JUNEAU, Alaska - The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has issued a decision that it says will open the way for the first oil and gas production from federal lands in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

The decision is a shift from the alternative BLM had earlier selected as its preferred option. But it aligns with the alternative chosen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

A BLM spokeswoman said ConocoPhillips, the operator of the development project, would not have been able to go forward if the two agencies were not on the same page.

BLM says it was able to incorporate a "robust package" of mitigation requirements.

Conservation groups expressed disappointment with the decision. They said it would allow for construction of an 8-mile road through sensitive wetlands and tundra.

Friday, February 13, 2015 5:23 pm associated press, Fairbanks, Daily-News Miner