Table Of Content

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Willow Master Development Plan Environmental Impact Statement FINAL Volume 1: Chapters 1 through 5, Glossary, and References August 2020 w Prepared by: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management In Cooperation with: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Native Village of Nuiqsut IÑupiat Community of the Arctic Slope City of Nuiqsut North Slope Borough State of Alaska Estimated Total Costs Associated with Developing and Producing this EIS: $6,668,400 Mission To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the future use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Cover Photo Illustration: Caribou in the Alpine Development on Alaska’s North Slope. Photo by: Wendy Mahan, courtesy of ConocoPhillips. Photo copyright 2019 ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. BLM is permitted to use this photo and copy for its own use; any other use or copying by any other party is prohibited without the written consent of ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. DOI-BLM-AK-0000-2018-0004-EIS BLM/AK/PL-19/012+1610+F010 Willow Master Development Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT WILLOW MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROJECT Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Cooperating Agencies: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, State of Alaska, North Slope Borough, Native Village of Nuiqsut, City of Nuiqsut, and the Iñupiat Community of the Arctic Slope. Proposed Action: Construct the infrastructure necessary to allow the production and transportation to market of federal oil resources under leaseholds in the northeast area of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A), consistent with the Proponent’s (ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.) federal oil and gas lease and unit obligations. Abstract: The Willow Master Development Plan (MDP) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published on August 23, 2019. The Draft EIS analyzed a No Action Alternative (Alternative A), three action alternatives (Alternatives B, C, and D), and two module delivery options (Options 1 and 2) to support a new development proposed by ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. on federal oil and gas leases in the northeast area of the NPR-A. On March 26, 2020, BLM published a targeted Supplement to the Draft EIS that addressed additional analysis for three new Willow MDP Project components added by the Proponent: a third module delivery option (Option 3), a constructed freshwater reservoir, and up to three boat ramps for subsistence access. If the MDP is approved, the Proponent may submit applications to build up to five drill sites, a central processing facility, an operations center pad, gravel roads, ice roads and ice pads, 1 or 2 airstrips (varies by alternative), a module transfer island, pipelines, and a gravel mine site. The Willow MDP Project would have a peak production in excess of 160,000 barrels of oil per day (with a processing capacity of 200,000 barrels of oil per day) over its 30- or 31- year life (varies by alternative), producing approximately 590 million total barrels of oil, and would help offset declines in production from the North Slope oil fields and contribute to the local, state, and national economies. The EIS describes proposed infrastructure and potential effects on the natural, built, and social environments. The action alternative discussion includes existing lease stipulations and best management practices and proposed mitigation measures to avoid, reduce, and minimize the potential effects. BLM and other state and federal agencies will decide whether to authorize the Willow MDP Project, in whole or in part, based on the analysis contained in the Final EIS, as well as other state and federal permit review processes. The EIS analyzes the following resources in detail: climate and climate change; air quality; soils, permafrost, and gravel resources; contaminated sites; noise; visual resources; water resources; wetlands and vegetation; fish; birds; terrestrial mammals; marine mammals; land ownership and use; economics; subsistence and sociocultural systems; environmental justice; and public health. Further Information: Contact Racheal Jones, BLM Alaska Project Manager, at 907-290-0307 or visit the Willow MDP EIS website at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans- development/alaska/willow-eis. Abstract I United States Department of the Interior BUREAUOf LAND MANAGEMENT Alaska State Office 222 West SeventhAvenue, #13 Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7504 www.blrn.gov/alaska Dear Reader: I am pleased to present the Willow Master Development Plan (MDP) Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) foryourreview. The Final EIS addresses a list ofissues and contains three action alternatives for new development proposed by ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. (the Proponent) on federal oil and gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). BLM has identifiedAlternative B and Module Delivery Option 3 as the preferred alternative. This alternative and module delivery option provides for the protection ofsurface resources identified throughthe public scoping and public comments. The Proponent’s proposed project is to construct up to five drill sites, roads, pipelines, and ancillary facilities to support the safe and economicproduction and transportationto market ofoil and gas resources under leaseholds in the NPR-A. The decisionto be made from this EIS process is whether BLM will authorize the Willow MDP, in whole or in part, based on the analysis contained in this final EIS, as well as other state and federal permit review processes. The analysis ofthe alternatives and module delivery options was conducted based onpublic input gathered from the 60-day comment period onthe Draft EIS and the 45-day comment period on the Supplement to the Draft EIS. The BLM held public comment meetings on the Draft EIS and subsequently on the Supplement to the Draft EIS. Modifications to the final EIS were made based on public comment, cooperating agency coordination, tribal and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act corporation consultation, and the BLM’s internal review ofthe EIS. Consistent with 43 CFR 1503.4, the BLM evaluated all substantive comments received duringthe public comment period and responses are included in the Final EIS. The Final EIS may be accessed on the internet at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and nepa/plans-developrnent/alaska/willow-eis or a digital copy can be requested from Racheal Jones, Project Manager, at (907) 290-0307 or [email protected]. A Record ofDecision will be signed no sooner than 30 days afterpublication ofthe Final FIS Notice of Availability in the federal Register. Thank you for your continued interest in the Willow MDP EIS. We appreciatethe information and suggestions you contributed to the planning and analyses process. For additional information or clarification regarding this document, please contact Racheal Jones, Project Manager. Chad B. Padgett State Director INTERIOR REGION II .ALASKA United States Department ofthe Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Alaska State Office 222 West Seventh Avenue, #13 Anchorage, Alaska 995 13-7504 www.blm.gov/alaska Dear Reader: The enclosed Errata to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Willow Master Development Plan describes minor changes to the text ofthe document that was publicly released on August 14, 2020. These corrections reflect errors that were discovered after the release ofthe Final EIS. There are no changes or significant new circumstances or information identified in this Errata to the final EIS that affect the decision or conclusions in the Final EIS. This Errata to the Final EIS is part ofthe administrative record for the Willow Master Development Plan Final EIS. These corrections will be posted on the BLM-Alaska website at www.blm.gov/alaska. For additional information or clarification regarding the attached Errata to the Final EIS, please contact Racheal Jones, Project Lead, at (907) 290-0307. State Director Attachment: Errata to the Final EIS This page intentionally left blank. Willow Master Development Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement 1.0 Errata The Willow Master Development Plan (MDP) Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published on August 14, 2020. This Errata sheet provides a list of corrected errors in the Final EIS. 1.1 Appendix D.2, Willow Mine Site Mining and Reclamation Plan Appendix D.2, Willow Mine Site Mining and Reclamation Plan, of the Final EIS was missing figures and one table. The missing figures and table are appended to this Errata (no text has changed, only the table in Appendix A and figures were added). 1.2 Multi-Season Ice Pads The Final EIS stated that there would be a total of 30 acres of multi-season ice pads at the Tiŋmiaqsiuġvik Gravel Mine Site for each action alternative. This should be corrected to be 84.8 acres of multi-season ice pads. The total area covered by ice pads (single-season combined with multi-season) was correct in the Final EIS; only the proportion of acres of multi-season versus single-season is corrected here. The Final EIS Figure 2.5.2 (Tiŋmiaqsiuġvik Gravel Mine Site) should show that the inorganic overburden ice pad and the organic overburden ice pad are multi-season ice pads at both mine site area 1 and mine site area 2 (a total of 4 ice pads). These were incorrectly described as single-season ice pads in the Final EIS. An updated figure is included with this Errata. Table 1.2.1. Mine Site Ice Pad Corrections Mine Site Ice Infrastructure Corrected Acres Final EIS Acres Single-Season Ice Pads 133.2 188.0 Multi-Season Ice Pads 84.8 30.0 Total Ice Pads 218.0 218.0 Table E.9.3 in Appendix E.9 (Vegetation and Wetlands Technical Appendix) should be replaced with the following table (Table 1.2.2) that summarizes the acres of temporary fill from multi-season ice pads by wetland type. This table includes all multi-season ice pads, including those from the mine site described in Table 1.2.1. The acres of multi-season ice pads for the module delivery options was correct in the Final EIS and have not changed. Table 1.2.2. Acres of Temporary Fill from Multi-Season Ice Pads by Wetland Type and Action Alternative or Module Delivery Option Cowardin Alternative B: Alternative C: Alternative D: Option 1: Atigaru Option 2: Point Option 3: Code Proponent’s Disconnected Disconnected Point Module Lonely Module Colville River Project Infield Roads Access Transfer Island Transfer Island Crossing PEM1/SS1B 64.5 68.4 72 15.6 16.2 0 PEM1/SS1D 14.8 18.1 16.5 0 0 0 PEM1/SS1F 19.5 11.4 2.9 0 0 0 PEM1F 0.5 0.5 1 13.5 13.1 0 PSS1B 5.5 6.4 12.4 0 0 0 PUBH 0 0 0 0.9 0.7 0 Total 104.8 104.8 104.8 30.0 30.0 0 Note: Cowardin codes are defined in Table E.9.1 of the Willow Final Environmental Impact Statement. Multi-season ice pads (lasting more than 1 full year in a single location) are considered temporary fill and are subject to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction. Therefore, they are included in the Willow Master Development Plan Project’s Clean Water Act 404 permit as temporary fill. Errata Page 1 Willow Master Development Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement 1.3 Reference Errors The following references should be removed from the Final EIS: • Clark, R.B. 1968. Oil Pollution and the Conservation of Seabirds. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Oil Pollution of the Sea, pp. 76–112. London, UK: British Advisory Committee on Oil Pollution of the Sea, Natural History Museum. • McFarland, J., B. Morris, C.R. Moulton, and L. Moulton. 2019a. Fish Populations in Waterbodies of the Willow Project Area: 2018. Anchorage, AK: Prepared by Owl Ridge Natural Resource Consultants, Inc. for ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. Clark 1968 was erroneously cited in the Final EIS Section 3.11.2.10, Oil Spills or Other Accidental Releases, second paragraph, second sentence. The other citations in the sentence provide appropriate background and Clark 1968 should be removed. All references to McFarland, Morris, Moulton et al. 2019a should be replaced with McFarland, Morris, Moulton, Moulton et al. 2019, which is also referenced in the Final EIS: McFarland, J., W.A. Morris, C.R. Moulton, L. Moulton, and K.M. Ferry. 2019. Fish Surveys in the Northeastern NPR-A, 2018. Anchorage, AK: Prepared by Owl Ridge Natural Resource Consultants, Inc. for ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. References to Hull 1994 should be replaced with: • Stephenson, B. and Boertje, R., 2008. Wolf. Alaska Wildlife Notebook Series. Juneau, AK: ADF&G. • Stephenson, B., 2008. Artic Fox. Alaska Wildlife Notebook Series. Juneau, AK: ADF&G. • Jennings, L., 2008. Red Fox. Alaska Wildlife Notebook Series. Juneau, AK: ADF&G. References to Carroll 2005 should be replaced with: • Harper (ed), P., 2008. Moose Management Report of Survey-Inventory Activities 1 July 2005 - 30 June 2007. Juneau, AK: ADF&G. 1.4 Appendix I.1, Avoidance, Minimization, and Mitigation Table I.1.3 (Additional Suggested Avoidance, Minimization, or Mitigation) of the Final EIS did not include the following measures, though they were included in the main volume of the Final EIS. • 3.7 – Visual Resources: Implement lighting controls to turn off exterior lighting at satellite pads and other unoccupied facilities when personnel are not present, between August 1 and October 31. • 3.14 – Land Ownership and Use: Develop a coordination plan with other stakeholders who are permitted to use the community winter access trail (CWAT) snow road (i.e., Nuiqsut residents) by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to prevent access conflicts during sealift module movement across the Colville River. Errata Page 2 Ice Road Excavation Ice Pad Anadromous Stream Winter Liquid Water Availability 50-Year 100-Year K-1 River Buffers Data Source: North Slope Science Initiative (2009) Alaska Department of Fish and Game (2018) 0 500 1,000 Feet Willow Master Development Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement This page intentionally left blank. Errata Page 4