Public Hearings on the Effects of Lifting the Export Ban on Alaskan North Slope Crude Oil

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Administration

(BXA) is holding public hearings to determine the effects on the

environment and the economy of lifting the ban on the export of Alaskan

North Slope (ANS) crude oil. BXA is conducting the hearings pursuant to

the legislation that the President signed on November 28, which, among

other things, requires him to conduct an environmental review, as well

as to examine the effect of exports on jobs, consumers, and supplies of

oil. This notice identifies the issues on which the Department is

interested in obtaining the public's views. It also sets forth the

procedures for public participation in the hearings.

DATES: The hearings will be held in Washington, DC, on January 3, 1996;

Seattle, Washington, on January 5, 1996; Anchorage, Alaska on January

8, 1996; and Bakersfield, California on January 10, 1996. Requests to

speak must be submitted by December 22, 1995. The hearing in

Washington, DC will be held in the main auditorium of the Herbert

Hoover Building, which is located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230. The hearing in Seattle will be held

in Building 9 Auditorium, at the NOAA Western Regional Center, which is

located at 7600 Sand Point Way, N.E., Seattle, Washington 98115. The

hearing in Anchorage will be held in the auditorium of the Anchorage

Museum of History and Art, which is located at 121 West 7th Avenue,

Anchorage, Alaska. The hearing in Bakersfield will be held at the

Sheraton Bakersfield, in the Belridge Room which is located at 5101

California Avenue, Bakersfield, California 93309.

ADDRESSES: Send requests to speak and written copies of the oral

presentation to Steven C. Goldman, Acting Director, Office of Chemical

and Biological Controls and Treaty Compliance, Room 2093, Bureau of

Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernard Kritzer, Manager, Short Supply

Program, Office of Chemical and Biological Controls and Treaty

Compliance, Room 2089, Bureau of Export Administration, U.S. Department

of Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC,

20230, Telephone (202) 482-0894.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background and Specific Comments Requested

A. Background

On November 28, 1995, the President signed legislation (S. 395)

authorizing exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil when

transported in U.S.-flag tankers, unless the President determines that

such exports would not be in the national interest. The statute

requires the President to consider the results of an ``appropriate

environmental review'' and other issues prior to making his national

interest determination.

As amended by S. 395, Section 28(s)(1) of the Mineral Leasing Act

(30 U.S.C. 185) provides that:

In evaluating whether exports of this oil are in the national

interest, the President shall, at a minimum consider:

1. whether exports of ANS crude oil would diminish the total

quantity or quality of petroleum available to the United States;

2. the results of an appropriate environmental review, including

consideration of appropriate measures to mitigate any potential effects

of exports of this oil on the environment, which shall be completed

within four months of the date of enactment; and

3. whether exports of this oil are likely to cause sustained

material oil supply shortages or sustained oil price increases

significantly above world market levels that would cause sustained

material adverse employment effects in the United States or that would

cause substantial harm to consumers, including noncontiguous States and

Pacific territories.

B. Specific Comments Requested

The U.S. Department of Commerce is holding public hearings as part

of its environmental review. The Department is soliciting public

comments on the environmental and oil supply and pricing issues

described above to ensure that the public has a meaningful opportunity

to address the issues identified in the legislation. The Department has

decided to conduct four public hearings in order for the public to

provide suggestions to the Administration as early as practicable about

issues that should be considered in preparing the required review of

environmental and economic factors for the President's consideration.

The Department is particularly interested in comments and

information on the following questions:

1. Whether exports of ANS crude oil would diminish the total

quantity or quality of petroleum available to the United States;

2. Whether exports of ANS crude oil would result in changes in

tanker movements out of Valdez, Alaska, and whether such movements

would pose any substantial new risks to the environment beyond the

risks that may exist under current tanker movements to the U.S. west

coast and Hawaii;

3. Whether exports of ANS crude oil would increase imports of

foreign oil impacting air quality in PADD V by affecting the level of

refinery emissions;

4. Whether exports of ANS crude oil and the projected increases in

Alaska and California onshore oil production would affect air quality

by affecting oil field emissions and terminal facilities, and;

5. Whether exports of ANS crude oil are likely to cause sustained

material oil supply shortages or sustained oil price increases

significantly above world market levels that would cause sustained

material adverse employment affects in the United States or that would

cause substantial harm to consumers, including noncontiguous States and

Pacific territories.

[[Page 64413]]

II. Public Hearings and Comment Procedures

The hearings will be held in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1996;

Seattle, Washington, on January 5, 1996; Anchorage, Alaska on January

8, 1996; and Bakersfield, California on January 10, 1996. The hearings

will commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m. Requests to speak must

be submitted by December 22, 1996. The hearing in Washington, DC will

be held in the main auditorium of the Herbert Hoover Building which is

located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC,

20230. The hearing in Seattle will be held in Building 9 Auditorium, at

the NOAA Western Regional Center which is located at 7600 Sand Point

Way, NE, Seattle, Washington 98115. The hearing in the auditorium of

the Anchorage Museum of History and Art which is located at 121 West

7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska. The hearing in Bakersfield will be held

at the Sheraton Bakersfield, Belridge Room, which is located at 5101

California Avenue, Bakersfield, California 93309.

The Department encourages interested participants to present their

views orally at the hearings. Any person wishing to make an oral

presentation at the hearings must submit a brief written request to the

Department of Commerce at the address indicated in the ADDRESSES

section of this notice. The written requests to participate in the

public hearings should describe the individual's interest in the

hearing and, where appropriate, explain why the individual is a proper

representative of a group or class of person that has such an interest.

The written request must be received no later than December 22, 1995.

In addition, the request to speak should contain a daytime phone number

where the person who will be making the oral presentation may be

contacted before the hearing. On the day of the hearing, speakers

should bring 2 copies of the summary of their oral presentation to the

hearing address indicated in the DATES section of this notice.

Persons may submit written comments for the record if they are

unable to attend the hearings.

Copies of the request to participate in the public hearings will be

maintained at the Bureau of Export Administration's Freedom of

Information Records Inspection Facility, Room 4525, U.S. Department of

Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC

20230, telephone (202) 482-5653. The records in this facility may be

copied in accordance with the regulations published in Part 4 of Title

15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (15 CFR 4.1 et seq.). Information

about the inspection and copying of records may be obtained from Mr.

Ted Zois, the Bureau of Export Administration's Freedom of Information

Officer, at the above address and telephone number between the hours of

8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Each speaker may be limited to 5 or 10 minutes depending on the

number of presenters. Comments may respond to the questions posed in

Section I of this notice or any other related issue.

A Commerce official will preside at the hearings. Representatives

from other Federal agencies participating in the review also will

attend the hearings. Only those conducting the hearing may ask

questions.

Any further procedural rules for the proper conduct of the hearing

will be announced by the presiding officer.

Dated: December 13, 1995.

Sue E. Eckert,

Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.

[FR Doc. 95-30647 Filed 12-14-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DT-P