Getting Involved

Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the TAPS Renewal EIS process. The Draft EIS comment period, the second major public involvement opportunity, closed at 5:00 PM, Aug. 20, 2002.

The Draft EIS (DEIS) Public Comment Process

The public comment period for the Draft EIS closed at 5:00 PM, Aug. 20, 2002. Details of the DEIS comment process are discussed below.

Public hearings for the TAPS Renewal EIS were held in seven Alaskan communities from July 26 - Aug. 9, 2002. Comments were also provided by mail, by hand delivery, through the Web, by fax, and by voice message.

Hundreds of people participated in the DEIS commenting process by providing comments, requesting information, attending public hearings, or visiting the TAPS Renewal EIS Web Site. In addition, many organizations, including Native Alaska; environmental; private industry; and local, state, and federal government agencies, provided comments.

The Final EIS (FEIS) contains responses to public comments received on the DEIS (see Volume 6: Comment and Response Document). The responses include a number of changes made to the DEIS that have been incorporated into the FEIS.

Comment Statistics

• There were 589 comment documents (including the hearings) received by August 20th.
  
  
• These comment documents resulted in 2647 individual comments, not including the approximately 500 TAPS owners comments.
  
  
• The public hearings resulted in 155 speakers providing oral testimony (includes individuals that spoke at more than one hearing).
  
  
• Fax campaigns resulted in 186 comments and 7 comments.
  
  
• Comments were received from 35 states and 2 countries (Brazil and Turkey).
  
  
• The top 10 states from which comments were received:
  
  

  Alaska	241
  California	33
  New York	14
  Ohio	14
  Illinois	13
  Pennsylvania	12
  Washington	12
  Texas	10
  Oregon	9
  Alabama	7

Public Scoping Process

The public scoping comment period, the first major public involvement opportunity, closed Oct. 19, 2001. Details of the scoping process and results are discussed below.

Scoping is one phase of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis process. It is intended to give interested parties the chance to comment on a proposed action and to offer suggestions as about the issues to be considered in the EIS analyses. Scoping was the earliest, but not the last, opportunity for people to offer their opinions about renewing the Trans–Alaska Pipeline System's (TAPS) right–of–way. The renewal Environmental Impact Statement's (EIS) scoping comment period began July 31 and closed October 19, 2001.

Public scoping meetings for the TAPS Renewal EIS were held in six Alaskan communities from September 17 - October 12, 2001. Scoping comments were also provided by mail, by hand delivery, through the Web, by e-mail, by fax, and by voice message.

More than 1,700 people participated in the scoping process by providing comments, requesting information, attending public or tribal consultation meetings, or visiting the TAPS Renewal EIS Web Site. In addition, more than 100 organizations, including Native Alaska; environmental; private industry; and local, state, and federal government agencies, provided comments. More than 230 individuals and organizations provided comments. Forty-eight percent of commentors were from Alaska.

A summary of public scoping comments for the TAPS Renewal EIS can be downloaded by clicking the link below. The summary describes the scoping process and summarizes scoping comments by technical discipline and issue.

 Summary of Public Scoping Comments (627 KB)

Public Involvement in the TAPS Renewal EIS Process Public Scoping Draft EIS Final EIS Record of Decision What Happened: Gathered Public Issues and Comments on Scope Considered Public Comments What Happens: Publish Draft EIS Public Examination and Comment Period Consider Public Comments What Happens: Revise Draft EIS Publish Final EIS What Happens: Write and Publish Record of Decision Regarding Grant of Right-of-Way Sept-Oct 2001 Public Comment Period Starts July 2002     Public Involvement Activities: Public Scoping Meetings Submit Public Comments via Mail, Phone, FAX, Web, or in Person Public Involvement Activities: Public Hearings Submit Public Comments via Mail, Phone, FAX, Web, or in Person Public Involvement Activities: Public Distribution of Final EIS Public Involvement Activities: Public Distribution of Record of Decision

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