TheNorthSlopeofAlaskaliesonthenorthsideofBrooksRangeandincludesextensivecoastlinesalongtheChukchiSeaandBeaufortSea.TheseshorelinesarefundamentallydifferentfrommostofthecoastlineintheUSastheyareconsolidatedbypermafrostandsubjecttoperiglacialprocesses,includingcryogenicprocessesonshoreandnearshoreseasonalpackiceformation.ThesecoastsarehighlydynamicandundergoingsomeofthefastestretreatratesinNorthAmerica(GibbsandRichmondn.d.).Proposedoffshoreoildevelopmentactivitiesinthe ChukchiSeacoastandexistingoffshoredrillingislandsalongtheBeaufortSeacoastposeenvironmentalrisksforthesecoasts.Environmentalconcernsincludeincreasedairandseatraffic,accidentaloilspills,andpotentialportdevelopments.BOEMrequiresup-‐to-‐date,digitalmappingthatcanbeusedtosystematicallyassesstheseenvironmentalrisks.TheShoreZonecoastalhabitatmappingsystemprovidesanattribute-‐rich,geographicinformationsystem(GIS)thatcanbeusedtodelineatehabitatsforhabitatmodelingofawidevarietyofcoastalspeciesandcommunities.Associatedweb-‐postedimageryplusweb-‐accessiblespatialdatadescribingcoastalhabitatsallowseasyaccessbybothresearchersandregulators.
