Stream Protection Rule; Draft Environmental Impact Statement, 42535-42536 [2015-17307]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 137 / Friday, July 17, 2015 / Notices
limited to, natural disasters (e.g.,
earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods),
wars, riots, acts of terrorism, fires,
strikes, civil disorder, or other events of
a similar nature. In case of such events,
bidders should call (504) 736–0557, or
access the BOEM Web site at https://
www.boem.gov, for information
regarding any changes.
Dated: July 8, 2015.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2015–17632 Filed 7–16–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[MMAA 104000]
Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental
Shelf, Western Planning Area Oil and
Gas Lease Sale 246
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a
Record of Decision for Proposed
Western Planning Area (WPA) Lease
Sale 246, which is analyzed in the Gulf
of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2015–
2016; WPA Lease Sales 246 and 248;
Final Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
BOEM has prepared a Record
of Decision for proposed oil and gas
WPA Lease Sale 246, which is
scheduled for August 19, 2015. The
proposed lease sale is in the Gulf of
Mexico’s WPA off the states of Texas
and Louisiana. Proposed WPA Lease
Sale 246 is the fourth WPA lease sale
scheduled in the OCS Oil and Gas
Leasing Program for 2012–2017. In
making its decision, BOEM considered
two alternatives to the proposed action,
the potential impacts as presented in the
WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),
and all comments received throughout
the National Environmental Policy Act
process. The Western Planning Area 246
and 248 Supplemental EIS evaluated the
environmental and socioeconomic
impacts for proposed Western Planning
Area Lease Sale 246.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the
WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS,
the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) evaluated three
alternatives that are summarized below:
Alternative A—The Proposed Action:
This is BOEM’s preferred alternative.
This alternative would offer for lease all
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SUMMARY:
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Jkt 235001
unleased blocks within the proposed
WPA lease sale area for oil and gas
operations with the following exception:
Whole and partial blocks within the
boundary of the Flower Garden Banks
National Marine Sanctuary.
All unleased whole and partial blocks
in the WPA that BOEM will offer for
leasing in proposed WPA Lease Sale 246
are listed in the document ‘‘List of
Blocks Available for Leasing,’’ which is
included in the Final Notice of Sale 246
Package. The proposed WPA lease sale
area encompasses nearly all of the
WPA’s 28.58 million acres. As of
February 2015, approximately 21.9
million acres of the proposed WPA lease
sale area were unleased. The estimated
amount of resources projected to be
developed as a result of this proposal is
0.116–0.200 billion barrels of oil (BBO)
and 0.538–0.938 trillion cubic feet (Tcf)
of gas.
Alternative B—Exclude the Unleased
Blocks Near the Biologically Sensitive
Topographic Features: This alternative
would offer for lease all unleased blocks
within the proposed WPA lease sale
area, as described for the proposed
action (Alternative A), but it would
exclude from leasing any unleased
blocks subject to the Topographic
Features Stipulation. The estimated
amount of resources projected to be
developed under this alternative is
0.116–0.200 BBO and 0.538–0.938 Tcf
of gas, which is the same as is estimated
for Alternative A. The number of blocks
that would not be offered under
Alternative B represent only a small
percentage of the total number of blocks
to be offered under Alternative A;
therefore, it is expected that the levels
of oil and gas activity and related
environmental impact for Alternative B
would be essentially the same as those
projected for a WPA proposed action.
Alternative C—No Action: This
alternative is the cancellation of
proposed WPA Lease Sale 246 and is
identified as the environmentally
preferable alternative.
After careful consideration, BOEM
has selected the proposed action,
identified as BOEM’s preferred
alternative (Alternative A) in the WPA
246 and 248 Supplemental EIS. BOEM’s
selection of the preferred alternative
meets the purpose and need for the
proposed action, as identified in the
WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS,
and will result in orderly resource
development with protection of the
human, marine, and coastal
environments, while also ensuring that
the public receives an equitable return
for these resources.
Record of Decision (ROD) Availability:
To obtain a single printed or CD copy
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42535
of the ROD for proposed WPA Lease
Sale 246, you may contact BOEM, Gulf
of Mexico OCS Region, Public
Information Office (GM 323A), 1201
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123–2394 (1–800–200–
GULF). An electronic copy of the ROD
is available on BOEM’s Web site at
https://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/.
Additional Information: For more
information on the ROD, you may
contact Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of
Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood
Park Boulevard (GM 623E), New
Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394. You
may also contact Mr. Goeke by
telephone at 504–736–3233.
Authority: This Notice of Availability is
published pursuant to the regulations (40
CFR part 1503) implementing the provisions
of the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. §§ 4321 et seq.).
Dated: July 8, 2015.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2015–17606 Filed 7–16–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement
[Docket ID: OSM–2010–0021; S1D1
SS08011000SX064A000156S180110; S2D2
SS08011000SX064A00015X501520]
Stream Protection Rule; Draft
Environmental Impact Statement
Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability; Draft
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
We, the Office of Surface
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
(OSMRE), are announcing that the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the proposed stream protection rule
is available for public review and
comment.
SUMMARY:
Electronic or written comments:
We will accept electronic or written
comments on or before September 15,
2015.
DATES:
You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. The Docket ID for
the DEIS is OSM–2010–0021. Please
follow the online instructions for
submitting comments.
Mail/Hand-Delivery/Courier: Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and
ADDRESSES:
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42536
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 137 / Friday, July 17, 2015 / Notices
Enforcement, Administrative Record,
Room 252 SIB, 1951 Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20240.
Please include the appropriate Docket
ID: OSM–2010–0021 for the DEIS.
You may review the proposed rule,
the draft environmental impact
statement, and the draft regulatory
impact analysis online at
www.osmre.gov. You also may review
these documents in person at the
location listed below and at the
addresses listed under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement, Administrative
Record, Room 101 SIB, 1951
Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20240, 202–208–
4264
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robin Ferguson, Office of Surface
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement,
U.S. Department of the Interior, 1951
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington
DC 20240. Telephone: 202–208–2802.
Email: rferguson@osmre.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Background
The DEIS evaluates the direct,
indirect, and cumulative environmental
impacts of the proposed stream
protection rule and its alternatives.
Significant advances in scientific
knowledge and mining and reclamation
techniques have occurred in the more
than 30 years that have elapsed since
the enactment of the Surface Mining
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, 30
U.S.C. 1201 et seq., and the adoption of
federal regulations implementing that
law. The primary purpose of the
proposed stream protection rule is to
update our regulations and provide
regulatory certainty to industry using
these advances in scientific knowledge
to minimize the adverse impacts of
surface coal mining operations on
surface water, groundwater, fish,
wildlife, and related environmental
values, with particular emphasis on
protecting or restoring streams and
aquatic ecosystems.
How do I comment on the DEIS?
In accordance with 43 CFR 46.435(a)
and 40 CFR 1503.1(a)(4), we invite the
public to provide written comments on
the DEIS during the 60-day comment
period. Please see ADDRESSES and DATES
for more information. We will review
and consider all comments submitted to
www.regulations.gov or to the office
listed under ADDRESSES by the close of
the comment period (see DATES). We
cannot ensure that comments received
after the close of the comment period or
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:59 Jul 16, 2015
Jkt 235001
at a location other than the office and
Web site listed under ADDRESSES will be
included in the docket for this DEIS or
considered in the development of a final
EIS.
Please include the Docket ID ‘‘OSM–
2010–0021’’ at the beginning of all
comments on the DEIS. Your comments
should refer to a specific portion of the
DEIS (citation to the chapter, section,
page, paragraph, and sentence to which
your comment applies would be
helpful), be confined to issues pertinent
to the DEIS, explain the reason for any
recommended change or objection, and
include supporting data when
appropriate. Before including your
address, phone number, or other
personally identifiable information in
your comment, you should be aware
that your entire comment—including
your personally identifiable
information—may be made publicly
available at any time. While you may
ask us in your comment to withhold
your personally identifiable information
from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
You may review the proposed rule,
the draft environmental impact
statement, and the draft regulatory
impact analysis online at the Web sites
listed in ADDRESSES or in person at the
headquarters office location listed in
ADDRESSES and at the following OSMRE
regional, field, and area office locations:
Appalachian Regional Office, Three
Parkway Center, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15220, Phone: (412)
937–2828
Mid-Continent Regional Office, William
L. Beatty Federal Building, 501 Belle
Street, Room 216, Alton, Illinois
62002, Phone: (618) 463–6460
Western Regional Office, 1999
Broadway, Suite 3320, Denver,
Colorado 80201, Phone: (303) 844–
1401
Charleston Field Office, 1027 Virginia
Street, East, Charleston, West Virginia
25301, Phone: (304) 347–7158
Knoxville Field Office, 710 Locust
Street, 2nd floor, Knoxville,
Tennessee 37902, Phone: (865) 545–
4103
Lexington Field Office, 2675 Regency
Road, Lexington, Kentucky 40503,
Phone: (859) 260–3900
Beckley Area Office, 313 Harper Park
Drive, Beckley, West Virginia 25801,
Phone: (304) 255–5265
Harrisburg Area Office, 215 Limekiln
Road, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
17070, Phone: (717) 730–6985
Albuquerque Area Office, 100 Sun
Avenue NE., Pan American Building,
Suite 330, Albuquerque, New Mexico
87109, Phone: (505) 761–8989
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
Casper Area Office, Dick Cheney
Federal Building, 150 East B Street,
Casper, Wyoming 82601, Phone: (307)
261–6550
Birmingham Field Office, 135 Gemini
Circle, Suite 215, Homewood,
Alabama 35209, Phone: (205) 290–
7282
Tulsa Field Office, 1645 South 101st
East Avenue, Suite 145, Tulsa,
Oklahoma 74128, Phone: (918) 581–
6430
In addition, a limited number of CD
copies of the DEIS are available upon
request. You may obtain a CD by
contacting the person identified in FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
If you would like to be placed on the
mailing list to receive future
information on the EIS, please contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Public Hearings
We will hold a public hearing on the
proposed rule and the draft
environmental impact statement in the
following cities: Charleston, West
Virginia; Denver, Colorado; Lexington,
Kentucky; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and
St. Louis, Missouri. OSMRE
representatives will provide information
on the proposed rule at each hearing. A
court reporter will be available at each
hearing to record your comments if you
wish to provide input in this fashion.
The docket for this rulemaking will
include a written summary of each
hearing and the transcript provided by
the court reporter.
We will announce arrangements,
specific locations, dates, and times for
each hearing in a Federal Register
notice published at least 7 days before
each hearing. If you are a disabled
individual who needs reasonable
accommodation to attend a public
hearing, please contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT after we publish notice of the
specific hearing locations and dates.
Dated: July 7, 2015.
Sterling Rideout,
Assistant Director, Program Support.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.1.
[FR Doc. 2015–17307 Filed 7–16–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–05–P
E:\FR\FM\17JYN1.SGM
17JYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 137 (Friday, July 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42535-42536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17307]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
[Docket ID: OSM-2010-0021; S1D1 SS08011000SX064A000156S180110; S2D2
SS08011000SX064A00015X501520]
Stream Protection Rule; Draft Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability; Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
(OSMRE), are announcing that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for the proposed stream protection rule is available for public
review and comment.
DATES: Electronic or written comments: We will accept electronic or
written comments on or before September 15, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. The Docket
ID for the DEIS is OSM-2010-0021. Please follow the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Mail/Hand-Delivery/Courier: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and
[[Page 42536]]
Enforcement, Administrative Record, Room 252 SIB, 1951 Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20240. Please include the appropriate Docket
ID: OSM-2010-0021 for the DEIS.
You may review the proposed rule, the draft environmental impact
statement, and the draft regulatory impact analysis online at
www.osmre.gov. You also may review these documents in person at the
location listed below and at the addresses listed under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Administrative
Record, Room 101 SIB, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC
20240, 202-208-4264
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin Ferguson, Office of Surface
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, U.S. Department of the Interior,
1951 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington DC 20240. Telephone: 202-208-
2802. Email: rferguson@osmre.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The DEIS evaluates the direct, indirect, and cumulative
environmental impacts of the proposed stream protection rule and its
alternatives. Significant advances in scientific knowledge and mining
and reclamation techniques have occurred in the more than 30 years that
have elapsed since the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., and the adoption of
federal regulations implementing that law. The primary purpose of the
proposed stream protection rule is to update our regulations and
provide regulatory certainty to industry using these advances in
scientific knowledge to minimize the adverse impacts of surface coal
mining operations on surface water, groundwater, fish, wildlife, and
related environmental values, with particular emphasis on protecting or
restoring streams and aquatic ecosystems.
How do I comment on the DEIS?
In accordance with 43 CFR 46.435(a) and 40 CFR 1503.1(a)(4), we
invite the public to provide written comments on the DEIS during the
60-day comment period. Please see ADDRESSES and DATES for more
information. We will review and consider all comments submitted to
www.regulations.gov or to the office listed under ADDRESSES by the
close of the comment period (see DATES). We cannot ensure that comments
received after the close of the comment period or at a location other
than the office and Web site listed under ADDRESSES will be included in
the docket for this DEIS or considered in the development of a final
EIS.
Please include the Docket ID ``OSM-2010-0021'' at the beginning of
all comments on the DEIS. Your comments should refer to a specific
portion of the DEIS (citation to the chapter, section, page, paragraph,
and sentence to which your comment applies would be helpful), be
confined to issues pertinent to the DEIS, explain the reason for any
recommended change or objection, and include supporting data when
appropriate. Before including your address, phone number, or other
personally identifiable information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personally identifiable
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may
ask us in your comment to withhold your personally identifiable
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
You may review the proposed rule, the draft environmental impact
statement, and the draft regulatory impact analysis online at the Web
sites listed in ADDRESSES or in person at the headquarters office
location listed in ADDRESSES and at the following OSMRE regional,
field, and area office locations:
Appalachian Regional Office, Three Parkway Center, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15220, Phone: (412) 937-2828
Mid-Continent Regional Office, William L. Beatty Federal Building, 501
Belle Street, Room 216, Alton, Illinois 62002, Phone: (618) 463-6460
Western Regional Office, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320, Denver, Colorado
80201, Phone: (303) 844-1401
Charleston Field Office, 1027 Virginia Street, East, Charleston, West
Virginia 25301, Phone: (304) 347-7158
Knoxville Field Office, 710 Locust Street, 2nd floor, Knoxville,
Tennessee 37902, Phone: (865) 545-4103
Lexington Field Office, 2675 Regency Road, Lexington, Kentucky 40503,
Phone: (859) 260-3900
Beckley Area Office, 313 Harper Park Drive, Beckley, West Virginia
25801, Phone: (304) 255-5265
Harrisburg Area Office, 215 Limekiln Road, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
17070, Phone: (717) 730-6985
Albuquerque Area Office, 100 Sun Avenue NE., Pan American Building,
Suite 330, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109, Phone: (505) 761-8989
Casper Area Office, Dick Cheney Federal Building, 150 East B Street,
Casper, Wyoming 82601, Phone: (307) 261-6550
Birmingham Field Office, 135 Gemini Circle, Suite 215, Homewood,
Alabama 35209, Phone: (205) 290-7282
Tulsa Field Office, 1645 South 101st East Avenue, Suite 145, Tulsa,
Oklahoma 74128, Phone: (918) 581-6430
In addition, a limited number of CD copies of the DEIS are
available upon request. You may obtain a CD by contacting the person
identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
If you would like to be placed on the mailing list to receive
future information on the EIS, please contact the person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Public Hearings
We will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule and the draft
environmental impact statement in the following cities: Charleston,
West Virginia; Denver, Colorado; Lexington, Kentucky; Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri. OSMRE representatives will
provide information on the proposed rule at each hearing. A court
reporter will be available at each hearing to record your comments if
you wish to provide input in this fashion. The docket for this
rulemaking will include a written summary of each hearing and the
transcript provided by the court reporter.
We will announce arrangements, specific locations, dates, and times
for each hearing in a Federal Register notice published at least 7 days
before each hearing. If you are a disabled individual who needs
reasonable accommodation to attend a public hearing, please contact the
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT after we publish
notice of the specific hearing locations and dates.
Dated: July 7, 2015.
Sterling Rideout,
Assistant Director, Program Support.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.1.
[FR Doc. 2015-17307 Filed 7-16-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P