BOEM is inviting the public to comment on issues to be examined in an Environmental Assessment (EA) the bureau will prepare relating to a proposed geohazards survey in Cook Inlet, off the coast of Southcentral Alaska.
In January, BOEM received an application for a geohazards survey permit from Hilcorp, Alaska LLC. The proposed survey would be conducted over four leased blocks and the surrounding area, comprising a total of 138 square kilometers west to southwest of Homer. If approved, activities are expected to be conducted over an approximately 30-day period between April 1 and Oct. 31, 2021.
The proposed survey includes one survey vessel and one support vessel. The application specifies the use of a multibeam echosounder, magnetometer, sidescan sonar and sparker arrays. Hilcorp also proposes to collect core samples from below the seafloor.
BOEM will prepare an EA analyzing the potential environmental impacts of Hilcorp’s proposed survey. BOEM invites the public to comment on issues that the bureau should consider while preparing the EA.
We have set up a landing page with the permit application, supporting documents and instructions for commenting. The comment period opens Wednesday, March 10, 2021 and will conclude at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, March 22, 2021.