The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Unitized Exploration or Development Clause Samples

The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Unitized Exploration or Development. DNR considered environmental issues in the lease sale process, this unitization process, and will review them again during the unit plan of operations approval process. Unitized exploration, development, and production minimize surface impacts by consolidating facilities and reducing activity in the field. The Initial ▇▇▇ requires two exploratory ▇▇▇▇▇. The unit operator must obtain DNR’s approval of a unit plan of operations and permits from various state and federal agencies before beginning operations, including exploratory ▇▇▇▇▇, within the unit area. For example, state unitization regulations require the Commissioner’s approval of a unit plan of operations before the unit operator performs any field operations. 11 AAC 83.346. A unit plan of operations provides a more detailed plan for surface activities incident to exploration of the unit area than does a ▇▇▇. When working interest owners begin the permitting process to commence operations under a ▇▇▇, it must submit a Coastal Project Questionnaire, permit applications, and supporting information to the Alaska Division of Governmental Coordination (DGC). Consistency with the Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP) is determined by the DGC, state resource agencies (DNR, DEC, ADF&G) and affected local governments (North Slope Borough). The DGC conditions the proposed activity to ensure consistency with the ACMP and NSB Coastal District Plan (NSBCDP). Submittal of these documents to the state initiates an intensive public and agency review process. DGC organizes an inter-agency review, determines which permits are required, and publishes a public notice soliciting comments from federal, state and local agencies, and the public. DGC designates a 50-day review schedule starting with the public notice. State and federal agencies are asked to review the application, request any additional information and submit comments. After reviewing the comments, DGC crafts additional mitigation measures as necessary to ensure the project is consistent with the ACMP and NSB Coastal Management Program. DGC then issues a Proposed Consistency Determination for public comment. After the public comment period, additional stipulations may be imposed and a Final Consistency Determination may be issued for a project in the unit area. When reviewing a proposed unit plan of operations, the Division considers the unit operator’s ability to compensate the surface owner for damage sustained to the surface estate and plans for restor...
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The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Unitized Exploration or Development. The proposed NE Storms Unit area is habitat for a variety of land and marine mammals, waterfowl and fish. Area residents may use this area for subsistence hunting and fishing. Oil and gas activity in the proposed unit area may affect some wildlife habitat and some subsistence activity. Mitigation measures, including seasonal restrictions on specific activities, reduce the impact on fish, wildlife, and human populations. Mitigation measures specifically address potential impacts to subsistence access and harvests. DNR develops lease stipulations through the lease sale process to mitigate the potential environmental impacts from oil and gas activity. Alaska statutes require DNR to give public notice and issue a written finding before disposal of the State’s oil and gas resources. AS 38.05.035(e), AS 38.05.945, 11 AAC 82.415. In the written best interest finding, the commissioner may impose additional conditions or limitations beyond those imposed by law. AS 38.05.035(e). DNR considered all comments submitted before holding Lease Sales 87 and the North Slope Areawide 2003. DNR included mitigation measures in the leases. The proposed NE Storms Unit leases contain stipulations designed to protect the environment and address any outstanding concerns regarding impacts to the area’s fish and wildlife species and to habitat and subsistence activities. They address issues such as the protection of primary waterfowl areas, site restoration, construction of pipelines, seasonal restrictions on operations, public access to, or use of, the leased lands, and avoidance of seismic hazards. Including the leases in the NE Storms Unit will neither change these protective measures, nor result in additional restrictions or limitations on public access to the lands or to public and navigable waters. Further, leases operations both before and after unitization are subject to a coastal zone consistency determination, and must comply with the terms of both the State Coastal Management Program and North Slope Borough Coastal Management Plan. Lease and unit operations also require State approval of a plan of operations application. Ongoing mitigation measures such as seasonal restrictions on specific activities in certain areas will reduce the impact on bird, fish, and mammal populations. Designating primary waterfowl areas and restricting activities within these areas is one method of protecting the bird habitat. DNR requires consolidation of facilities to minimize surface disturbanc...
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The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Unitized Exploration or Development. The state’s evaluation of the environmental impacts from oil and gas activity began over fourteen years ago when DNR first considered offering to lease the acreage within the proposed McCovey Unit. DNR develops lease stipulations through the lease sale process to mitigate the potential environmental impacts. Alaska Statutes require DNR to give public notice and issue a written finding before the disposal of the state’s oil and gas resources. AS 38.05.035(e), AS 38.05.945, and 11 AAC 82.415. DNR offered the leases in the proposed McCovey Unit in Competitive Lease Sale 65 held on June 4, 1991. DNR first solicited public and agency comments on the sale on August 21, 1986, when we first proposed including the sale in the state’s five-year leasing schedule. The state considered the comments received and in the Five-Year Leasing Program published in January 1987, DNR proposed holding Sale 65 in June 1991. On February 4, 1988, DNR issued a public notice requesting general information on the proposed sale area. Environmental groups, the oil and gas industry, state and federal agencies and the public had until June 30, 1988, to provide comments. The DNR Office of History and Archaeology, ADF&G, MMS, and industry submitted general comments in response to the public notice. Additionally, the USFWS provided data on bird use of the barrier islands, and the NSB expressed concern over protection of subsistence whaling. On January 31, 1990, DNR issued a request for socioeconomic and environmental information regarding the proposed sale. The Division of Oil and Gas is specifically interested in information concerning fish and wildlife populations and potential effects of the proposed sale on these resources; human uses of fish and wildlife and potential effects of the proposed sale on these users; potential effects of proposed Sale 65 on the economy, lifestyles, and well-being of the region’s residents; and new programs and projects planned for or currently occurring in the proposed sale area. Data regarding potential effects of the proposed sale on air and water quality; characteristics of local communities; and the location of archaeological, historical, and recreation sites in the Sale 65 area are also requested, as are recommendations regarding potential mitigating measures. The notice requested agencies, local governments, and the public to submit information regarding the proposed sale area by May 31, 1990. The ADEC submitted a 77 page Environment Analysis of State O...
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The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Unitized Exploration or Development. DNR develops lease stipulations, called mitigation measures, through the lease sale process to mitigate potential adverse environmental and social impacts of petroleum exploration, development, production, and transportation. Alaska Statutes require DNR to give public notice and issue a written finding prior to the disposal of the state’s oil and gas resources. Environmental protection measures attached to these leases have been developed over decades of lease offerings and today represent protection equal to or beyond what is required by existing law. These measures were developed after considering terms imposed in previous North Slope oil and gas lease sales, and after considering fish and wildlife resource and harvest data submitted by ADF&G. Also considered were environmental data relating to air and water quality, solid and liquid waste disposal, and oil spill prevention information submitted by ADEC, as well as comments submitted by the public, local governments, environmental organizations, and other federal, state, and local agencies. Additional project-specific mitigation measures will be imposed if and when oil and gas lessees or the unit operator submit proposed plans of operation. In addition to compliance with these mitigation measures, lessees must comply with all applicable local, state and federal codes, statutes and regulations, and any subsequent amendments. AS 38.05.035(e), AS 38.05.945, and 11 AAC 82.415. Mitigation measures address the protection of resources and values including protection of waterfowl habitat, access to subsistence resources, protection of archaeological resources, site restoration and rehabilitation, proper construction of pipelines and roads, and avoidance of geophysical hazards. Leases in the proposed unit area were offered in State of Alaska Lease Sales 70A, 70AW, 80, and most recently Areawide Lease Sale NS 2000 (NS 2000). The mitigation measures for the most recent lease in the proposed unit will be applied unit-wide. NS 2000 mitigation measures are hereby incorporated in the individual lease contracts as amended by this Findings and Decision. The Final Finding of the Director for North Slope Areawide Sale 87, held November 15, 2000, authorized NS 2000 under AS 38.05.035. This Decision and Finding of the Commissioner incorporates by reference the Final Finding of the Director for North Slope Areawide Oil and Gas Lease Sale 87, dated Tuesday, March 17, 1998. State regulation 11 AAC 83.303 (b)(1) requires that th...
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Related to The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Unitized Exploration or Development

  • EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING 1. The State agrees to provide advice and counseling to employees with respect to career advancement opportunities and agency developments which have an impact on their careers. 2. Regular review of its job-related and career development and training programs will be made by the State in order to provide suitable programs for employees covered by this Agreement. When undertaking any such review, the State shall notify employees of such review and take into account suggestions and proposals made by employees. 3. Employees shall be given a reasonable notice of applicable, development and training programs available. Such notice shall include an explanation of the procedure for applying for the program. Notices of development and training programs shall be posted for reasonable periods in advance on bulletin boards at applicable work locations within the agencies involved. An appointing authority shall make every effort to permit employees' participation in such career development and training programs. Participation in any training inside or outside of work hours which is required by the State as a condition of fulfilling the requirements of the employee's job, or any in-service State training which is conducted or undertaken during normally scheduled work hours will be considered as time worked. 4. The State shall pay tuition, course-related fees, other approved course required costs and for necessary travel and lodging pursuant to established policies and procedures.

  • Responsibility for Environmental Contamination 5.20.1 Neither Party shall be liable to the other for any costs whatsoever resulting from the presence or release of any Environmental Hazard that either Party did not introduce to the affected Work Location. Both Parties shall defend and hold harmless the other, its officers, directors and employees from and against any losses, damages, claims, demands, suits, liabilities, fines, penalties and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that arise out of or result from (i) any Environmental Hazard that the Indemnifying Party, its contractors or agents introduce to the Work Locations or (ii) the presence or release of any Environmental Hazard for which the Indemnifying Party is responsible under Applicable Law. 5.20.2 In the event any suspect materials within Qwest-owned, operated or leased facilities are identified to be asbestos containing, CLEC will ensure that to the extent any activities which it undertakes in the facility disturb such suspect materials, such CLEC activities will be in accordance with applicable local, state and federal environmental and health and safety statutes and regulations. Except for abatement activities undertaken by CLEC or equipment placement activities that result in the generation of asbestos-containing material, CLEC does not have any responsibility for managing, nor is it the owner of, nor does it have any liability for, or in connection with, any asbestos-containing material. Qwest agrees to immediately notify CLEC if Qwest undertakes any asbestos control or asbestos abatement activities that potentially could affect CLEC personnel, equipment or operations, including, but not limited to, contamination of equipment.

  • Environmental Assessment and Mitigation Development of a transportation project must comply with applicable environmental laws. The party named in article 1, Responsible Parties, under AGREEMENT is responsible for the following: A. The identification and assessment of any environmental problems associated with the development of a local project governed by this Agreement. B. The cost of any environmental problem’s mitigation and remediation. C. Providing any public meetings or public hearings required for the environmental assessment process. Public hearings will not be held prior to the approval of Project schematic. D. The preparation of the NEPA documents required for the environmental clearance of this Project. If the Local Government is responsible for the environmental assessment and mitigation, before the advertisement for bids, the Local Government shall provide to the State written documentation from the appropriate regulatory agency or agencies that all environmental clearances have been obtained.

  • Environmental Compliance and Reports Borrower shall comply in all respects with any and all Environmental Laws; not cause or permit to exist, as a result of an intentional or unintentional action or omission on Borrower’s part or on the part of any third party, on property owned and/or occupied by Borrower, any environmental activity where damage may result to the environment, unless such environmental activity is pursuant to and in compliance with the conditions of a permit issued by the appropriate federal, state or local governmental authorities; shall furnish to Lender promptly and in any event within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof a copy of any notice, summons, lien, citation, directive, letter or other communication from any governmental agency or instrumentality concerning any intentional or unintentional action or omission on Borrower’s part in connection with any environmental activity whether or not there is damage to the environment and/or other natural resources. Additional Assurances. Make, execute and deliver to Lender such promissory notes, mortgages, deeds of trust, security agreements, assignments, financing statements, instruments, documents and other agreements as Lender or its attorneys may reasonably request to evidence and secure the Loans and to perfect all Security Interests.

  • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. Both the Board and the Association encourage teachers to seek professional improvement. In order to assist teachers in extending and improving their skills the following plan will be implemented. B. All Teachers will be encouraged to earn a Masters degree or coursework toward additional certification that is in the field of education and within a teacher's discipline, or in an area that is beneficial to the school. C. The Board will pay teacher's expenses for undergraduate and/or graduate credits, specialty and additional endorsements under the following conditions. 1. In allocating budgeted funds priority will be given to the teachers in a “masters” program and those teachers who need to complete coursework for certification. 2. All courses must be approved, in advance, by the Superintendent. Courses for recertification purposes must be approved in advance by the certification committee and the superintendent. The teacher shall receive a written reply from the Superintendent within ten (10) days of application for course approval (See Appendix D). 3. Each teacher will be eligible for up to six (6) semester hours of credit or, if enrolled in a matriculated, organized program, 12 semester hours of credit for undergraduate will be paid if part of a graduate program or graduate courses per contract year. The Superintendent reserves the right to request intent to take courses prior to final budget preparation. Failure to communicate such intent at the time of the Superintendent’s request may jeopardize course reimbursement due to a lack of funding. 4. The administration will pay in advance the cost of the course. Presentation of evidence of satisfactory completion of the course (A grade of B or better) is the responsibility of the teacher. In the event the course is not completed or not completed satisfactorily, the teacher will refund the payment received in advance and in accordance with Appendix D – attached. 5. Teachers who resign shall not be eligible for reimbursement after the date of resignation Teachers who have been reimbursed for any course work toward securing a masters within the last two (2) years of employment shall be required to continue their service to RSU # 78 for an additional two (2) years (twenty-four months) or will be required to reimburse the district the cost associated with Masters courses taken prior to departing, Such reimbursement to the district shall be remitted via payroll deductions as arranged between the District and employee, unless the failure to continue employment is due to illness, disability, death, or reduction of position. 6. Reimbursement will only be for tuition and fees. It will not include reimbursement for mileage, books and other expenses unless the teacher is required to take the course by the administration.