DENVER—A new analysis of public comments posted to regulations.gov shows that an overwhelming 9 out of 10 comments support the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed regulations for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The 90-day public comment period on the proposal closes today.
With nearly 90,000 comments posted as of Thursday morning, the Center for Western Priorities found that 88 percent of comments encouraged the BLM to adopt the new regulations as written or further limit oil and gas drilling in the Arctic. 12 percent of the comments encouraged BLM to significantly weaken or scrap the rule. A negligible number of comments did not express clear support or opposition.
CWP’s analysis is based on a random sample of 10,000 comments, which were classified as “support,” “oppose,” or “neutral” using a combination of automated and manual analysis. The analysis has a margin of error of ±0.6%.
“The sheer number of comments submitted to the Interior department shows how much Americans care about the Arctic,” said Aaron Weiss, deputy director at the Center for Western Priorities and the author of the analysis. “It’s no surprise that the vast majority of commenters encouraged the Bureau of Land Management to stay the course and find balance on America’s public lands. The Arctic is experiencing some of the most severe effects of climate change, and these comments recognize there are some places that are too fragile to drill.”
The proposed NPR-A regulations would enhance protections for Alaska Native subsistence uses throughout the Reserve, especially within the Special Areas identified in the plan. Those areas include Teshekpuk Lake and the Utukok River Uplands. Over 40 Indigenous communities harvest caribou, birds, and fish within the NPR-A, with many communities subsisting primarily from food harvested from the Reserve. The rule would not affect existing oil and gas operations in the Reserve.
“The Bureau of Land Management went above and beyond listening to the public during this rulemaking,” Weiss added. “The agency extended the public comment period to a full 90 days and held in-person as well as virtual meetings across Alaska. I’m confident the agency will take everything it has learned into account when it finalizes a rule that protects Alaska Native communities as well as the fragile ecosystems of the North Slope.”
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