On October 22, 2021, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) that lays out the proposal and alternatives for a potential 2022 oil lease sale in the Gulf of Alaska south of Anchorage.[1] The sale would be among the first since the Biden administration paused new sales under the federal oil leasing program in January 2021. In June 2021, Louisiana U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty ordered the leasing program to temporarily restart while the court considers the legality of the moratorium. To comply with that ruling, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has proposed oil and gas lease sales in several states and in federal waters, including the Cook Inlet, Alaska sale. The administration has appealed the federal judge’s ruling but has still pledged to hold auctions.

The draft EIS is part of a federal process and will be used to decide whether to move forward with the sale. The document found that the proposal would have low to no effect on the habitats of nearby wildlife. The document does note that the sale could contribute to the release of 88.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Not holding the auction would result in slightly higher oil prices. BOEM will next hold three days of virtual hearings on the proposal from November 16-18, 2021, during a 45-day public comment period.

[1] https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/oil-gas-energy/leasing/LS258-DEIS.pdf