Notice of Issuance of the Preliminary Best Interest Finding for the Proposed North Slope Areawide Oil and Gas Lease Sales, 2018-2027

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas (DO&G), gives notice under

AS 38.05.945(a)(3)(A) that it has issued the North Slope Areawide Oil and Gas Lease Sales

Preliminary Written Finding of the Director for 2018-2027 as required by AS 38.05.035(e)(5)(A),

and that the director has preliminarily found that holding North Slope Areawide oil and

gas lease sales from 2018-2027 is in the best interests of the state.

The preliminary best interest finding is now available for public comment. The finding will be

revised as needed and any relevant information and issues brought up during the public

comment period will be incorporated in the final finding as necessary. If the director determines

the proposed lease sales are in the best interests of the state, DO&G may annually conduct

lease sales in the area for up to 10 years with issuance of an annual supplement each

subsequent year as necessary (AS 38.05.035(e)(6)(F)).

The Preliminary Best Interest Finding is available on DO&G’s website at http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/

How to Submit Comments to DO&G

Please refer to the Online Public Notice website, dated January 31, 2018 and posted at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/default.aspx for more information and a map of the area. Send comments to:

Best Interest Findings

500 W. 7th Ave., Suite 1100, Anchorage, AK 99501

or email to: dog.bif@alaska.gov

COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 P.M., April 2, 2018

The DO&G complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990. On request, this announcement will be made available in alternative communication formats. A person is eligible to file a request for reconsideration of the commissioner’s decision and file a subsequent appeal to the Superior Court only if the person has meaningfully participated in the process by either submitting written comment during the period for receipt of public comment or has presented oral testimony at a public hearing, if a public hearing was held, and is affected by the final written finding (AS 38.05.035(i)).