North Slope Area Plan

North Slope Area Plan Adopted March 2021 Prepared by: Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water Resource Assessment & Development Section North Slope Area Plan Adopted March 2021 Prepared By: Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water Resource Assessment & Development Section Photos courtesy of Mark Henspeter This document has been released by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land and Water, for the purpose of informing the public about the North Slope Area Plan, at a cost of $20.68 per copy, in Anchorage, Alaska. March 12, 2021 Acknowledgements This is the first area plan for the North Slope area and was developed by the Department of Natural Resources with generous assistance from representatives of several state agencies. The following people contributed their time and technical expertise to provide, review, and discuss plan related information; draft, review, and edit plan text; and assist in resolving plan issues. The Resource Assessment and Development Section staff appreciates the contributions made by its own staff, and by those individuals who took the time to attend meetings, review the document, and provide their input to the Department. DNR, Division of Mining, Land & Water, Resource Assessment & Development Section: Mark Henspeter, Tyler Fanning, Brittany Smith, Emily Hart, Chuck Pinckney, Brandon McCutcheon, Kelsey Anderson, Nina Brudie, Monica Alvarez, Shawana Guzenski, Jacobie Gable. DNR, Division of Mining, Land & Water, Land Conveyances Section: Tim Shilling. DNR, Division of Mining, Land & Water, Northern Regional Land Office: Jeanne Proulx, Dianna Leinberger, Patty Burns, Julie Smith, Melissa Head. DNR, Division of Mining, Land & Water, Mining Section: Stephen Buckley, Russ Kirkham. DNR, Division of Mining, Land & Water, Water Section: Tom Barrett, Henry Brooks. DNR, Division of Mining, Land & Water, Public Access Assertion & Defense: Jim Walker. DNR, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, Office of History & Archaeology: Judith Bittner. DNR, Division of Oil & Gas: Jonathan Schick, Chris Grundman, Kyle Smith, James Hyun, Mark Henspeter. DNR, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys: Steve Masterman, DeAnne Stevens, Trent Hubbard. Alaska Department of Fish & Game: Marla Carter, Adam Dubour. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation: Tom DeRuyter, Bill O’Connell, Grant Lidren, Gary Mendivil. Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities: Ben White, Judy Chapman, Ryan Anderson, Jeff Russell, April Woolery. i ii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction and Background .............................................................................................. 1 - 1 Purpose of the Plan ........................................................................................................ 1 - 1 Planning Area................................................................................................................. 1 - 1 Physiography.................................................................................................................. 1 - 2 Uplands and Shorelands as Described in This Plan ....................................................... 1 - 2 Land Ownership and Land Status .................................................................................. 1 - 3 Why This Plan Was Developed ..................................................................................... 1 - 4 The Mandate .................................................................................................................. 1 - 7 How the Plan is Organized ............................................................................................ 1 - 7 Planning Period .............................................................................................................. 1 - 8 What the Plan Will Do ................................................................................................... 1 - 8 What the Plan Will Not Do ............................................................................................ 1 - 9 How This Plan Will be Used ......................................................................................... 1 - 9 Who Developed the Plan? ............................................................................................ 1 - 10 Process of Plan Preparation ......................................................................................... 1 - 10 Public Participation in Planning Process ..................................................................... 1 - 10 Use and Resources Within the Planning Area ............................................................. 1 - 11 Summary of Plan Actions .................................................................................................. 1 - 12 Management Intent ...................................................................................................... 1 - 12 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 1 - 13 Land Use Designations and Land Classifications ........................................................ 1 - 13 Plan Implementation and Modification ....................................................................... 1 - 14 Chapter 2: Areawide Land Management Policies Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 - 1 Definitions...................................................................................................................... 2 - 1 Overall Management Direction ...................................................................................... 2 - 1 Plan Goals ...................................................................................................................... 2 - 2 Plan Objectives .............................................................................................................. 2 - 3 Objectives by Activity or Resource Value..................................................................... 2 - 4 Plan Guidelines .............................................................................................................. 2 - 4 Management Guidelines by Activity or Resource Value .............................................. 2 - 5 Plan Management Intent ................................................................................................ 2 - 5 Other State Land ............................................................................................................ 2 - 6 Buffers, Easements, and Setbacks Pertaining to State Owned Waterbodies ....................... 2 - 8 Objectives and Management Guidelines ....................................................................... 2 - 8 iii Coordination and Public Notice ......................................................................................... 2 - 16 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 16 Fish and Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................................... 2 - 18 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 20 Species Specific Management Guidelines ................................................................... 2 - 25 Anadromous and High Value Fish Habitat .................................................................. 2 - 30 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................... 2 - 30 Heritage and Cultural ......................................................................................................... 2 - 32 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 33 Material Sites ..................................................................................................................... 2 - 35 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 36 Public Access ..................................................................................................................... 2 - 38 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 39 Recreation, Tourism, and Scenery ..................................................................................... 2 - 43 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 44 Settlement .......................................................................................................................... 2 - 47 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 48 Subsistence and Harvest .................................................................................................... 2 - 52 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 53 Subsurface Resources ........................................................................................................ 2 - 54 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 56 Transportation and Infrastructure .....................................................................................

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