NORTH SLOPE SCIENCE INITIATIVE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, STATE
OF ALASKA,
ARCTIC SLOPE REGIONAL CORPORATION,
AND NORTH SLOPE BOROUGH
CHARTER
NORTH SLOPE SCIENCE OVERSIGHT
GROUP
1.
Official Designation: North Slope Science Initiative,
North Slope Science Oversight Group (hereafter the Oversight Group).
2.
Background and Need: Alaska’s North Slope provides important
terrestrial, marine, and estuarine habitat for thousands of migratory birds,
caribou, and other terrestrial mammals, marine mammals, and fish, and is
culturally important to many Alaska Natives and their communities. Its
petroleum resources are vital to the Nation, and it currently provides about
11% of annual domestic oil production. When production of the large reserves of
natural gas and coal in the region becomes economically feasible, the strategic
and economic importance of the North Slope’s hydrocarbon energy resources will
be even greater. Past oil and gas activities have impacted habitats, but those
impacts have been difficult to measure. It is essential that State, Federal,
and North Slope Borough and Arctic Slope Regional Corporation natural resource
agencies collectively develop and implement cooperative North Slope-wide
inventory, monitoring, and research programs to provide the scientific
information necessary to address developmental impacts, and to differentiate
these impacts from those caused by natural processes.
3.
Mission: The mission of the Oversight Group is
to enhance the quality and quantity of the scientific information available for
aquatic, terrestrial, and marine environments on the North Slope and to make
this information available to decision makers, governmental agencies, industry,
and the public. This mission will be accomplished through a coordinated and
integrated approach to conducting inventory, monitoring, and research activities
on the North Slope.
4.
Goals: The Oversight Group directs and facilitates a coordinated
approach to information gathering and analysis on the North Slope and its
associated marine environment, including the integration of contemporary and
traditional local knowledge. Specifically, the Oversight Group will:
• Develop an
understanding of informational needs for regulatory and land management
agencies, local governments, and the public;
• Identify and
prioritize informational needs for inventory, monitoring, and research activities
to address the impacts of past, ongoing, and anticipated development activities
on the North Slope;
• Coordinate ongoing
and future inventory, monitoring, and research activities to minimize
duplication of effort, share financial resources and expertise, and assure the
collection of quality information;
• Identify priority
needs not addressed by existing agency science programs, and develop a funding
strategy to meet these needs;
• Maintain and
improve public and agency access to accumulated and ongoing research, and to
contemporary and traditional local knowledge; and
• Ensure through
appropriate peer review that the science conducted under the oversight of the NSSI
and by participating NSSI agencies and organizations is of the highest
technical quality.
5.
Membership: The Oversight Group consists of the
following member agencies with voting privileges: the State Director of the
Bureau of Land Management; the Regional Directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, National Park Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the
Minerals Management Service; the Commissioners of the Alaska Department of
Natural Resources and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game; the Arctic Slope
Regional Corporation President; and the Mayor of the North Slope Borough. These
agencies represent the principal governmental agencies at the regional, State,
and Federal levels with management responsibilities for public lands, fish, and
wildlife on the North Slope. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S.
Department of Energy will participate on the Oversight Group as the primary advisory
agencies on science issues related to the North Slope, but will not have voting
privileges.
6.
Summary of Agency Missions and Roles:
A.
Federal
1.
Bureau of Land Management collaboratively manages its Alaska lands and
its uses on the North Slope to promote healthy and productive ecosystems for
present and future generations, in accordance with the Federal Land Policy
Management Act (FLPMA) and the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976
(NPRPA). The NPRPA encourages oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum
Reserve Alaska (NPR-A), while requiring protection of important surface
resources and uses, including any activities related to the protection of
environmental, fish and wildlife, and historical or scenic values.
2.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is one of the primary natural
resource-management agencies on the North Slope. The mission of the Fish and
Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance the
fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the
American people. The Fish and Wildlife
Service
manages the 19 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeast
Alaska
and has primary management authority for migratory birds, certain threatened and
endangered species, polar bear, and Pacific walrus. The Service also cooperates
with other Federal and State agencies and various industries to minimize the
effects of development on fish and wildlife resources. To accomplish this
mission, the Service is involved in a variety of research, monitoring, and
management projects on the North Slope and in the adjacent coastal waters of
the Beaufort Sea.
3.
Minerals Management Service manages the mineral resources located on the
Nation's Outer Continental Shelf, collects revenue from the federal OCS and
onshore Federal and Indian lands, and distributes those revenues. The MMS Offshore
Minerals
Management
Program administers the OCS competitive leasing program and oversees
exploration and production of our Nation's offshore natural gas, oil, and other
mineral resources for safety and environmental soundness. MMS is also responsible
for oil spill response reviews for all platforms off the Nation's coasts. MMS
funds environmental and technology studies for ocean energy and minerals.
The
prime laws for the MMS Offshore Program are the Outer Continental Shelf Lands
Act and the Oil Pollution Act.
4.
National Park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources and
values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and
inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with
partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation
and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
5.
U.S. Geological Survey serves the Nation as the Department of Interior’s
lead science agency by providing scientific expertise responsive to important
natural resources issues and natural hazards assessments. The mission of the
USGS Alaska Science Center (ASC) is to provide scientific leadership and
accurate, objective, and timely data, information, and research findings about
the earth and its flora and fauna to Federal and State resource managers and
policy makers, local government, and the public to support sound decision
making regarding natural resources, natural hazards, and ecosystems in Alaska
and circumpolar regions. To meet the specific information needs of
resource-management agencies for the marine and terrestrial ecosystems of the
North Slope of Alaska, the ASC will combine and enhance the Center's diverse science
programs, capabilities, and talents with capabilities of USGS from across the nation
to strengthen its scientific capacity and contribution to the resolution of the
complex natural resource issues associated with change within the North Slope region.
6.
NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service provides stewardship of living
marine resources through science-based conservation and management and the
promotion of healthy ecosystems. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) activities on Alaska’s North Slope include consultation
and coordination regarding
Federal
water development projects under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and other
laws, consultation regarding Federal actions under the Endangered Species Act,
and regulation of small take authorizations under the Marine Mammal Protection
Act. Under this program, NOAA issues regulations or Incidental Harassment
Authorizations
for the unintentional take of small numbers of marine mammals. The authorizations
often require monitoring and research to quantify the extent of take and to
reduce harmful effects to marine mammals. NOAA also performs research concerning
marine mammals under NOAA jurisdiction, including whales and seals.
NOAA
is especially involved with bowhead whales and whaling, including research, funding/grant
work for the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, and staffing for the U.S.
delegation to the International Whaling Commission.
7.
U.S. Department of Energy seeks to protect our national and economic
security by promoting a diverse supply and delivery of reliable, affordable,
and environmentally sound energy. To tackle our immediate need for oil and gas,
the DOE continues to develop and promote technologies that can lower the costs
of oil and natural gas exploration and development, maximize the efficiency and
stability of America’s oil and gas production and supply, and protect the
environment. The Department’s research activities are closely coordinated with,
and synergistic to, the activities of other Federal agencies including the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and various branches of the Department of the
Interior. DOE recently established the
Arctic
Energy Office in Fairbanks and is sponsoring numerous research efforts regarding
the Alaska North Slope through that office and other DOE programs.
B.
State of Alaska
1.
Department of Fish and Game protects, maintains, and improves the fish
and game resources of the State, and manages their use and development for the
maximum benefit of the people of the State, consistent with the sustained yield
principle. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has a responsibility to
collect biological information necessary to evaluate land-development
activities, present this information to decision makers so they can make
informed decisions, and provide options for development activities that will
minimize or mitigate negative impacts of development.
2.
Department of Natural Resources is the lead resource-development agency
for the State of Alaska. Its mission is to develop, conserve, and enhance
natural resources for present and future Alaskans. Several divisions in DNR
have major responsibilities regarding North Slope developments.
(a)
The Division of Oil and Gas develops and manages the State’s oil and gas
leasing programs. The division staff identifies prospective lease areas;
performs geologic, economic, environmental, and social analyses; develops a
five-year leasing schedule; and conducts public review of proposed sales. The
division conducts competitive oil and gas lease sales and monitors collection
of all funds resulting from its programs.
(b)
The Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) generates, analyzes,
and interprets data on geologic resources and natural conditions and maps and
inventories mineral and energy resources on State land for use by government,
private industry, scientists, educators, and the public.
(c)
The Division of Mining, Land, and Water is the primary manager of Alaska’s land
holdings. Responsibilities include ensuring the State’s title; preparing
landuse plans and easement atlases; classifying land; leasing and permitting
State land for commercial and industrial uses; and coordinating needed
authorizations for major developments on the North Slope. The division
allocates and manages the
State’s
water resources on all lands in Alaska, adjudicates water rights, provides technical
hydrologic support, and assures dam safety.
(d)
The Office of Habitat Management and Permitting fulfills specific statutory responsibilities
for protecting freshwater anadromous fish habitat under the
Anadromous
Fish Act and providing free passage of anadromous and resident fish
in
fresh waterbodies. This office also coordinates positions taken by the State of
Alaska on resource-development issues.
(e)
The Office of Project Management and Permitting administers the Alaska Coastal
Management
Program, which provides stewardship for Alaska’s rich and diverse coastal
resources to ensure a healthy and vibrant Alaskan coast that efficiently sustains
long-term economic and environmental productivity. It also administers the
State of Alaska’s Large Project teams responsible for coordinating State agency
participation on major resource-development projects throughout Alaska.
C.
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC)
The
ASRC is the Alaska Native-owned regional corporation representing more than nine
thousand Inupiat Eskimos of Alaska’s North Slope. The shareholders of ASRC own
surface and subsurface title to more than four million acres of North Slope
lands. By virtue of this title, the ASRC represents the largest private
landowner on the North Slope. The ASRC ownership stems from an earlier claim of
aboriginal title, covering the entire Alaskan North Slope, that was eventually
settled in part by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). The
mission of ASRC includes actively managing its lands and resources in order to
enhance Inupiat cultural and economic freedoms. ASRC is involved with a number
of North Slope resource development activities, and has a variety of subsidiary
companies that are active in North Slope resource development and other
sectors.
D.
North Slope Borough
The
North Slope Borough’s responsibilities include planning, zoning, and
permitting; coastal management; wildlife research with a focus on subsistence;
and support for the traditional culture of the North Slope. The Borough’s
planning and zoning authority through its Home Rule Charter mandates active
land use management across Federal, State, Native and municipal lands. The
Borough has a coastal management plan and participates in ACMP consistency
reviews, stressing the health, safety, and cultural welfare of NSB residents
and compliance with environmental policies of local concern. The Borough
monitors and conducts scientific research on marine and wildlife resources to
ensure healthy population levels and to sustain a continued subsistence harvest
for its residents. All of the Borough’s planning and research activities are
conducted in part to guarantee strong local input into subsistence resource
management, with a special emphasis on the blending of contemporary and
traditional local knowledge as a mechanism to sustain the resources and the
local indigenous culture.
7.
Officers and Organization
Chair
and Vice Chair: The Oversight Group shall designate a
Chair and Vice Chair.
The
Chair shall alternate annually between Federal and non-Federal voting members.
The
Chair may participate in discussion and debate at the meetings and may vote on
all questions before the Oversight Group. The Vice Chair shall assume the
responsibilities of the Chair in the event of the Chair’s absence. The Vice
Chair shall be the Chair Elect for the annual rotation.
Designees:
Oversight Group members may appoint designees to act on
their behalf in their absence.
Advisory
Groups: The Oversight Group may recommend to
the Secretary of the
Interior
the establishment of formal advisory groups, such as the North Slope Science Technical
Advisory Group, as appropriate. Charters for any advisory group must be reviewed
and approved by the Oversight Group and forwarded to the Secretary of the Interior
following the guidance provided by the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
Staffing
and Budget: Staffing and budget will be provided
through an Interagency Agreement. The Bureau of Land Management will develop
and manage the Interagency Agreement. An Executive Director and support staff
will report programmatically to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Oversight
Group.
Committees:
The Oversight Group may establish other ad hoc and standing
committees as deemed necessary, and will specify the purpose and duration of
each committee. Any ad hoc committees established would automatically expire
upon completion of their committee assignment. The Oversight Group will
establish a standing staff-level committee composed of one member from each
representative Oversight Group member agency or organization. Staff committee
members will advise their respective Oversight Group members on issues prior to
each Oversight Group meeting, and will provide assistance to the Executive
Director of NSSI, as appropriate.
8.
Oversight Group Meetings and Procedures
A.
Notice of Meetings: Reserved.
B.
Conduct of Meetings: Oversight Group meetings will be open
to the public and will be generally conducted according to Roberts
Rules of Order. The Oversight Group shall provide a
reasonable opportunity for public comment.
C.
Voting Procedures: A quorum of Oversight Group members, or
their designees, shall be convened prior to any voting (a quorum shall consist
of at least three Federal members and two non-Federal members). All decisions shall
be made by the voting members by consensus. Oversight Group members may
participate by telephone or teleconference. The U.S. Geological Survey and U.S.
Department of Energy will not have voting privileges. The use of a proxy by
voting members is not permitted.
D.
Recusal: Oversight Group members may recuse
themselves from voting, if
necessary
to avoid a conflict of interest.
E.
Records: Summary of key decisions will be posted
on the NSSI website. Hard copies will be available upon request.
F.
Closed Meetings (Executive Sessions): The Oversight Group
may close meetings on matters pertaining to confidential personnel issues,
litigation, confidential information such as archaeological information, and
other matters included under applicable State and Federal laws and Borough
ordinances.
G.
Frequency and Location of Meetings: The Oversight Group
will meet a minimum of two times per year—once in Anchorage and once in Barrow.
H.
Expenses for Oversight Group: Expenses related to
travel, lodging, and per diem for Oversight Group meetings shall be borne by
the representatives’ respective member agencies.
9.
Availability of Funds
This
agreement shall not be construed as a commitment by any Federal agency signatory
to expend funds in excess of available appropriations.
SIGNATURE
AUTHORITY:
_________________________________________________
John
Goll Date
Regional
Director
Minerals
Management Service
_________________________________________________
Rowan
Gould Date
Regional
Director
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service
_________________________________________________
Marcia
Blaszak Date
Regional
Director
National
Park Service, Alaska Region
_________________________________________________
James
W. Balsiger Date
Administrator,
Alaska Region
NOAA
/ National Marine Fisheries Service
_________________________________________________
John
D. Buffington Date
Regional
Director, Western Region
U.S.
Geological Survey
_________________________________________________
Henri
Bisson Date
State
Director, Alaska State Office
Bureau
of Land Management
_________________________________________________
Rita
A. Bajura Date
Director,
National Energy Technology Laboratory
U.S.
Department of Energy
_________________________________________________
Tom
Irwin Date
Commissioner
Alaska
Department of Natural Resources
_________________________________________________
Kevin
C. Duffy Date
Commissioner
Alaska
Department of Fish and Game
_________________________________________________
George
N. Ahmaogak Sr. Date
Mayor
North
Slope Borough
_________________________________________________
Jacob
Adams Date
President
Arctic
Slope Regional Corporation
