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:25:40 -0700

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Alaska is inviting nominations for the 2012 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards. The filing deadline is Feb. 10. These awards recognize operations that embody the principles of sustainable mineral development or represent outstanding examples of environmental stewardship through mining reclamation.

The five categories are:

The Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award recognizes efforts in environmental stewardship. This category recognizes achievements demonstrating continuous or repeated efforts to successfully meet or exceed Federal, State, or local reclamation requirements with minimal oversight.
The Hardrock Mineral Community Outreach and Economic Security Award recognizes projects that show concern for community responsibilities and the economic benefits of mineral development. This award recognizes successful coordination of projects with local and regional stakeholders. Projects that contribute to quality of life or show concern for a community’s long-term health are also eligible.
The Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award recognizes efforts in environmental stewardship of operators with fewer than 15 employees. Similar to the Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award, this award recognizes achievements demonstrating continuous or repeated efforts to successfully meet or exceed Federal, State, or local reclamation requirements with minimal oversight.
The Hardrock Mineral Director’s Award recognizes outstanding achievement in a particular area of sustainable development. The award will recognize an operator whose dedication and commitment to excellence has resulted in the use of a new or innovative design or technique that allows or enhances successful operations in technically challenging conditions or in critical environmental settings.
The “Fix A Shaft Today!” (FAST!) Award recognizes active participation in the FAST! Campaign, which is a partnership initiative aimed at eradicating unsafe abandoned mine land features, especially open mine shafts.

Alaska has significant mineral resources. John Hoppe, the BLM Sustainability Awards Program Coordinator for Alaska said, “I think this awards program highlights where Alaska’s minerals community is headed in the future. Mining companies and family mines are working together with agencies and their communities to minimize impacts, leave the land better than they found it, and provide economic sustainability.”

To complete the nomination form, go to: http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/minerals/reclamation.html, or contact John Hoppe, BLM-Alaska Geologist, at (907) 271-3218.

In 2011, two Alaskan groups won awards for outstanding work in the minerals community. The BLM recognized Alaska Miners Association Small Scale Mining Committee with the Hardrock Mineral Community Outreach and Economic Security Award for coordinating development of the “Alaska Placer Mining Claim Operations Guide” between the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and Alaska Departments of Natural Resources, Revenue, and Fish and Game-Habitat. Compass Mining, Inc. received the Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award for their efforts to minimize the footprint of their underground frozen placer operations on Linda Creek near Coldfoot. In addition to conducting high-quality reclamation work, the winner of this award undertook extraordinary measures to reduce the footprint of the operation on the land, reducing the need for reclamation.

BLM-Alaska Office of Communications to Change News Release Distribution (01/25/2012)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:40 -0700

The BLM-Alaska Office of Communications is changing how news releases and media alerts are distributed. They will be posted to our website, http://www.blm.gov/ak, and emailed to our distribution list. We are discontinuing the process of faxing to a distribution list.

Fortymile Caribou Hunt Closed in Portion of GMU 20E (12/27/2011)

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:55:30 -0700

Correction: An earlier version of this news release incorrectly listed the state Fortymile caribou hunt in Unit 25C as closed south of Crooked Creek Fork and south and east of Birch Creek.

NPR-A Oil & Gas Lease Sale Generates Winning Bids Covering More Than 141,000 Acres (12/7/2011)

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 18:55:30 -0700

http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/UPDATED-National-Petroleum-Reserve-Alaska-NPR-A-Oil-and-Gas-Lease-Sale-Generates-Winning-Bids-Covering-More-Than-141-000-acres.cfm

NPR-A Oil & Gas Lease Sale Dec. 7, 2011 (12/05/2011)

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 13:05:40 -0700

Anchorage—The Bureau of Land Management will hold an oil and gas lease sale for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at 1 p.m. at the Anchorage Federal Building, fourth floor Denali Conference Room, 222 W 7^thAve. The BLM will offer 283 tracts comprising approximately 3,060,176 acres in this sale.

The tracts offered cover land available for oil and gas leasing within Northeast and Northwest NPR-A and include 178 tracts (1,817,186 acres) within the Northeast NPR-A and 105 tracts (1,242,990 acres) in the Northwest NPR-A. Currently, there are 169 authorized oil and gas leases totaling 1,361,105 acres within the Northeast and Northwest planning areas of the NPR-A.

Media planning to attend the sale should contact Artealia Gilliard at 907-271-4418 or Ruth McCoard at 907-271-3322.

For additional information, see the BLM-Alaska website at: http://www.blm.gov/ak.

Secretary Salazar, Assistant Secretary Echo Hawk Launch Comprehensive Tribal Consultation Policy (12/01/2011)

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 20:10:50 -0700

http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Secretary-Salazar-Assistant-Secretary-Echo-Hawk-Launch-Comprehensive-Tribal-Consultation-Policy.cfm

Department of the Interior recognizes BLM-Alaska employee as Sustainability Hero (11/15/2011)

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:25:20 -0700

Department of the Interior (DOI) recognizes BLM-Alaska’s Kurt Sorenson as a Sustainability Hero – In a Nov. 3 ceremony in Washington, D. C., the DOI presented a 2011 Department of the Interior Environmental Achievement Award for Sustainability Hero to Kurt Sorenson (Ret.) of the Glennallen Field Office. These awards recognize departmental employees and partners who have attained exceptional achievements under Executive Order 13514 “Federal Leadership in Environment, Energy, and Economic Performance” and for cleaning up contaminated land. The award categories are: Sustainability Hero; Green Innovations; Lean, Clean, and Green; Good Neighbor; Green Dream Team; Building the Future; and Environmental Remediation.

Kurt is a life-long sustainability hero – reusing, reducing, and recycling to conserve the environment and save money. Kurt was the only facility maintenance staff in that part of rural Alaska where eight months of the year are referred to as winter. For 28 years, Kurt worked to keep buildings open, efficient and functioning. He recycled everything and what he didn’t recycle locally, he stored until he could make the 200 mile trip to the city. He is a quiet hero that taught by doing. For additional information about Kurt and the Sustainability Heroes award go to http://www.doi.gov/greening/awards/2011/env2011awards.html

NPR-A Subsistence Advisory Panel to Meet in Fairbanks Nov. 15 - 16 (11/10/2011)

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:55:30 -0700