Region 10: the Pacific Northwest

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News

• (Feb. 12, 2012) The Environmental Appeals Board on Jan. 12, 2012, denied appeals and upheld final Outer Continental Shelf air permits issued to Shell for oil and gas exploration with the Discoverer drillship in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas.
• (Jan. 27 2012) ConocoPhillips withdrew their Outer Continental Shelf air permit application.

Water Permits

EPA is reviewing public comments received on the new draft Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea General Permits for waste water discharges from oil and gas exploration activities. The Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea General Permits will replace the Arctic General Permit which expired in 2011.

Air Permits

Current and closed air permit applications for Arctic oil and gas exploration:

• Shell Discoverer Air Permit - Beaufort Sea
• Shell Discoverer Air Permit - Chukchi Sea
• Shell Kulluk Air Permit - Beaufort Sea
• ConocoPhillips Air Permit - Chukchi Sea

  North Slope Communications Protocol

  EPA is committed to improving our working relationships with the communities of the North Slope. To help meet this commitment, we developed the North Slope Communications Protocol (PDF) (44 pp. 817K) as a guide for EPA programs to foster effective and meaningful communications with North Slope communities. The Protocol was developed with information from North Slope residents and representatives about communities’ unique geography, culture, and environmental issues. It describes sensible processes, practical tools, and helpful background information for EPA staff.

Join our mailing list: Sign up for our Arctic air and water permits mailing list to receive email updates about EPA permit activities in Alaska's Outer Continental Shelf and North Slope areas.

Tribal Consultation
In addition to the public participation process, EPA is required to offer federally-recognized Indian tribes the opportunity to consult with EPA on permitting decisions that could impact their resources. This government-to-government consultation may occur before or during the public participation process.