[Federal Register: July 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 129)]
[Notices]
[Page 44874-44875]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05jy02-102]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[AK-990-02-5101-ER-L016]
Notice of Availability of Trans-Alaska Pipeline System Right-of-
Way Renewal Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), Announcement
of Public Review Period and Hearings Schedule Including Subsistence-
Related Hearings
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of DEIS, Announcement of Public Review
Period and Hearings Schedule Including Subsistence-Related Hearings.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces availability of
the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) Right-of-Way Renewal Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The current Right-of-Way expires
in 2004. Three alternatives are considered in the DEIS: to renew the
TAPS Right-of-Way for 30 years, to renew the Right-of-Way for less than
30 years, and to not renew the Right-of-Way. Appendix E of the Draft
EIS indicates that each of the alternatives may affect subsistence
activities. As required by section 810 of the Alaska National Interest
Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), BLM is evaluating the effects of the
alternatives on subsistence uses and needs and is holding public
hearings in the vicinity of the area involved.
BLM is closely cooperating with the State of Alaska in preparation
of the DEIS and is coordinating all aspects of the renewal process
within the purview of the inter-agency Joint Pipeline Office. BLM and
the Alaska Department of Natural Resources will offer joint public
hearings for the TAPS Renewal DEIS, ANILCA 810 Subsistence, and the
State of Alaska Commissioner's Analysis and Proposed Determination.
Although the meetings are being held jointly, commenters will be asked
to state if they are addressing state or federal documents.
DATES: The DEIS will be available beginning July 5, 2002. The public
will have 45 days to review and comment on the DEIS. The BLM will
accept written comments on the DEIS postmarked by
[[Page 44875]]
August 20, 2002. Written comments may also be hand-delivered to the
Joint Pipeline Office in Anchorage, Alaska, by 4 p.m. ADT on August 20,
2002.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed to BLM TAPS Renewal EIS,
Argonne National Laboratory EAD/900, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL
60439. As an alternative, written comments can be hand-delivered to BLM
TAPS Renewal Team in Anchorage at the Joint Pipeline Office 411 W. 4th
Avenue, Suite 2 [Do not mail comments to this address]. Comments also
can be submitted through the ``Public Comment Form'' feature on the
TAPS Renewal EIS Web site at http://tapseis.anl.gov, by fax toll free
to 1-866-542-5904, or by voice message toll free at 1-866-542-5903.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob McWhorter at the Joint Pipeline
Office, 411 W 4th Avenue, Suite 2, Anchorage, Alaska, phone 907-257-
1355, e-mail rmcwhort@jpo.doi.gov, or visit the TAPS Renewal EIS Web
site at http://tapseis.anl.gov.
Withholding of Personal Information: It is the BLM's practice to
make comments, including names and addresses of commenters, available
for public review during regular business hours. Individual commenters
may request that we withhold their home address from the public comment
record, and we will honor such requests to the extent allowable by law.
Circumstances may also arise in which we would withhold from the public
comment record a commenter's identity, as allowable by law. If you wish
us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we will not
consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS is being prepared under authority of
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701), as
amended; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321), as amended; the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40
CFR parts 1500-1508); and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C.
185), as amended, including Title II--the Trans-Alaska Pipeline
Authorization Act (43 U.S.C. 1651). Argonne National Laboratory,
Argonne, Illinois, is providing technical assistance and is preparing
the DEIS under supervision and direction by BLM.
DEIS Availability
To obtain an electronic copy:
visit the TAPS Renewal EIS Web site at http://
tapseis.anl.gov (available as downloadable and searchable pdf files),
order a CD through the TAPS Renewal EIS Web site at http:/
/tapseis.anl.gov
Hard copies of this voluminous document will be available at the
following public reading rooms or can be requested through the TAPS
Renewal EIS Web site at http://tapseis.anl.gov
Anchorage
Alaska Resources Library; 3150 C Street, Suite 100
Z.J. Loussac Library, 3600 Denali Street
Bureau of Land Management Public Room; 222 West 7th
Avenue, 13
State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources Public
Information Center; 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1260
Barrow
Tuzzy Consortium Library
Cordova Public Library
Fairbanks
Fairbanks North Star Borough Public Library; 1215 Cowles
Street
Bureau of Land Management Public Room; 1150 University
Avenue
State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources Public
Information Center; 3700 Airport Way
Glennallen
Bureau of Land Management; Glennallen Field Office
Juneau
Alaska State Library
Valdez Public Library
Washington, DC
Department of the Interior Library; 1849 C Street, NW
Meeting/Hearing Dates and Locations
Oral or written comments can be made at one of the following
locations on the dates specified:
Friday, July 26, 2002, 7 p.m. ADT: Cordova; Moose Lodge,
514 2nd Street
Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 7 p.m. ADT: Valdez; Valdez
Convention and Civic Center, Ballroom 1, 110 Clifton Drive
Wednesday, July 31, 2002, 7 p.m. ADT: Glennallen; Copper
River High School auditorium, Mile 186, Glenn Highway
Monday, August 5, 2002, 7 p.m. ADT: Anchorage; Anchorage
Hilton Hotel, Denali Room, 500 West Third Avenue
Tuesday, August 6, 2002, 7 p.m. ADT: Fairbanks; Chena
River Convention Center, Conference Room/Main Hall A, 109 Clay Street
Wednesday, August 7, 2002, 2 p.m. ADT: Minto, Minto Lodge
Friday, August 9, 2002, 7 p.m. ADT: Barrow; Inupiat
Heritage Center, multi-purpose room; 5421 Northstar Street (Inupiat
translator)
The BLM seeks information and comments on the potential impacts
discussed in the DEIS and additional data or information that would
improve the analysis in the DEIS. BLM is also seeking comments on the
subsistence evaluation in Appendix E of the DEIS.
Linda S.C. Rundell,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 02-16236 Filed 7-3-02; 8:45 am]
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