What is the Outer Continental Shelf?
The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) refers to federal submerged lands that lie seaward of the states' jurisdiction (generally three nautical miles from the shoreline).
Final Shell Discoverer Air Permits Issued on Jan 27, 2012 Petitions for Review Before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Must be Filed by April 10, 2012
EPA Region 10 approved final Clean Air Act Outer Continental Shelf Permits issued to Shell Gulf of Mexico, Inc., and Shell Offshore, Inc. for the Discoverer drillship on January 27, 2012 and the permits became effective on that date.
The permits authorize air emissions from Shell’s oil and gas exploration drilling with the Discoverer drillship and a support fleet of icebreakers, oil spill response vessels, and supply ships for up to 120 days each year in the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea. Shell plans to begin exploration drilling in 2012, as authorized by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
EPA published a public notice of the final permits approval in the Federal Register (PDF) (2 pp, 164K) on Feb. 10, 2012.
Judicial review of the final Shell Discoverer permits, to the extent it is available, may be sought by filing a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit within 60 days of the February 10, 2012 Federal Register Notice (by April 10, 2012). To file a petition, go to: http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cmecf/.
NOTE: In December, Congress moved the authority for regulating offshore exploration in the Arctic from EPA to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, but allowed EPA to continue processing “pending permits.”
Environmental Appeals Board
Four petitioners filed for administrative review of the permits with the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB). On January 12, 2012, the EAB dismissed one petition as untimely and denied review of the three other petitions.
Shell 2011 Final Air Permit Documents
Draft Permit and Other Related Documents
Where to Review Hard Copy Documents
The permit record includes Shell’s applications and supplemental application materials, the final permits, supplemental statement of basis, EPA Region 10’s response to public comments, and all other materials relied on by EPA.
The permit record is available for review at EPA Region 10, 1200 6th Ave, Seattle, Washington, 9am-5pm Monday-Friday (206-553-1200).
The final permits, supplemental statement of basis, and response to public comments will also be available at these locations in Alaska:
EPA, Federal Building, 222 West 7th Ave, Anchorage (907-271-5083); Barrow City Office, 2022 Ahkovak Street, Barrow (907-852-4050); Nuiqsut City Office, 2230 2nd Avenue, Nuiqsut (907-480-6727); Kaktovik City Office, 2051 Barter Avenue, Kaktovik (907-640-6313); Wainwright City Office, 1217 Airport Road, Wainwright (907-763-2815); Kali School Library, 1029 Ugrak Ave, Point Lay (907-833-2312); Point Hope City Office, 530 Natchiq Street, Point Hope (907-368-2537); Atqasuk City Office, 5010 Ekosik Street, Atqasuk (907-633-6811); Anaktuvuk Pass City Office, 3031 Main St, Anaktuvuk Pass (907-661-3612).
For more information or to request a copy of permit documents, contact Suzanne Skadowski, 206-553-6689.