Skip to content

Administrative Order No. 234

I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the State of Alaska, under the authority of art. III, secs. 1 and 24, of the Alaska Constitution, and AS 44.17.060, name the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources as the coordinator of oversight of facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities designed to explore for, produce, process, or transport oil and natural gas from, across, or within state oil and natural gas units or leases. This Order authorizes and directs increased and assertive oversight activities on state oil and natural gas units and leases by the Department of Natural Resources. These oversight activities include all activities relating to all facilities, equipment, and infrastructure. This Order also provides for coordination among state agencies of oversight on oil and natural gas matters on state land.

Nothing in this Order affects the authorities or responsibilities of state agencies with permitting, authorization, or oversight authority over oil and natural gas activities on state oil and natural gas units and leases, including advocacy by the Department of Law before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and state regulatory commissions, the development of fiscal terms under AS 43.82 or any later-enacted statute on development of such fiscal terms, or construction and maintenance of surface and air transportation infrastructure by the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities under other legal authority.

Findings

  1. It is in the best interests of the people of this state and the nation that oil and natural gas exploration, production, and transportation facilities within this state be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Oversight by state agencies with legal jurisdiction over the facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities designed to produce and transport oil and natural gas must be efficient, effective, and capable of ensuring compliance with state law.
  2. It is in the best interests of the people of this state and the nation that oil and natural gas infrastructure in this state be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained to minimize the economic impacts to ongoing functions of state government caused by unplanned interruptions or reductions in oil and natural gas production in this state.
  3. It is in the best interests of the people of this state and the nation that oil and natural gas infrastructure be maintained to avoid premature abandonment, which would cause waste of the state’s resources.
  4. It is in the best interests of the people of this state to utilize existing state government structures and processes to the maximum extent possible, and to effectively coordinate all state resources associated with oversight of facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities designed to produce oil and natural gas from state oil and natural gas units and leases.
  5. The Department of Natural Resources has the authority under AS 38.05 and AS 44.37.020(a), and under state oil and natural gas leases, to exercise oversight of all oil and natural gas facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities on state oil and natural gas units and leases.

Order

To further these findings, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the State of Alaska, order and declare the following:

  1. In regard to matters other than those relating to the development, and adoption or issuance, of regulations, standards, permits or other authorizations under federal, state, or local law, or to facilities subject to the United States Federal Highway Administration or the United State’s Federal Aviation Administration oversight, the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources is the lead official for communication and coordination with appropriate federal agencies, and with local governments, related to oversight of oil and natural gas exploration, production, and transportation on state oil and natural gas units and leases. The commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources may delegate duties under this Order to a qualified designee from the Department of Natural Resources.
  2. The commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources is the lead official for communication and coordination among the following Designated Agencies regarding oil and natural gas infrastructure and activities on state oil and natural gas units and leases: Department of Environmental Conservation; Department of Fish and Game; Department of Public Safety; Department of Revenue; Department of Transportation and Public Facilities; Department of Labor and Workforce Development; Department of Law; Department of Natural Resources; Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; and the director in the Governor’s Office in Washington, D.C.
  3. The commissioner shall establish a Petroleum Systems Integrity Office (PSIO) and designate a Petroleum Systems Integrity Office Coordinator (PSIOC). The PSIOC is the lead state official in exercising oversight of the maintenance of facilities, equipment, and infrastructure for the sustained production and transportation of oil and natural gas resources in this state, including such facilities, equipment, and infrastructure not currently within the jurisdiction of a Designated Agency.
  4. Each Designated Agency shall appoint a Liaison Officer who shall report to the head of that Designated Agency. The Liaison Officer shall coordinate with the PSIOC. Liaison officers shall serve as the primary point of contact representing their respective Designated Agency.
  5. The PSIOC shall establish, conduct, and coordinate through the Liaison Officers a process to comprehensively assess current state agency jurisdictions, standards, and practices on matters subject to this Order. That assessment shall identify all state agencies’ detailed statutory and regulatory authority and practices; any gaps in statutes, regulations, resources, practices, or oversight regarding oil and natural gas facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities on state oil and natural gas units and leases; and the risks associated with any gaps. Analysis done under this paragraph is intended to preclude duplication of effort, and provide a comprehensive and cost-effective approach to determine the appropriate state oversight of oil and natural gas facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities on state oil and natural gas units and leases.
  6. The PSIOC shall lead the interagency effort, through the Liaison Officers, to evaluate industry oversight of oil and natural gas facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities on state oil and natural gas units and leases. Designated agencies, to the extent authorized through existing legal authorities, shall require the industry businesses to provide a comprehensive description of current practices that includes the quality control, quality assurance, monitoring, inspection, and other practices the business uses to ensure the integrity and reliability of oil and natural gas facilities, equipment, infrastructure, and activities. The PSIOC shall coordinate the review of these evaluations and descriptions, identify gaps, and seek remedial action. The PSIOC shall make recommendations to the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources regarding enforcement actions by the Department of Natural Resources and cases to be referred to other state, local, or federal agencies for appropriate civil or criminal penalties available under the law.
  7. On an ongoing basis, the PSIOC shall coordinate the oversight activities of the PSIO with the Designated Agencies. The Designated Agencies shall participate in interagency activities led by the PSIO and provide other technical assistance as requested by the PSIO.
  8. Unless contrary to any dispute resolution process in statute or regulation, in the event of an interagency dispute between Designated Agencies regarding a matter covered under this Order, Liaison Officers shall raise the issue to the PSIOC, who shall resolve the interagency dispute to the maximum extent possible in accordance with law. If the interagency dispute cannot be resolved by the PSIOC, the matter shall be elevated to the affected Designated Agency heads and the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources. If an interagency dispute cannot be resolved by the affected Designated Agency heads and the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, the matter shall be elevated to the governor.
  9. Consistent with AS 44.23.020, the attorney general, as legal advisor for the state, shall provide legal services to the PSIO, the PSIOC, and all Designated Agencies.
  10. This Order is for administrative purposes only. It neither creates any third-party rights nor modifies the statutory and regulatory authority of Designated Agencies.
  11. The PSIOC shall submit to the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources and to the governor periodic progress reports that summarize evaluation, coordination, review, and oversight activities done under this Order and accomplishment of those activities.

Definitions

In this Order,

  1. “Designated Agencies” means the Department of Environmental Conservation; Department of Fish and Game; Department of Public Safety; Department of Revenue; Department of Transportation and Public Facilities; Department of Labor and Workforce Development; Department of Law; Department of Natural Resources; Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; and the director in the Governor’s Office in Washington, D.C.;
  2. “equipment” means machinery that is not a permanent fixture, is located on either a state oil and natural gas unit or lease, and is used to operate, construct, clean, or otherwise service oil and natural gas infrastructure and facilities;
  3. “exploration facility” has the meaning given in AS 46.04.900;
  4. “facilities” includes exploration facilities, oil terminal facilities, and production facilities;
  5. “infrastructure” means all oil and natural gas pipelines, both onshore and offshore, including production facilities, line pipe, valves, and other appurtenances connected to line pipe, pumping units, and fabricated assemblies associated with pumping units, flow lines, separation facilities such as gathering centers and flow stations; transmission pipeline; above-ground oil storage tanks; oil or natural gas processing facilities, including seawater and produced water facilities; and all offshore platforms intended for use in oil and natural gas exploration or production
  6. “Liaison Officer” means an officer or employee from a Designated Agency appointed to represent and report to the head of that Designated Agency and to serve as the primary point of contact between that Designated Agency and the PSIO and PSIOC;
  7. “oil terminal facility” has the meaning given in AS 46.04.900;
  8. “production facility” has the meaning given in AS 46.04.900;
  9. “PSIO” means the Petroleum Systems Integrity Office established under this Order;
  10. “PSIOC” means the Petroleum Systems Integrity Office Coordinator designated under this Order;
  11. “transmission pipeline” has the meaning given in 18 AAC 75.990.

Revocation of and Relationship to Other Administrative Orders

Administrative Order No. 229 is revoked. This Order supplements Administrative Order Nos. 134 and 187 and shall be interpreted as being complementary to those Orders. Unless contrary to any dispute resolution process in statute or regulation, any conflict among the Orders shall be resolved by the heads of the affected Designated State Agencies; if an interagency disagreement remains, the governor will resolve the conflict.

This Order takes effect immediately.
DATED at Juneau, Alaska, this 18th day of April, 2007.

/s/Sarah Palin
Governor

Use the navigation menu below to filter Administrative Orders by Governor.

SSL