Document ZBMv9YgK4v6mdN9MVrXw1XaQ0

Conversation Contents Legislative approval "Lodge, Cynthia" <clodge@usgs.gov> From: Sent: To: CC: Subject: "Lodge, Cynthia" <clodge@usgs.gov> Thu Aug 24 2017 13:49:45 GMT-0600 (MDT) David Houseknecht <dhouse@usgs.gov>, "Hitzman, Murray" <mhitzman@usgs.gov>, Walter Guidroz <wguidroz@usgs.gov> Arista Maher <amaher@usgs.gov> Legislative approval I recall that we might need legislative approval to work in the 1002 area of ANWR. If this is true, can you send me proposed legislative language ASAP. Thanks Cynthia (Cindy) Lodge USGS Associate Director BPI (703) 648-4443 "Houseknecht, David" <dhouse@usgs.gov> From: Sent: To: CC: Subject: "Houseknecht, David" <dhouse@usgs.gov> Thu Aug 24 2017 14:20:40 GMT-0600 (MDT) "Lodge, Cynthia" <clodge@usgs.gov> "Hitzman, Murray" <mhitzman@usgs.gov>, Walter Guidroz <wguidroz@usgs.gov>, Arista Maher <amaher@usgs.gov> Re: Legislative approval Not necessary to work with existing data, which is what we are doing. Legislative approval would be necessary for collection of NEW seismic data in the 1002 area, but that will not be our responsibility. On Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 3:49 PM, Lodge, Cynthia <clodge@usgs.gov> wrote: I recall that we might need legislative approval to work in the 1002 area of ANWR. If this is true, can you send me proposed legislative language ASAP. Thanks Cynthia (Cindy) Lodge USGS Associate Director BPI (703) 648-4443 Dave Houseknecht U.S. Geological Survey 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 956 Reston, VA 20192 (703) 648-6466 "Hitzman, Murray" <mhitzman@usgs.gov> From: Sent: To: CC: Subject: "Hitzman, Murray" <mhitzman@usgs.gov> Thu Aug 24 2017 15:04:36 GMT-0600 (MDT) "Lodge, Cynthia" <clodge@usgs.gov> David Houseknecht <dhouse@usgs.gov>, Walter Guidroz <wguidroz@usgs.gov>, Arista Maher <amaher@usgs.gov> Re: Legislative approval Cynthia this was discussed at a meeting at DOI this week. Their thinking is not to do this legislatively but by rule-making. their call. murray On Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 3:49 PM, Lodge, Cynthia <clodge@usgs.gov> wrote: I recall that we might need legislative approval to work in the 1002 area of ANWR. If this is true, can you send me proposed legislative language ASAP. Thanks Cynthia (Cindy) Lodge USGS Associate Director BPI (703) 648-4443 Murray W. Hitzman U. S. Geological Survey Associate Director - Energy and Minerals 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr., MS 102 Reston, VA. 20192 703-648-4576 Cynthia Lodge <clodge@usgs.gov> From: Sent: To: CC: Cynthia Lodge <clodge@usgs.gov> Thu Aug 24 2017 18:09:56 GMT-0600 (MDT) "Hitzman, Murray" <mhitzman@usgs.gov> David Houseknecht <dhouse@usgs.gov>, Walter Guidroz <wguidroz@usgs.gov>, Arista Maher <amaher@usgs.gov> Subject: Re: Legislative approval Interesting seems to be disconnects at DOI. Them thinking we needed more then rulings Cynthia (Cindy) Lodge Associate Director BPI United States Geological Survey (703) 648-4443 On Aug 24, 2017, at 5:04 PM, Hitzman, Murray <mhitzman@usgs.gov> wrote: Cynthia this was discussed at a meeting at DOI this week. Their thinking is not to do this legislatively but by rule-making. their call. murray On Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 3:49 PM, Lodge, Cynthia <clodge@usgs.gov> wrote: I recall that we might need legislative approval to work in the 1002 area of ANWR. If this is true, can you send me proposed legislative language ASAP. Thanks Cynthia (Cindy) Lodge USGS Associate Director BPI (703) 648-4443 Murray W. Hitzman U. S. Geological Survey Associate Director - Energy and Minerals 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr., MS 102 Reston, VA. 20192 703-648-4576 "Houseknecht, David" <dhouse@usgs.gov> From: Sent: To: CC: Subject: "Houseknecht, David" <dhouse@usgs.gov> Thu Aug 24 2017 19:04:41 GMT-0600 (MDT) Cynthia Lodge <clodge@usgs.gov> "Hitzman, Murray" <mhitzman@usgs.gov>, Walter Guidroz <wguidroz@usgs.gov>, Arista Maher <amaher@usgs.gov> Re: Legislative approval Please excuse my rather curt replies this afternoon - I was in the middle of a conference call with BOEM in Anchorage and dealing with a visiting seismic expert helping us with the upcoming NPRA assessment. Just to clarify: We have conducted field work (geologic mapping, etc.) in the Arctic Refuge 1002 area and certain parts of the Wilderness Area several times in the past decade, including just 3 weeks ago. We access these areas by applying to FWS (Arctic Refuge) for scientific permits and those permits have always been granted, although this year certain restrictions were placed on work in the Wilderness Area. There is no legislative approval required for this sort of "boots on the ground" work. The type of geological field work described above does not include collection of seismic reflection data, which typically is done by commercial contractors using an array of large vehicles. This sort of data collection historically has been considered "exploration" within the context of ANILCA. That legislation permitted two years of "exploration" (1984-1985), during which the seismic data were collected that we plan to have reprocessed to comply with Secretarial Order 3352. No "on the ground" activity will be associated with this reprocessing of the vintage data. The urgency in FY2018 funding is associated with two main activities intended to clarify critical questions regarding the petroleum potential of the 1002 Area. (1) Collecting samples from as many as 12 wells located just west and north of the 1002 Area, and conducting laboratory analyses of these samples to determine their petroleum source rock potential. (2) We are collecting oil samples from wells near the 1002 Area and from oil-saturated outcrop samples within the 1002 Area, and will be conducting advanced chemical analyses of these samples to determine their origin. These analysts (1 and 2) will require several months to complete and the results will be used to interpret the potential for oil to be present in the 1002 Area. These interpretations must be completed prior to the assessment of the 1002 Area, which is scheduled for completion late in calendar year 2018. Thus, funds must be available very early in FY2018 to meet that deadline. I'll be happy to provide a more detailed explanation if needed. On Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 8:09 PM, Cynthia Lodge <clodge@usgs.gov> wrote: Interesting seems to be disconnects at DOI. Them thinking we needed more then rulings Cynthia (Cindy) Lodge Associate Director BPI United States Geological Survey (703) 648-4443 On Aug 24, 2017, at 5:04 PM, Hitzman, Murray <mhitzman@usgs.gov> wrote: Cynthia this was discussed at a meeting at DOI this week. Their thinking is not to do this legislatively but by rule-making. their call. murray On Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 3:49 PM, Lodge, Cynthia <clodge@usgs.gov> wrote: I recall that we might need legislative approval to work in the 1002 area of ANWR. If this is true, can you send me proposed legislative language ASAP. Thanks Cynthia (Cindy) Lodge USGS Associate Director BPI (703) 648-4443 Murray W. Hitzman U. S. Geological Survey Associate Director - Energy and Minerals 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr., MS 102 Reston, VA. 20192 703-648-4576 Dave Houseknecht U.S. Geological Survey 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 956 Reston, VA 20192 (703) 648-6466