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Alaska Resource Advisory Council

Meeting Summary

Anchorage Federal Building
Denali Room, Anchorage, AK

April 19-20, 2001

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Thursday, April 19, 2001

Council members present:	BLM representatives present:
Tom Crafford	Nolan Heath, Acting State Director
Gary "Gus" Gustafson	Peter Ditton, Anchorage Field Office
Tom Hawkins	Ramone Baccus-McCoy, Glennallen Field Office
Larry Houle	Bob Schneider, Northern Field Office
Susan Olsen	Gene Terland, Resources
Paul Roehl	Teresa McPherson, RAC recorder
Steve Simmons
Rick Solie, Jr.
John Stroud
Larry Taylor
David van den Berg, vice chair

Council members absent:
Brett Carlson
Elizabeth Whealy

Chair Gary Gustafson called the meeting to order at 9:40 a.m.

The chair welcomed members to the meeting. Council then reviewed and approved agenda. Council approved minutes of January meeting as written.

New Business

Teresa McPherson reported that RAC member Karen Burnell had resigned. BLM is currently soliciting nominations for the fall and will fill Burnell's vacancy at that time.

State Director's Update

Nolan Heath explained State Director Fran Cherry had been called to Washington and Linda Rundell was away due to a death in the family.

Heath asked Gene Terland to provide an update on the TAPS reauthorization. Terland reported BLM anticipated receiving the renewal application in May. BLM anticipates awarding a third-party contract for preparation of the EIS, but would await receipt of the application.
Heath then provided an update of "3809" regulations. BLM extended the comment period through July 2, 2001, to give the public additional time to review the proposed rule and provide comments. BLM will then issue a final rule in July. BLM is working with the State to extend the bonding pool MOU to October 2001 to allow time for developing a new agreement without impacting miners this season.

Heath gave an update on implementation of the National Fire Plan. Alaska's interagency team is providing assistance to rural communities to reduce fire hazards. This includes funding fuel reduction projects with Alaska Village Initiatives and Tanacross Village and funding an interagency hotshot crew with Chugachmiut. Alaska Fire Service crews will reduce fuel hazards near Fort Wainwright and at Campbell Tract.

Heath asked BLM recreation planner Bill Overbaugh to provide an update of wilderness reviews in Alaska. Overbaugh explained wilderness reviews in Alaska were suspended in 1981 by Secretarial directive. That directive was rescinded January 18, 2001. BLM will now include wilderness review in any planning effort undertaken. BLM has submitted a mid-year budget adjustment to accommodate this effort.

BREAK

The chair introduced Dick Mylius, Chief of Resource Assessment and Development, and Carol Shobe, Chief of Realty Services, both of DNR.

State land conveyance priority process

Mylius opened the presentation with an overview of the various state land grants and explained these grants totaled over 105 million acres. The state has received patent or tentative approval to 90 million acres, with a remaining entitlement of 15.8 million acres.

The state's ownership priority list ranks remaining selections and topfilings. Highest priorities, or group one, are high-value lands desirable for community development, oil and gas potential, or known mineral deposits. The recent focus is on quality selections rather than quantity.

The state's annual conveyance priority list identifies lands for immediate use and directs BLM to focus conveyance efforts on those priorities each year. Mylius said BLM is generally responsive to those requests.

Shobe passed out a conveyance priority list and explained the list is fluid and dynamic in response to requests from the state and industry. RAC members asked why the Denali Block was on hold. Shobe explained industry groups had asked DNR to elevate this block due to its mineral potential, and DNR has asked the Legislature for funding to manage the cultural resources in the area. Ahtna appealed the selection, and BLM is currently doing cultural studies, so the selection is on hold at present.

Mylius and Shobe discussed issues related to conveyances, such as mining claim conversions, federal land withdrawals, ANCSA selections, and land surveys.

Tom Crafford requested RAC members be provided a printout of the DNR presentation. He said he had requested this topic be placed on the RAC agenda because he had concerns about the state selection in the Denali block and the platinum potential of the area. Mylius explained that DNR did not want the selection conveyed until they had adequate resources to manage the cultural sites.

The chair thanked Mylius and Shobe for their presentation and returned to the agenda.

Field managers provided a brief update of their respective field offices.

Peter Ditton, Anchorage Field Office
BLM provided information about North Slope resources to a Departmental task force. This information will assist the task force in developing a national energy policy.

The field office just completed a site investigation for hazardous materials at Duncan's Camp at Excursion Inlet in the Haines Borough. Congress appropriated funds for purchase of the lands from the Borough to settle a Native land claim. BLM expects to complete the conveyance in the next few months.

Ramone Baccus-McCoy, Glennallen Field Office
McCoy provided a brief handout of current projects. She said Glennallen had filled the recreation planner vacancy and that person would begin analyzing results of the Gulkana River Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) survey. RAC members asked how LAC information would be used. McCoy said BLM would explore various options and would keep the RAC informed throughout the process through mailings and briefings at RAC meetings.

Inventory of unauthorized trails at Tangle Lakes will continue this summer. BLM will keep the state apprised of resource inventory work for those portions of the Tangle Lakes Archeological District which fall within the Denali block state selection. Susan Olsen asked how BLM responds to unauthorized ORV use at Tangle Lakes. McCoy said a ranger monitors compliance and that additional signs would be installed this year.

The federal caribou season closed March 31. The field office issued 723 permits this season. A total of 40 moose were taken.

McCoy said the field office would hold a public scoping meeting on 17(b) easement issues May 7. The Park Service and Ahtna, Inc. had been invited to provide their perspectives.

Bob Schneider, Northern Field Office
The March NPR-A subsistence meeting was rescheduled for June due to the deaths of two panel members. BLM is seeking nominations to the NPR-A Research and Monitoring Team for the non-government seats. Agency members of the team met with representatives of Phillips and BP in March to discuss industry sponsored research efforts for this field season.

BLM did a second Notice of Intent to continue public scoping for the Colville River Special Area as a result of the recent recission of the Watt directive concerning wilderness reviews. Scoping for wilderness issues will factor into the planning and environmental review process. Staff will prepare a pre-plan for land use planning at Colville as required by recent national directives.

Winter drilling activities at NPR-A are winding down. Weather will determine how quickly rigs and facilities are dismantled.

LUNCH

Public Comment Period: no one requested to speak during the public comment session so the RAC returned to the agenda.

Presentation: Wayne Kubasek, North American Natural Gas Pipeline Group

Kubasek explained the group's goal was to create an economically viable project. Current focus is on developing technical information to support filing applications by the end of 2001. He discussed proposed routes and facilities, revenue projections, safety and environmental issues, and resource estimates. The gas pipeline system would take three years to build, with onshore segments constructed during winters and offshore segments in the summer. The proposed facility at Prudhoe Bay would be the largest in the world.

Van den Berg asked how a natural gas pipeline would affect visual resources along the proposed routes. Kubasek explained the pipeline would be buried for the most part, with the utility corridor only marginally visible. New technologies for building and maintaining a natural gas pipeline would make the system more efficient, cost effective, environmentally safe, and reliable. Kubasek said there was a growing market for Alaskan gas, but the project would need to be cost competitive to be viable.

The chair thanked Kubasek and asked Gene Terland to briefly outline BLM's role in processing the right-of-way request. Terland said the proposed northern route wouldn't involve BLM lands but the southern route would and BLM would do an environmental analysis. Some RAC members had concerns about how long this might take. Terland said BLM isn't currently staffed to do the work, but would receive funding in conjunction with the application.

BREAK

Standards and Guidelines discussion

Gene Terland provided copies of the revised standards and public comments received since the last RAC meeting. The chair suggested BLM advise the persons who commented that the council had met and reviewed their comments prior to finalizing the standards.

The RAC discussed minor additional changes to Alaska's draft standards. Terland agreed to incorporate the revisions and provide a revised document the following day.

Meeting recessed at 4 p.m.

Friday, April 20, 2001

The chair called the meeting to order at 9 a.m.

Council members not present: same as day one, with the addition of Rick Solie who had to return to Fairbanks.

New Business

Larry Taylor briefly discussed a memo he presented to the RAC outlining his views on a national energy strategy. He said he hoped the memo would serve as a starting point for the RAC to discuss energy issues. Taylor expressed concerns about dependency on foreign oil and domestic policies which hamper oil exploration. He said he hoped the RAC might consider a resolution in support of domestic energy exploration.

The chair suggested members read Taylor's memo and consider whether to pursue the topic as an advisory body at a future meeting.

RAC members were given copies of Senate Bill 388, introduced by Sen. Murkowski to authorize oil and gas leasing in the ANWR Coastal Plain ("1002" area). Bob Fisk explained the bill hasn't gone to committee yet and will be taken up in July along with other energy issues.

Presentation: Terry Hassett, BLM 17(b) easement team

Hassett gave a brief PowerPoint presentation on the 17(b) easement team's priorities in response to the RAC's 1999 resolution.

These priorities are:

inventory and collect data on all 17(b) easements

locate, mark and GPS location of easements

establish one common 17(b) easement data base using GIS

review and terminate unnecessary easements

transfer administration of easements to appropriate agencies

provide education programs for landowners and public users

Hassett discussed a recent meeting with Ahtna, Inc. to coordinate management of easements in that area. This will be followed by a public meeting in early May to identify issues and concerns.

Hassett concluded by providing the team's web site address www.ak.blm.gov/sec_17b and assured RAC members they would receive regular updates at future council meetings.

BREAK

July North Slope field trip discussion

Bob Schneider handed out a draft itinerary for the July field trip. Participants would depart Fairbanks the morning of July 12, fly to Nuiqsut, and depart via helicopter for Alpine, flying over Phillips and BP winter drilling sites and ice road routes in NPR-A. Members would tour the Alpine facility and return to Nuiqsut.

The following day, the group will fly to Umiat and put in on the Colville River at mid-day, stopping at Umiat #5 well site scheduled for plugging and abandonment next year. The group would overnight on the river and be picked up by helicopter the following day.

Tom Crafford suggested RAC members view a CD produced by Phillips about the Alpine facility prior to the field trip. Gustafson suggested inviting the new Special Assistant to Alaska to join RAC members for the field trip if the position is filled by that time.

Susan Olsen asked if members could be given a summary of what they'll be seeing to help them get the most from the trip. Schneider agreed to provided briefing materials and an equipment list prior to the trip.

RAC nomination process update

Teresa McPherson said the RAC nomination deadline was approaching (April 23). Eleven current RAC members are seeking renomination, and BLM has received about a dozen new applications as well. BLM is required to submit new nominees in each category, so not everyone seeking renomination will be able to return for a consecutive term.

The chair noted that the current RAC lacked balance with regard to gender. McPherson said new applicants in categories two and three would help correct that imbalance this fall. State Director Fran Cherry will forward his recommendations to the Secretary in early June, and appointments would be announced in early September.

Standards discussion/resolution

The chair thanked Gene Terland for preparing a revised document for the RAC to look at. Terland then went over the revisions from the previous day. After discussion and a few additional minor changes, Tom Hawkins moved to approve the standards and guidelines as revised. Tom Crafford seconded, and the motion passed by all members present.

The recorder agreed to forward the resolution and revised S&G document to the three absent members for their vote. The chair said he would contact absent members to urge them to vote promptly so the RAC could bring this task to closure.

With no further business, the meeting adjourned at noon.

(NOTE: Handouts referenced in the minutes are available to the public upon request.)

Please contact the Alaska RAC Coordinator for further information.