| Summary: | This report describes current and projected economic and social conditions on the North Slope, establishes an analytical framework for assessing changes in these conditions due to OCS devleopment, and describes research methods specifically developed to examine the issues of future North Slope Borough revenues and expenditures and Inupiat perceptions of the potential effects of petroleum development. The primary source of social and economic change on the North Slope between 1973 and 1983 has been the North Slope Borough. We expect this situation to continue as long as the borough continues to receive substantial property taxes from the petroleum industry and significant environmental effects can be avoided. Following our examination· of the factors affecting borough revenues, we conclude that OCS development will not substantially increase borough revenues. Other factors, however, can be expected to cause the borough to begin to curtail its construction program and thereby reduce local employment opportunities. Our review of Inupiat employment patterns and projected borough employment opportunities suggests that reduced Inupiat employment, rather than increased Inupiat involvement in petroleum activities, may best characterize the coming decade unless there are specific efforts to reduce constraints to Inupiat employment associated with petroleum development. These· constraints include job rotation schedules, work crew composition, hiring location, and training opportunities. To date, conflicts between onshore petroleum development and Inupiat land use and land-use values appear to have been isolated. The major potential conflict associated with onshore petroleum development is posed by the regulatory restriction of subsistence activities in development areas. Oil spill 11 s related to offshore development ·could reduce the subsistence resources available to Inupiat, as could noise. Rudimentary available data on oil spill risks, biological responses to environmental disturbances, and Inupiat hunting and fishing ...
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