North Slope Area Plan Public Review Draft May 2020 Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land & Water Resource Assessment & Development Section North Slope Area Plan May 2020 Comments can be submitted through an online portal here: https://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/comment/ Written comments can be mailed, emailed or faxed to the addresses below. To receive full consideration, comments must be received no later than: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 Comments submitted become public information under AS 40.25.110-40.25.125 Send comments to: Kelsey Anderson Department of Natural Resources Phone: 907-269-8592 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1050 Fax: 907-269-8915 Anchorage, AK 99501-3579 Email: [email protected] Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land & Water Resource Assessment & Development Section Photos Courtesy of: Kristen Shake - pipeline Mike Records - remainder 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 Uses 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 - 13 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 i Buffers, Easeents, and Setbacks Pertaining to State Owned Waterbodies .......................... 2 - 7 Objectives and Management Guidelines ....................................................................... 2 - 7 Coordination and Public Notice ......................................................................................... 2 - 14 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 14 Fish and Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................................... 2 - 16 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 18 Species Specific Management Guidelines ................................................................... 2 - 23 Anadromous and High Value Fish Habitat .................................................................. 2 - 27 Threatened and Endangered Species ........................................................................... 2 - 28 Heritage and Cultural ......................................................................................................... 2 - 29 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 29 Material Sites ..................................................................................................................... 2 - 31 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 32 Public Access ..................................................................................................................... 2 - 34 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 35 Recreation, Tourism, and Scenery ..................................................................................... 2 - 39 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 40 Settlement .......................................................................................................................... 2 - 43 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 44 Subsistence and Harvest .................................................................................................... 2 - 48 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 49 Subsurface Resources ........................................................................................................ 2 - 50 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 52 Transportation and Infrastructure ...................................................................................... 2 - 56 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 61 Water Resources ................................................................................................................ 2 - 65 Objectives and Management Guidelines ..................................................................... 2 - 67 Chapter 3 Land Management Policies for Each Management Unit Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 3 - 1 Organization of Chapter ................................................................................................. 3 - 2 Land Use Designations .................................................................................................. 3 - 2 Designations Used in This Plan ..................................................................................... 3 - 5 Explanation of Habitat Designations ............................................................................. 3 - 9 Explanation of Oil and Gas Designation ..................................................................... 3 - 10 Resources and Uses and Management Intent ............................................................... 3 - 10 Duration and Flexibility of Plan .................................................................................. 3 - 11 Glossary ....................................................................................................................... 3 - 12 ii Plan Structure ....................................................................................................................