Environment Program Office

    PURPOSE

    The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) states that:  

    ... the Outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public, which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development, subject to environmental safeguards, in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national needs ...

    The purpose of the Alaska Region’s Environment Program Office is to provide environmental stewardship of the OCS by overseeing the development, synthesis, and application of science in environmental impact analyses and to inform decision makers using the best available science with respect to the OCS Program in Alaska.

    For a national-level overview of BOEM's Environmental Studies Program, go here.

    SECTIONS

    • Environmental Sciences Management Section:
      • The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct environmental studies to obtain information pertinent to sound leasing decisions as well as to monitor the human, marine, and coastal environments.
      • The Section implements the BOEM Environmental Studies Program in Alaska by managing scientific research across a wide array of disciplines, including:
        • biology (especially focused on protected species, birds, fish, and lower trophic species);
        • physical oceanography;
        • meteorology;
        • economics and social science (including studies on subsistence lifestyle, traditional knowledge, and ethnography); and
        • the study of the potential effects of oil on the physical and human environments.
      • Science is used by BOEM analysts to prepare environmental documents and by Bureau and Departmental decision-makers in support of the Bureau's efforts to base all decisions on the best available science. The information is also used by other federal, state, and local agencies, by researchers in the Nation’s universities, and by the private sector.
    • Environmental Analysis Sections
      • The Environment Program Office's two Environmental Analysis sections conduct environmental impact assessments that consider the best available scientific information to inform Bureau and Departmental decisionmakers of the potential environmental and socioeconomic risks and benefits of proposed OCS activities, such as lease sales, exploration plans, development and production plans and applications to conduct seismic surveys.
      • The sections’ analysts review proposals for compliance with relevant Federal regulations and laws, such as the National Environmental Policy Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act.
      • The Environmental Analysis sections are also responsible for completing assessments pursuant to the Endangered Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and National Historic Preservation Act.
      • Further, the sections are responsible for ensuring appropriate consultations with other Federal, state and local governments.

    CONTACT

    BOEM Alaska Region
    Office of Environment
    3801 Centerpoint Dr Ste 500
    Anchorage, AK  99503-5823

    Phone: (907) 334-5200
    Fax: (907) 334-5242