[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 43, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 43CFR2361.1]

[Page 93]
 
                    TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR
 
    CHAPTER II--BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 
PART 2360_NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE IN ALASKA--Table of Contents
 
Subpart 2361_Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve 
                                in Alaska
 
Sec. 2361.1  Protection of the environment.

    (a) The authorized officer shall take such action, including 
monitoring, as he deems necessary to mitigate or avoid unnecessary 
surface damage and to minimize ecological disturbance throughout the 
reserve to the extent consistent with the requirements of the Act for 
the exploration of the reserve.
    (b) The Cooperative Procedures of January 18, 1977, for National 
Petroleum Reserve in Alaska between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
and the U.S. Geological Survey (GS) (42 FR 4542, January 25, 1977) 
provides the procedures for the mutual cooperation and interface of 
authority and responsibility between GS and BLM concerning petroleum 
exploration activities (i.e., geophysical and drilling operations), the 
protection of the environment during such activities in the Reserve, and 
other related activities.
    (c) Maximum protection measures shall be taken on all actions within 
the Utikok River Uplands, Colville River, and Teshekpuk Lake special 
areas, and any other special areas identified by the Secretary as having 
significant subsistence, recreational, fish and wildlife, or historical 
or scenic value. The boundaries of these areas and any other special 
areas identified by the Secretary shall be identified on maps and be 
available for public inspection in the Fairbanks District Office. In 
addition, the legal description of the three special areas designated 
herein and any new areas identified hereafter will be published in the 
Federal Register and appropriate local newspapers. Maximum protection 
may include, but is not limited to, requirements for:
    (1) Rescheduling activities and use of alternative routes, (2) types 
of vehicles and loadings, (3) limiting types of aircraft in combination 
with minimum flight altitudes and distances from identified places, and 
(4) special fuel handling procedures.
    (d) Recommendations for additional special areas may be submitted at 
any time to the authorized officer. Each recommendation shall contain a 
description of the values which make the area special, the size and 
location of the area on appropriate USGS quadrangle maps, and any other 
pertinent information. The authorized officer shall seek comments on the 
recommendation(s) from interested public agencies, groups, and persons. 
These comments shall be submitted along with his recommendation to the 
Secretary. Pursuant to section 104(b) of the Act, the Secretary may 
designate that area(s) which he determines to have special values 
requiring maximum protection. Any such designated area shall be 
identified in accordance with the provision of Sec. 2361.1(c) of this 
subpart.
    (e)(1) To the extent consistent with the requirements of the Act and 
after consultation with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies 
and Native organizations, the authorized officer may limit, restrict, or 
prohibit use of and access to lands within the Reserve, including 
special areas. On proper notice as determined by the authorized officer, 
such actions may be taken to protect fish and wildlife breeding, 
nesting, spawning, lambing of calving activity, major migrations of fish 
and wildlife, and other environmental, scenic, or historic values.
    (2) The consultation requirement in Sec. 2361.1(e)(1) of this 
subpart is not required when the authorized officer determines that 
emergency measures are required.
    (f) No site, structure, object, or other values of historical 
archaelogical, cultural, or paleontological character, including but not 
limited to historic and prehistoric remains, fossils, and artifacts, 
shall be injured, altered, destroyed, or collected without a current 
Federal Antiquities permit.