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ASTARAlaskaStrategicTransportationandResourcesVision

PresentationbyAndrewT.MackCommissionerAlaskaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesMay2,2017

ASTAR- OVERVIEWASTAR,theArcticStrategicTransportationandResourcesstrategicplan,willidentifyaseriesofcumulativebenefitsthatmightbederivedthroughtheconnectionsofcommunitiesintheNorthSlopeandNorthwestArcticBoroughs.

Thesecumulativebenefitswillincludeincreasedculturalconnectivity,reductionincoststoNorthSlopecommunitiesfordrygoods,fuelandconsumables,decreasedcostforrehabilitationoflegacywellsintheNPR-A,moreefficientdevelopmentofstateandfederalhydrocarbonresourcesandincreasedeconomicactivityprovidingjobopportunitiesfortheregion.

ASTARwillprovidetheimpetusforrapiddevelopmentofrecommendationsfor“shovelready”projectsinshortorderfosteringeconomicinvestmentintheNorthSloperegion. TheidentificationofcumulativebenefitswillprovideapositiveoffsettotheBureauofLandManagement’sidentificationandfocusoncumulativeimpactstodevelopmentintheregion.

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ASTAR- OBJECTIVES

Theidentifiedprojectswouldprovidecommunityconnectivityandconnectivityforresourcedevelopmentandremediationthrough:• Useofalandscapeapproachtoidentifyandevaluatestrategicarctic

resourcesintheNorthSloperegion;specificallycommunityinfrastructure,resourcedevelopmentpotential,andregionalconnectionneeds

• Collaborativeworkwithcommunities,theNorthSlopeBoroughandotherkeystakeholdersintheregiontodevelopasharedvisionandsupportresponsibleresourcedevelopment

• Identifyingpotentialdevelopmentopportunitiesthatofferthemostbenefittotheregion,sothattheseprojectscanbeadvancedtothepre-implementationstage.

• Connectingcommunitiesandresourcestobeabletomaximizeinvestmentdollarsformaximumpublicbenefit.

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NATIONAL CONTEXT AND UPDATE

• Thenewfederaladministrationistakingactiononinfrastructureandarcticpolicyintheregion

• NewexecutiveorderwillrequireworkingwithStateandcommunitiesonfederalOCSleasing

• InternationaloilcompanieshaveannouncedmajornewfindsontheNorthSlope– Nanushuk,Willow,etc.– intheColevilleRiverDeltaarea.

• TherecentStateandfederalleasesalesintheareahaveseenenormousinterestandactivity

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ASTAR- KEY ELEMENTS

AkeydeliverableoftheASTARprojectwillbeastrategicplanningdocumentthatprovidesalandscapelevelinfrastructureanalysisusingacumulativebenefitsapproachforthedevelopmentpotentialofthenorthsloperegion.Theresultingdocumentwouldidentifyandevaluate:• Arcticresourcesandtheirdevelopmentpotential• Opportunitiesforcommunityconnectivityandinfrastructure• Projectsthatmaximizeregionalbenefits• Opportunitiesforrepurposingexistinginfrastructuretoservenew

needs• Opportunitiestoworkmorecollaborativelywithcommunitiesand

stakeholdersintheregiontodevelopasharedvisionforresponsibledevelopment

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http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/astar/

Existing Condition

Potential Condition

ASTAR- NEXT STEPS

• Continuedcommunityandregionaloutreach

• Beginreachingouttoregionalstakeholders/entitiestodevelopapartnershipplanforASTARdevelopment

• WorkwithpartnerstodevelopasharedvisionandmethodologyforASTARdevelopment

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