Cumulative Environmental Effects of Oil and Gas Activities on Alaska's North Slope

This book identifies accumulated environmental, social and economic effects of oil and gas leasing, exploration, and production on Alaska's North Slope. Economic benefits to the region have been accompanied by effects of the roads, infrastructure and activies of oil and gas production on the terrain, plants, animals and peoples of the North Slope. While attempts by the oil industry and regulatory agencies have reduced many of the environmental effects, they have not been eliminated. The book makes recommendations for further environmental research related to environmental effects.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1. Introduction2. The Human Environment3. The Alaska North Slope Environment4. History of Oil and Gas Activities5. Future Oil and Gas Activities6. Effects on the Physical Environment7. Effects on Vegetation8. Effects on Animals9. Effects on the Human Environment10. Filling Knowledge Gaps11. Major Effects and Their AccumulationAppendix A: AcknowledgementsAppendix B: Abbreviations and AcronymsAppendix C: Petroleum Exploration and DevelopmentAppendix D: Oil-Field Technology and the EnvironmentAppendix E: Aeromap Analyses and DataAppendix F: Oil SpillsAppendix G: Saline SpillsAppendix H: Traditional KnowledgeAppendix I: Legal Framework for Activities on State Lands on the North SlopeAppendix J: A Method of Addressing Economic IrreversibilityAppendix K: Biosketches of the Committee's MembersReferencesIndex