USFWS Releases Draft Economic Analysis of Polar Bear Critical Habitat
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released a draft economic
analysis of the potential impacts of designating critical habitat for the
threatened polar bear. The Service also announced it will reopen the
public comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for
the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Both measures will
be subject to a 60-day comment period that will open upon publication in
the Federal Register.
The draft economic analysis provides estimated costs of the reasonably
foreseeable potential economic impacts of the proposed critical habitat
designation for the polar bear through 2039. This timeline pertains to
the forecast of impacts to oil and gas exploration, development, and
production, and associated construction projects, as these are the primary
human activities occurring within the proposed critical habitat area.
Because polar bears already receive significant protection under the
Marine Mammal Protection Act and the ESA, costs associated with the
designation of polar bear critical habitat are primarily associated with
considering adverse modification of critical habitat as part of future ESA
Section 7 consultations. The future (2010-2039) total incremental impacts
(those estimated to occur because of critical habitat designation) are
relatively small; total present value impacts over the 29-year period are
estimated to be $669,000 (an annualized impact of $53,900).
Section 4(b)(2) of the ESA requires that the Service designate or revise
critical habitat based upon the best scientific and commercial data
available, after taking into consideration the economic impact, impact on
national security, or any other relevant impact of specifying any
particular area as critical habitat.
The draft economic analysis, prepared by Industrial Economics, Inc. of
Cambridge, Massachusetts, identifies, analyzes and quantifies the
potential economic impacts associated with the proposed critical habitat
designation for the polar bear. The economic impact of the proposed
critical habitat designation is analyzed by comparing scenarios both “with
critical habitat†and “without critical habitat.†Since polar bears
already receive significant protection under existing statutes, the
baseline for this analysis recognizes that most costs associated with a
proposed designation of critical habitat are related to additional
consultation under Section 7 of the ESA.
Public information sessions and public hearings will be held on the draft
economic analysis and the critical habitat proposal in Anchorage, Alaska
on June 15, 2010 and in Barrow, Alaska on June 17, 2010. In each case the
information session will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will include a
short presentation and a question and answer session; the public hearing
will be held from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will be an opportunity for the
public to record oral comments for the record. Written comments also will
be accepted.
Copies of the critical habitat proposal and the draft economic analysis
are available on the Internet at:
Both documents are available by contacting the Alaska Region of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service Office at 1-800-362-5148.
Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2009-0042.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn:
FWS-R7-ES-2009-0042; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA
22203.
All comments and the public hearing transcript will be posted on
http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that any personal
information provided will be posted.
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