How would oil and gas development affect polar bears?
There is an extensive data base of knowledge about how to incorporate measures to ensure the conservation of polar bears from oil and gas development in the North Slope. Based on mitigation measures in place now and likely to be used in the future, historical information, the lack of direct quantifiable impacts to polar bear habitat from these activities, and the localized nature of these potential development activities or spills, the proposed listing of the polar bear finds that these activities will not threaten the species throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The Service and the industry have worked cooperatively for many years to develop and implement regulations specifying appropriate safety measures for both workers and polar bears. Mitigation measures and polar bear encounters are tracked and evaluated through the Service’s Marine Mammal Protection Act Incidental Take Program. Similarly successful cooperation is ongoing between the Service and the oil and gas i
