the need to identify and characterize areas in and near the 

 proposed lease sale area that may be critically important to 

 the survival and welfare of marine mammals in the area. 



The Commission further noted that, in addition to the 

 threatened sea otter, at least 30 other species of marine 

 mammals occur in or near the proposed lease sale area. Several 

 of these species are listed as threatened or endangered under 

 the Endangered Species Act. Other populations of marine 

 mammals, such as the Pribilof Islands population of northern 

 fur seals and the harbor porpoise population in central Califor- 

 nia, are either declining and/or near or below the lower 

 limit of their optimum sustainable population range. Thus, 

 the Commission suggested that, if it had not already done so, 

 the Minerals Management Service consult with the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service to determine whether the proposed 

 action could jeopardize fur seal or harbor porpoise populations, 

 and, if so, to identify steps that could be taken to avoid or 

 minimize possible adverse effects. 



In its August 24 letter, the Commission pointed out that 

 several species of marine mammals in the sale area are affected 

 by interactions with commercial fisheries, whale watching opera- 

 tions, and other human activities. It noted that the Service 

 should factor the possible effects of these activities, as 

 well as oil and gas exploration and development activities in 

 other areas, into the assessment of the possible adverse 

 effects of the proposed action. The Commission again noted 

 that the risk of possible adverse effects might be minimized 

 by selecting and monitoring key "indicator" species and para- 

 meters as a means of verifying predictions and detecting 

 possible unforeseen effects in time to mitigate them. The 

 Commission suggested that, if the Service decided to proceed 

 with the proposed lease sale, the Environmental Impact Statement 

 should include a comprehensive description of monitoring studies 

 which would be carried out to increase protection of marine 

 mammals and important marine mammal habitats in and near the 

 proposed lease sale area. 



Proposed Opening of the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National 

 Wildlife Refuge to Oil and Gas Development 



The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 

 1980 set aside more than 100 million acres of land in Alaska 

 as national parks, preserves, wildlife refuges, and wilderness 

 areas. The Act recognized that significant oil and gas 

 resources could be present in the 1.5 million acres of the 

 coastal plain of the National Arctic Wildlife Refuge and 

 directed the Department of the Interior to conduct geological 

 and biological surveys of the area and to provide a recommen- 

 dation as to whether the coastal plain should be opened for 



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