Opinion ID: 1191743
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Priority of water-dependent uses

Text: NTC argues that even if a general analysis is appropriate at this stage, the CCD is still invalid because DNR failed to give priority to water-dependent uses, particularly fishing. NTC argues that oil and gas leasing activity is not a water-dependent use, because of the availability of techniques such as directional drilling, which can provide access to oil and gas deposits from land. [10] NTC contends that fishing and oil and gas exploration and development are in direct and irreconcilable conflict, and that because oil and gas lease activities rank lower than marine fishing and marine transportation in the hierarchy of uses, oil and gas development cannot occur. The State responds that directional drilling and other land-based methods of accessing offshore tracts are necessarily utilized adjacent to Cook Inlet and, therefore, are water-dependent. The State further argues that oil and gas development and fishing do not necessarily conflict, and that one activity need not exclude the other. The State argues that NTC's all-or-nothing approach is contrary to the core purpose of the ACMP and Alaska's constitutional mandate for the management of State lands, [11] and that giving priority to one use over another does not mean altogether abandoning any use that conflicts with the preferred use. The ACMP envisions management of the coastal zone for multiple uses. See AS 46.40.020(4). Multiple use management is inconsistent with simply identifying conflicts among uses and then applying a hierarchy of uses to exclude lesser ranking uses; instead, it inherently contemplates harmonizing competing uses whenever possible. AS 46.40.020(4) (providing that management of coastal land and water uses will generally give priority to those which are economically or physically dependent on coastal location, thus implying that other uses are not excluded). DNR has done this to the extent it reasonably could at the lease sale stage. It will have to do so again at the exploration and development stages, if they are reached. Consequently, we find that DNR's CCD for Sale 78 conforms with the ACMP coastal development standard.