By Margaret Bauman
Alaska Journal of Commerce

Three local governments bordering on the North Aleutian Basin say they want to lift a presidential moratorium on oil and gas development in the 8,700-square-mile area, but it's no mandate to go ahead and drill.

The Aleutians East, Bristol Bay and Lake and Peninsula boroughs formally requested Dec. 5 that President George W. Bush lift the presidential moratorium on drilling in the North Aleutian Basin, only so studies can determine if petroleum development and commercial fishing can co-exist.

“We are conditionally in support of offshore drilling, if you show us that you are going to do it the right way,” said Bob Juettner, administrator for the Aleutians East Borough.

What the local governments want, Juettner said, is to be able to proceed with environmental impact studies that will spell out whether gas and oil can be developed without harming the environment.

“You can't get into the EIS (environmental impact statement) without getting the moratorium off,” Juettner said in an interview Dec. 11.

Bristol Bay Borough Mayor Dan O'Hara, who was traveling and unavailable for comment, was quoted in a news release asking to lift the moratorium, saying he is convinced “that done right, petroleum development and commercial fishing can co-exist.”

Jeff Currier, manager of the Lake and Peninsula borough, said he agreed.

Currier said there were caveats, however. “There are 10 items we want incorporated as part of the lifting of the ban,” he said. “We are not just blindly supporting this thing.

“We are going to allow the oil companies to move forward. We want to give the companies the opportunity to take a look at it. Once they do, they may decide not to proceed with it.” he said.

Currier said comparing today's exploration technology and that which was used years ago to estimate the resources in the area “is like the difference between a Volkswagen and a Rolls Royce.

“As a borough, we feel we have to look at opportunities for all residents. We want the science to move forward and then we will take our position based on it. The vast majority of the potential here is natural gas,” he said.

While all three boroughs see potential for employment and tax revenues, they are reserving judgment, should the ban be lifted, to see what a full environmental impact statement reveals.

A Washington, D.C., public relations firm representing Shell Oil Co., meanwhile, has been circulating copies of the boroughs' news release to the news media, saying “the locals have spoken. They are, in fact, in favor of lifting the ban in the North Aleutian Basin.” Nicole Daigle, of Dittus Communications, said she sent the release to the Alaska Journal of Commerce on orders from her employer.

While the borough governments want the ban lifted, a number of other groups with interests in the Bristol Bay region flatly oppose lifting the ban. They include the Alaska Independent Fishermen's Marketing Association, the Bering Sea Fishermen's Association, Bristol Bay Native Association and the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp., whose stated mission is “to promote economic growth and opportunities for residents of its member communities through sustainable use of the Bering Sea resources.”

Margaret Bauman can be reached at margie.bauman@alaskajournal.com.