North Slope Borough fuel storage plan open for public comment through September 7

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has opened a public comment period on the North Slope Borough's application to renew its area-wide Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan, which covers fuel storage facilities in Atqasuk, Anaktuvuk Pass, Kaktovik, Point Hope, Point Lay, Nuiqsut, Wainwright, and Utqiagvik. The notice is a routine renewal and does not allege any violation, denial, or emergency.

The facilities store diesel, gasoline, and Jet A fuel that communities depend on for heat, power, and transportation. Storage volumes are substantial: the Wainwright facility holds more than 850,000 gallons of diesel and 721,000 gallons of gasoline. The Utqiagvik facility stores up to 750,000 gallons of Jet A fuel.

The contingency plan addresses spill prevention and response preparedness for these fuel storage facilities. The North Slope Borough's own permit standards require secondary containment capable of holding 110 percent of total tank volume and a 1,500-foot setback from the mean high water mark for fuel storage near shorelines.

How to Comment

Public comments on the renewal application must reach the Department of Environmental Conservation by 11:59 p.m. on September 7, 2026. Written requests for a public hearing must be submitted by August 21. The department will determine whether good cause exists to hold one.

Comments can be submitted electronically through the DEC public notice website or in writing to Moriah Hunstiger at SPAR/PPRP in Anchorage. Individuals needing ADA accommodations must contact the ADA coordinator by August 31. All submitted comments become public records and will be posted online.