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A Timeline of Teshekpuk Lake Since 1923
- What is now the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPR-A) was initially designated as a naval petroleum reserve in 1923. It was redesignated as NPR-A in 1976, and management transferred to the Department of the Interior, with the requirement that "maximum protection" be given to designated special areas.
- In 1977 under the Carter Administration, a 1.7 million acre Teshekpuk Lake Special Area was established in recognition of the area's outstanding wildlife resources. The area is critical seasonal habitat for millions of migratory birds, including tens of thousands of migratory waterfowl, as well as a resident caribou herd and other terrestrial species.
- In 1983, under the Reagan Administration, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) initiated an oil and gas leasing program in NPR-A, but closed an area of about 200,000 acres north of Teshekpuk Lake specifically because of its value to molting geese, for which the area is of international significance.
- In 1998, the Clinton Administration established a Teshekpuk Lake Surface Protection area of 857,859 acres. Of this area, 588,998 acres were completely closed to leasing. The balance was open to leasing, but with no surface occupancy. Under this decision, 87% of the Northeast NPR-A has been available for leasing and about 1.5 million acres have been leased and are being actively explored. Some areas near the eastern boundary of NPR-A (just west of Colville River) are moving toward development and production.
- In January 2006, BLM issued a new decision opening the entire Northeast NPR-A to leasing, including all of the Teshekpuk Lake area. The only exception made was for the lake bed itself, which was deferred for an indeterminate time.
- Strong opposition to the new decision was expressed by governmental agencies, the North Slope Borough, local communities, residents, and conservation groups including Audubon.
- In March 2006, Earthjustice, on behalf of National Audubon Society and five other environmental organizations, filed an amended complaint in federal district court challenging BLM's January 2006 decision and a proposed September 27, 2006 lease sale. A federal District Court later ruled in favor of Audubon's position that BLM had not adequately addressed cumulative impacts of the proposed action and blocked the oil and gas lease sale in the Northeast Planning Area.
- In late 2006, BLM gave notice that it will move forward with a new environmental analysis to address the Court's ruling. The analysis is scheduled for latter half of 2007, with a new final leasing decision anticipated in the spring of 2008. A new lease sale in the Northeast could then be held as early as the summer of 2008, if legal action or policy changes do not intervene to stop it.
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