The Director of the Bureau of Land Management is visiting the North Slope this week. Over the next two days, Director Neil Kornze will meet with Native corporations, local government officials, and community leaders in the region.
Today, Director Kornze is helping cap two cores south of Barrow. The Simpson Core and Iko Bay were both drilled by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s. They’re among 18 legacy wells the BLM plans to clean up this year.
Tomorrow, the director will travel to Wainwright to finalize the transfer of 1,500 acres of federal land to the Olgoonik Corporation. According to the BLM, the land was used by the Department of Defense for national defense purposes. The land is being sold to Olgoonik to support future economic development.
The trip is part of the BLM’s effort to focus on Arctic issues. This is Director Kornze’s fifth visit to Alaska’s North Slope.
