BLM Alaska Frontiers Magazine Summer Issue 126
Our Alaska Resources: News from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)GoingDigitalISSUE 126 SUMMER 2017
ISSUE: 126what’s insideArctic District:9 TheStill OutstandingWithout its ‘Field’Expands10 Firefightingits Capability withUAS TechnologyTrail12 IditarodChallengesCompetitorsto Fight13 LearningWildland FiresTract gets14 Campbella Green Star!Bob Wick4 Lighten the Load6 Pigs in the Pipeline7 Maintaining TAPSLands Support8 PublicScience in NorthWelcome to frontiers!Changes are coming to BLM Alaska as we continue to meet the challengesof public land management in these highly evolving technical times. Withthis issue, frontiers is a becoming a fully digital news magazine. This alsomeans some format changes, active links for more information, a longerpublication as we are no longer constrained by high printing costs.Our new digital map series is making it possible to have maps on yoursmartphone or tablet off-the-grid, for better safety and getting there. OurAlaska Fire Service is using newer technologies to help fight fires. TheTrans-Alaska Pipeline System is using newer technologies to monitor thepipeline with a high tech robot-type crawler “pig.” We are bringing yousome of these stories and much more in this, our 2017 summer issue.Alaska’s15 ReclaimingStreams after PlacerMiningin the Great16 LearningOutdoors18 Faces of BLM Alaska19 Frontiers Flashes@BLMAlaska2 Summer 2017 frontiersKaren J. LaubensteinEditorCREDITSManaging editorKaren J. Laubenstein, (907) 271-3318klaubens@blm.govContributing writersAugie Carrillo, Maureen Clark, Heather Feeney,Lisa Gleason, Jim Hart, Bill Hedman, Beth Ipsen,Kevin Keeler, June Lowery, Craig McCaa,Bijon WelchPhotographersAlaska DOT, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company,Gary Baumgartner, Greg Bjorgo, Raife Bowman,Maureen Clark, Lisa Gleason, Kato Howard,Beth Ipsen, Craig McCaa, Jason McKinnon,Kim Mincer, Melissa Schwarz, Shawn Swanson,Matthew Varner, Bob WickDesign/IllustrationVanessa RathbunBLM Alaska frontiers may contain copyrightedmaterial that is used with permission of thecopyright owner. Publication in a governmentdocument does not authorize any use orappropriation of this copyrighted material withoutconsent of the owner, as it is not in the publicdomain. Any text or photo without attributedcopyright may be reproduced in whole or in partas it is in the public domain. Please credit BLMAlaska.TO SUBSCRIBE (free), please email the editor toreceive a notice when Frontiers is online.BLM/AK/GI-94/005 1120 912
Check out our New Website!www.blm.gov/alaskaThe Doggy Doo Dilemma rules to play byVisited our website in the past few months? If you have,you’ll notice that we replaced our outdated 10-year oldweb system and its burden of over 90,000 pages. Ournew site and look has new navigation and is mobilefriendly. It is easier to build and maintain, whichsaves time and money. The changes conform to theDepartment of the Interior’s efforts to modernize andupgrade website technology.Due to the vast size of the previous site, there are manylinks to the old website that the BLM is working totrack down, replace, or allow to be corrected by searchresults. We encourage you to go to www.blm.gov andexplore the new site.Here are some helpful links to get you started:Thriving E. coli or fecal coliformbacteria, salmonella and giardia, andhigh nitrogen levels in canine fecesare polluting our public lands (65,000dogs daily relieve themselves of 48,000pounds of waste in Anchorage alone!).Even a single gram of dog waste cancontain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria! The bacteria can give you cramps,diarrhea, intestinal illness, and seriouskidney disorders. www.blm.gov/alaska - BLM Alaska Home Page Recreation sites across the BLM - Search by State,recreation activity and keyword Press Releases - Searchable by State, year andkeyword BLM Forms - search for forms needed to do businesswith the BLM Public Room - Find maps, brochures, reports, factsheets, guides, and more! BLM Policy - directives, manuals and handbooks BLM Alaska Subsistence - Federal subsistenceprogram information and Game Unit 13 huntinginformation. BLM Alaska Land Use Plans - Current land useplanning information and link to the ePlanning portalfor NEPA documents.Fecal parasite larvae lingers in the soilon our public lands for years, and caninfect humans or animals. Childrenplaying in dirt are vulnerable. TheAnchorage Waterways Council saysevery creek except Rabbit Creek in theAnchorage area has fecal coliform. TheU.S. Center for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) says pet droppingscan contribute to zoonoses — diseasesanimals pass to humans.What to Doo?Pick up after your dog. Scoop thepoop. Bag the doo. Do not assume iteventually goes away or will decay intofertilizer. If you always scoop, then itwon’t matter that areas like the BLMCampbell Tract have strict scoop thepoop rules and others do not. It isn’tthe rules, it’s the reasons behind them.So remember, the cycle begins andends with you. There are even specialflushable bags and biodegradable bagsfor pet waste disposal. That’s ‘whatto doo.’When a walk in the park becomes a walkin the poop! More than 100 piles of poopon less than 2.5 miles of trail on BLM’sCampbell Tract in Anchorage. Help uskeep your public lands clean. Scoopthe poop! Campbell Tract is a favoritedog walking destination for Anchorageresidents and their pets.frontiers Summer 2017 3
Lighten the Load!Georeferenced Digital MapsCraig McCaaBy Lisa GleasonPublic Affairs SpecialistAlaska State Office4 Summer 2017 frontiers
Currently Available Maps1. Dalton Highway Corridor - Fairbanksto Coldfoot72. Dalton Highway Corridor - Coldfootto Deadhorse23. Delta Wild and Scenic River4. Denali Highway15. Fortymile Wild and Scenic River andTaylor Highway6. Gulkana Wild and Scenic River:Paxson Lake to SourdoughCampground7. National Petroleum Reservein Alaska108594368. Steese National Conservation Area9. Unalakleet National Wild andScenic RiverKim Mincer10. White Mountains NationalRecreation AreaNow you can enjoy Alaska’s great outdoors as neverbefore! Imagine having user-friendly, up-to-date mapscovering large parts of Alaska that will work off the gridon your mobile devices.Last March, BLM Alaska released ten downloadablegeoreferenced maps covering 102 million acres of BLMmanaged public and adjacent lands.How does it work?1. Install mobile app.There are many apps available, such as AVENZA orNextMap 2. Download a map.From the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/maps/georeferenced-PDFsFrom Avenza: and-management-alaska/There it is! With your installed mobile map applicationand initial download, your georeferenced PDF mapswill work on your GPS-enabled mobile devices (smartphones/tablets). Now you can find the most currentgeospatial data embedded into each map, plus enjoy acommon look and feel across the entire series. Later,when you go off the grid, your maps will still work.Lisa GleasonYou can easily download these newest BLM mapproducts, and best of all, they are free from the BLM.govwebsite or the AVENZA map store.Check out our digital map debut video on YouTube:https://youtu.be/7jp3Y9P8zAIMobile mapping systems can improve access to yourpublic lands and increase safety for adventurersand explorers in Alaska. Each map contains usefulinformation to include recommended campsites,seasonal activity details, and road, trail and rivermarkings. More importantly, with the GPS enabledon your mobile device, you’ll know exactly where youare within the area of the map. The BLM plans futurereleases that include maps for Campbell Tract inAnchorage and the Iditarod National Historic Trail.frontiers Summer 2017 5
Pigs in the PipelineTAPS Celebrates 40 Years“At the heart of this celebration are thememories and voices of those whohelped build, operate and maintainthe pipeline, and the stories of people,families, businesses and communitieswith unique ties to TAPS.” – AlyeskaPipeline Services CompanyFirst operational in 1977, this yearmarks 40 years for the Trans-AlaskaPipeline System.TAPS came online nine years afterthe 9.6 billion-barrel oil discoveryin Prudhoe Bay. It took five yearsof engineering and scientific workand survived lengthy Congressionaldeliberations and court battles.It was the 1973 oil crisis that pushedCongress to pass the Trans-AlaskaPipeline Authorization Act that year.Barely passing, it came down to asingle deciding vote — then VicePresident Spiro Agnew broke thetie in the Senate, sending the bill toPresident Richard Nixon, who signedit Nov. 15.In 1974, the Department of the Interiorgranted the federal right-of-way.At a cost of 8 billion ( 31 billion in2017 dollars), TAPS is among themost expensive privately fundedprojects in the world – surpassing theAirbus A-380 jumbo jet development( 22 billion), Sears Tower ( 810million, adjusted), Empire StateBuilding ( 650 million, adjusted),Taipei 101 ( 2 billion) and PrincessTower in Dubai ( 2 billion) –combined.—Jim Hart,Public Affairs SpecialistThe In Line Inspection Tool, better known as a “smart pig,” detects wall loss on apipeline without stopping the flow of oil.This little piggy did not go to market; this little piggy did not stay home. Thispig is neither a cute curly-tailed animal nor symbolic toes on your feet. Thispig is an “In Line Inspection Tool” (or “smart pig”), high-tech equipment thatdetects wall loss on a pipeline without stopping the oil flow. Early modelsmade a squealing noise while traveling through the pipeline, resulting in the“smart pig” nickname.The 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) uses smart pigtechnology to ensure the pipeline’s continued integrity. The “pigging” processdetects wall loss due to internal/external corrosion or mechanical damage. Italso measures the pipe’s shape. This information helps the operator (AlyeskaPipeline Service Company) know what requires immediate attention and/orincreased monitoring.The operator uses both inspection pigs and cleaning, or “scraper pigs.” Bothtypes use a launcher, a receiver, and the oil flow to move through the pipe.TAPS has three launch sites and three receiver sites. A new technology, aninteractive crawler pig, evaluates sections of pipe that a traditional smart pigcould not. Its robotic arms contract and expand, crawling various pipe sizeslooking for problem areas. Before using a crawler pig, the pipe must be emptyand cleaned thoroughly.BLM Branch of Pipeline Monitoring staff provide oversight for piggingoperations and are notified of any significant wall loss and plans forinvestigation and repair.The operator runs cleaning pigs weekly or biweekly and smart pigs everythree years. The oversight on these and other operator-performed preventivemaintenance activities ensure the continued safe operation of the TAPS.—June Lowery,Public Affairs Specialist6 Summer 2017 frontiersAlyeska Pipeline Service CompanyCourtesy of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company/Anchorage Museum Rasmuson Center archives
Maintaining the Trans-Alaska Pipeline SystemThe BLM Alaska Branch of PipelineMonitoring is unique within theBLM as the lead federal agency overthe entire TAPS, including all of itssupporting infrastructure and theright-of-way.During the scheduled 18-hourshutdowns, four teams of BLMtechnicians monitor the progress ofmaintenance and repair projects andThis summer’s task include valvechecks in over a dozen locations, thereplacement of a 42-inch gate valveat the Valdez Marine Terminal, andequipment replacement projects atseveral of the pump stations. Eachteam usually includes an engineerand an operations and maintenancespecialist to bring the greatestcombined skillset to each location.include both the 2015 and 2016Governor’s Safety Award ofExcellence. This award is especiallysignificant, as the pipeline operatesin one of the most inhospitableenvironments in the world.— Augie CarrilloEngineerBranch of Pipeline MonitoringWith the pipeline in its 40th year ofoperation, the need for maintenancegrows with each passing year.The BLM works closely with thepipeline operator, Alyeska PipelineServices Company, to continuesupplying this vital energy resourceto the nation in an environmentallymindful way to protect the publicinterest. Alyeska has been a leaderin the pipeline industry, and hasconsistently received recognitionfrom its peers. These accoladesBranch of Pipeline Monitoring Environmental Engineer Reid Olson monitorsthe “stroking” of a 48-inch gate valve,checking for any problems.Branch of Pipeline MonitoringOperations and Maintenance SpecialistDanielle Wiley observes electricalmeasurements during valve systemchecks.Greg BjorgoJason McKinnonThe 40-year-old system was designedfor a flow rate of 2 million barrels perday, but the wells have drawn downand flows have decreased to about500,000 barrels per day.observe equipment tests mandatedby the Pipeline and HazardousMaterials Safety Administration.Shawn SwansonEvery summer, Alyeska PipelineServices Company temporarily haltsthe flow of crude oil in the TransAlaska Pipeline System (TAPS) forcritical maintenance and repairs.TAPS, an 800-mile, 4-foot diameterpipeline, transports crude oil fromNorth Slope oil fields to the ValdezMarine Terminal for eventual loadingonto tankers, most of them destinedfor refineries on the U.S. West Coast.Mechanical engineer Tina McMaster-Goering points out the condenser fins of acooling system in the vertical supports. These condensers remove excess heat fromthe supports that would otherwise melt the permafrost.frontiers Summer 2017 7
Public Lands Support Science in NorthDid you know that BLM-managedpublic lands host our nation’spremiere Arctic research station?Toolik Field Station on Alaska’sNorth Slope is on lands the CentralYukon Field Office manages.The Toolik Field Station is a selfcontained, full-service researchfacility. It has a kitchen anddining facilities, laboratories, ITinfrastructure, a helibase, powergeneration, waste handling anddormitory lodging. Access to the fieldstation is via the Dalton Highwayfrom Fairbanks, 370 miles away.From its humble 1970s beginnings asa rustic, no-frills seasonal field campon the southeast shore of ToolikLake, the Toolik Field Station grewinto a world-class, Arctic researchfacility. It annually supports about80 research projects/field courseswith 450-500 participants working inmore than 20,500 different researchplots. Over the last 30 years, thefacility expanded on temporarygravel pads. A former airstrip usedduring construction of the TransAlaska Pipeline System, has occurredwithin a 30-acre lease that theBLM established in 1993 for thefield station. The National ScienceFoundation’s contractor, CH2MHill Polar Services, manages the8 Summer 2017 frontiersfield station’s facilities, engineering,and support services; while theUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks’Institute of Arctic Biology managesits operations.Researchers draw from combinedfunding of approximately 36million, with 80 percent of that fromthe National Science Foundation.From space atmospherics physicsto hibernating ground squirrels,and aquatic and terrestrial plants,the research supported at ToolikField Station has had far-reachingscientific consequences. The BLMacknowledged the significanceof the lands around Toolik Lakefor scientific study in 1990 whendesignating approximately 80,000acres of public land as the ToolikLake Research Natural Area (RNA).Scientists based at Toolik canaccess a number of short- and longterm research plots, monitoringequipment, and sample sites via anextensive network of boardwalksinstalled to minimize tundra impacts.For working further afield, the fieldstation provides two helicopters, andsnowmobiles for winter travel.For the BLM Central Yukon FieldOffice, Toolik Field Station presentsboth a considerable permittingand monitoring workload as wellas a source of pride in BLM’s rolesupporting the scientific use of publiclands.— Bill Hedman,Assistant Field Manager,Central Yukon Field OfficeScientists at Toolik walking theextensive network of boardwalksinstalled to minimize tundra impacts.(above) Toolik Field Station is a selfcontained, full-service research facilitywith kitchen and dining facilities,laboratories, IT infrastructure, helibase,power generation, waste handling, anddormitory lodging.
The Arctic District:Still OutstandingWithout its ‘Field’Arctic District Office Hydrologist Richard Kemnitz surveys a lake’s water level for a water use study near the Alpine oilfieldfacility on Alaska’s North Slope. Extreme temperatures, howling winds, darkness, and polar bears are among winter fieldworkchallenges.Bob WickAs part of reorganizing BLM Alaska, the Arctic FieldOffice under the Fairbanks District Office is now theArctic District Office under the Alaska State Office.With its high-profile resource management issues anddecisions involving the National Petroleum Reserve inAlaska (NPR-A), the change improves the BLM’s abilityto manage priorities, with the high level of interest toboth the Department and Congress on this unique pieceof public land.The BLM’s Inigok Field Facility in the NPR-A next to an oldgravel airstrip, far from any road access. Inigok serves as anaircraft-supported logistical base during the busy summerfield season, then closes each winter.The reorganization did not affect the Arctic District’sland management responsibilities, most of which liewithin the 22.8-million-acre NPR-A. Nearly the size ofIndiana, the petroleum reserve is the largest single blockof federally managed land in the United States. Due to itsArctic setting, size, and unique regulatory restrictions,the NPR-A presents management issues that differ fromelsewhere in the Bureau.The Arctic District’s vast area has almost no road accessor cell coverage; reliable satellite communication andaircraft are critical to completing its mission. Planes andhelicopters serve multiple purposes, from transport toand from project sites, to ferrying supplies, scientificinstruments, and other items. If the District’s Inigok FieldFacility in the middle of the NPR-A runs out of toiletpaper or AA batteries, replacements fly 333 miles fromFairbanks on the next scheduled plane.Under the reorganization, Arctic District Manager StacieMcIntosh reports directly to the Alaska State Director.The Arctic District staff continue to work out of theFairbanks District Office building in Fairbanks.— Craig McCaa,Public Affairs SpecialistFairbanks District Officefrontiers Summer 2017 9
Kato HowardThe BLM Alaska Fire Service used a UAS to capture aerial video footage and stills of a prescribed burn on bison habitat for theAlaska Department of Fish and Game. It was the first use of a UAS by Alaska Fire Service on a fire.Firefighting Expands its Capability withUAS TechnologyIt was a clear, cold afternoon – typical for early springin Anchorage – when a group of 15 students took to theskies with one of the BLM’s newest tools for managingresources and fighting fire. They were participants in theBLM’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Basic RemotePilot course.Under a bright blue sky and the watchful eyes of theirinstructors, the students worked in pairs as they wentthrough their checklists and practiced maneuvers –climbing, hovering, slipping, turning, rolling, and flyingbasic patterns before descending and landing the UAS.The UAS– a quadcopter – was equipped with camera thatcan shoot still photos and video.“This class is about building confidence to operate theaircraft,” said Gil Dustin, lead instructor of the nationalBLM UAS program. Dustin brought the class to Alaska totrain additional UAS pilots for BLM Alaska, the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service, and Alaska Division of Forestry.“The first thing you learn is how to fly the aircraft.The second thing . is how to use the camera,” Dustinexplains.After spending a week building their skills in theclassroom and outdoors at the controls, the students10 Summer 2017 frontiersmoved on to the Advanced UAS workshop, which focuseson learning to apply those skills safely
frontiers. Pigs in the Pipeline. Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. The In Line Inspection Tool, better known as a “smart pig,” detects wall loss on a pipeline without stopping the flow of oil. This little piggy did not go to market; this little piggy did not stay home. This pig is neither a cute curly-tailed animal nor symbolic toes on your .
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frontiers. is online. BLM Alaska. frontiers. may contain copyrighted material that is used with permission of the copyright owner. Publication in a government document does not authorize any use or appropriation of this copyrighted material without consent of the owner, as it is not in the public domain. Any text or photo without attributed
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