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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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