F8 Biological Opinion for the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska Integrated Activity Plan 2013 Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office 101 12th Ave, Room 110 Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 February 5, 2013 1 Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 9 The Action Area ............................................................................................................................ 12 The Proposed Action..................................................................................................................... 12 Actions Common to Multiple Oil and Gas Activities ........................................................... 14 Staging Areas .................................................................................................................... 14 Aircraft Flights .................................................................................................................. 14 Construction of Roads (gravel and winter ice roads) ........................................................ 14 Summer support work ....................................................................................................... 17 Management of wastes ...................................................................................................... 17 Development and Production Scenario ................................................................................. 17 Exploration ........................................................................................................................ 17 Location of Development ................................................................................................. 18 Field Development ............................................................................................................ 18 Gravel Drill-Pad and Road Construction .......................................................................... 19 Production ......................................................................................................................... 20 Oil Pipeline Infrastructure ................................................................................................. 20 Gas Pipeline Infrastructure ............................................................................................... 21 Watercraft Support to Production Facilities ..................................................................... 21 Abandonment and Restoration .......................................................................................... 22 Non-oil and Gas Activities.................................................................................................... 22 Aircraft Use, Takeoffs, and Landings ............................................................................... 22 Watercraft Use .................................................................................................................. 22 Excavation and Collection ................................................................................................ 22 Ground Activities and Camps ........................................................................................... 22 Overland Moves and Other Land Use Permits ................................................................. 23 Contaminated Sites ........................................................................................................... 23 Recreation and Film Permits ............................................................................................. 24 Pre-Development Environmental Studies for Offshore Development ............................. 24 Status of the Species and Critical Habitat ..................................................................................... 25 Spectacled Eiders ...................................................................................................................... 25 Status and Distribution .......................................................................................................... 25 Life History ........................................................................................................................... 26 Breeding–North Slope Population .................................................................................... 26 2 Post-breeding – North Slope ............................................................................................. 27 Molt ................................................................................................................................... 28 Wintering .......................................................................................................................... 28 Late Winter/Spring............................................................................................................ 28 Abundance and Trends ......................................................................................................... 30 Spectacled Eider Recovery Criteria ...................................................................................... 30 Steller’s Eiders .......................................................................................................................... 31 Status and Distribution .......................................................................................................... 31 Life History ........................................................................................................................... 32 North Slope Breeding ....................................................................................................... 32 Use of Non-breeding Habitats .......................................................................................... 35 Molt and Winter Distribution............................................................................................ 37 Northward Spring Migration............................................................................................. 38 Recovery Criteria .................................................................................................................. 38 Polar Bear.................................................................................................................................. 39 Status and Distribution .......................................................................................................... 39 Life History ........................................................................................................................... 40 Threats to the Polar Bear....................................................................................................... 41 Polar Bear Critical Habitat ........................................................................................................ 41 Environmental Baseline ................................................................................................................ 43 Spectacled and Steller’s Eiders ................................................................................................. 43 Spring migration ................................................................................................................... 46 Breeding and Brood- rearing ................................................................................................ 46 Post-breeding ........................................................................................................................ 48 Possible Threats in the Action Area ...................................................................................... 49 Toxic Contamination of Habitat ....................................................................................... 49 Increased Predator Populations ......................................................................................... 50 Subsistence Harvest .......................................................................................................... 51 Impacts from Development and Disturbance ................................................................... 51 Previously Consulted on Federal Projects ............................................................................ 51 Research Impacts .............................................................................................................. 54 Climate Change ................................................................................................................. 54 Polar Bears ................................................................................................................................ 56 Alaska-Chukotka Stock ........................................................................................................ 57 3 Southern Beaufort Sea Stock ................................................................................................ 58 Threats and Possible Stressors in the Action Area ............................................................... 58 Subsistence Harvest .......................................................................................................... 58 Polar Bear Research .............................................................................................................. 59 Incidental Take Regulations ................................................................................................. 59 Deterrence Activities and