Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, 5560-5561 [2012-2494]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 23 / Friday, February 3, 2012 / Notices
characterize and map these
communities.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Protection of Privileged or Confidential
Information
[Docket No. BOEM–2011–0088]
Freedom of Information Act
BOEM will protect privileged or
confidential information that you
submit as required by the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA). Exemption 4 of
FOIA applies to trade secrets and
commercial or financial information
that you submit that is privileged or
confidential. If you wish to protect the
confidentiality of such information,
clearly mark it and request that BOEM
treat it as confidential. BOEM will not
disclose such information, subject to the
requirements of FOIA. Please label
privileged or confidential information
‘‘Contains Confidential Information’’
and consider submitting such
information as a separate attachment.
However, BOEM will not treat as
confidential any aggregate summaries of
such information or comments not
containing such information.
Additionally, BOEM will not treat as
confidential (1) the legal title of the
nominating entity (for example, the
name of your company), or (2) the list
of whole or partial blocks that you are
nominating. Finally, information that is
not labeled as privileged or confidential
will be regarded by BOEM as suitable
for public release.
Section 304 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470w–3(a))
BOEM is required, after consultation
with the Secretary, to withhold the
location, character, or ownership of
historic resources if it determines that
disclosure may, among other things, risk
harm to the historic resources or impede
the use of a traditional religious site by
practitioners. Tribal entities should
designate information that falls under
Section 304 of NHPA as confidential.
Dated: December 2, 2011.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and
Site Assessment Activities on the
Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
Offshore New Jersey, Delaware,
Maryland, and Virginia
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of the Availability (NOA)
of an Environmental Assessment (EA)
and a Finding of No Significant Impact.
AGENCY:
BOEM has prepared an EA
considering the environmental impacts
of issuing renewable energy leases and
authorizing site characterization
activities (geophysical, geotechnical,
archaeological, and biological surveys
needed to develop specific project
proposals on those leases) in identified
Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the OCS
offshore New Jersey, Delaware,
Maryland, and Virginia. This final EA
also considers the reasonably
foreseeable environmental impacts
associated with the approval of site
assessment activities (including the
installation and operation of
meteorological towers and buoys) on the
leases that may be issued.
As a result of its analysis in the final
EA, BOEM issued a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI
concluded that the environmental
impacts associated with the preferred
alternative would not significantly
impact the environment; therefore, the
preparation of an environmental impact
statement (EIS) is not required.
The purpose of this notice is to inform
the public of the availability of the EA
and FONSI, which can be accessed
online at: https://www.boem.gov/
Renewable-Energy-Program/Smart-fromthe-Start/Index.aspx.
SUMMARY:
Authority: This NOA of an EA and FONSI
is published pursuant to 43 CFR 46.305.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
BILLING CODE 4310–VH–P
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2012–2497 Filed 2–2–12; 8:45 am]
Michelle Morin, BOEM Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden
Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia
20170–4817, (703) 787–1340 or
michelle.morin@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:48 Feb 02, 2012
On
November 23, 2010, Secretary of the
Interior Ken Salazar announced the
‘‘Smart from the Start’’ renewable
energy initiative to accelerate the
responsible development of renewable
energy resources on the Atlantic OCS.
One of the focuses of the initiative is the
identification and refinement of areas
on the OCS that appear to be suitable for
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Frm 00081
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
renewable energy development (WEAs),
within which BOEM will focus its
leasing efforts. In consultation with
other Federal agencies and BOEM’s
Intergovernmental Renewable Energy
Task Forces, BOEM identified WEAs on
the OCS offshore New Jersey, Delaware,
Maryland, and Virginia.
On February 9, 2011, BOEM
identified these WEAs in a Notice of
Intent (NOI) to prepare an EA for MidAtlantic WEAs (76 FR 7226). The NOI
requested public input to identify the
important environmental issues
associated with leasing and site
assessment within the identified WEAs,
and alternatives to be considered in the
EA. BOEM considered these public
comments in drafting the alternatives
and assessing the reasonably foreseeable
environmental impacts associated with
each alternative. Comments received in
response to the NOI can be viewed at
https://www.regulations.gov, by
searching for Docket ID BOEM–2010–
0077.
On July 12, 2011, BOEM published in
the Federal Register a NOA of a draft of
the EA for Mid-Atlantic WEAs (76 FR
40925). Public comments on the draft
EA were considered in the preparation
of this final EA and in determining
whether the proposed activities would
lead to significant environmental
impacts. Comments received in
response to the NOA can be viewed at
https://www.regulations.gov, by
searching for Docket ID BOEM–2011–
0053.
BOEM will use this EA to inform
decisions to issue leases in the refined
WEAs, and to subsequently approve site
assessment plans (SAPs) on those
leases. BOEM may issue one or more
commercial wind energy leases in the
WEAs. The competitive lease process is
set forth at 30 CFR 585.210–585.225,
and the noncompetitive process is set
forth at 30 CFR 585.230–585.232 (as
amended by a rulemaking effective as of
June 15, 2011).
A commercial lease, whether issued
through a competitive or noncompetitive process, gives the lessee the
exclusive right to subsequently seek
BOEM approval for the development of
the leasehold. The lease does not grant
the lessee the right to construct any
facilities; rather, the lease grants the
right to use the leased area to develop
its plans, which BOEM must approve
before the lessee may proceed to the
next stage of the process. See 30 CFR
585.600 and 585.601. In the event that
a particular lease is issued, and the
lessee subsequently submits a SAP,
BOEM would then determine whether
the EA adequately considers the
environmental consequences of the
E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM
03FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 23 / Friday, February 3, 2012 / Notices
activities proposed in the lessee’s SAP.
If BOEM determines that the analysis in
the EA adequately considers these
consequences, then no further analysis
under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) would be required
before BOEM could approve a SAP. If,
on the other hand, BOEM determines
that the analysis in this EA is
inadequate for that purpose, BOEM
would prepare additional NEPA
analysis before it could approve the
SAP.
If a lessee is prepared to propose a
wind energy generation facility on its
lease, it would submit a construction
and operations plan (COP). BOEM then
would prepare a separate site- and
project-specific NEPA analysis of the
proposed project. This analysis would
likely take the form of an EIS and would
provide the public and Federal officials
with comprehensive information
regarding the reasonably foreseeable
environmental impacts of the proposed
project. In this NEPA analysis, BOEM
would evaluate the potential
environmental and socioeconomic
consequences of the proposed project.
This analysis would inform BOEM’s
decision to approve, approve with
modification, or disapprove a lessee’s
COP pursuant to 30 CFR 585.628. This
NEPA process also would provide
additional opportunities for public
involvement pursuant to NEPA and the
White House Council on Environmental
Quality’s regulations at 40 CFR Parts
1500–1508.
Dated: January 20, 2012.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Deputy Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2012–2494 Filed 2–2–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–VH–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement
[Docket ID No. BSEE–2011–0006; OMB
Control Number 1014–NEW]
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Information Collection Activities: Oil,
Gas, and Sulphur Operations in the
Outer Continental Shelf, Subpart A,
General; Submitted for Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
Review; Comment Request
ACTION:
60-day Notice.
To comply with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), BSEE is inviting comments on a
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:48 Feb 02, 2012
Jkt 226001
collection of information that we will
submit to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and approval.
The information collection request (ICR)
concerns a revision to the paperwork
requirements in the regulations under
‘‘Oil, Gas, and Sulphur Operations in
the Outer Continental Shelf,’’ Subpart
A, General.
DATES: Submit comments by April 3,
2012.
You may submit comments
by either of the following methods listed
below.
• Electronically: go to https://
www.regulations.gov. In the entry titled
‘‘Enter Keyword or ID,’’ enter BSEE–
2011–0006 then click search. Follow the
instructions to submit public comments
and view all related materials. We will
post all comments.
• Email: nicole.mason@bsee.gov. Mail
or hand-carry comments to the
Department of the Interior; Bureau of
Safety and Environmental Enforcement;
Regulations Development Branch;
Attention: Nicole Mason; 381 Elden
Street, MS–4024; Herndon, Virginia
20170–4817. Please reference ICR 1014–
NEW in your comment and include
your name and return address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nicole Mason, Regulations Development
Branch at (703) 787–1605 to request
additional information about this ICR.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR part 250, Oil, Gas, and
Sulphur Operations in the Outer
Continental Shelf, Subpart A, General.
Form(s): BSEE–0132, BSEE–0143, and
BSEE–1832.
OMB Control Number: 1014–NEW.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Lands Act, as amended (43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.),
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
to prescribe rules and regulations
necessary for the administration of the
leasing provisions of the Act related to
mineral resources on the OCS. Such
rules and regulations will apply to all
operations conducted under a lease,
right-of-way, or a right-of-use and
easement. Operations on the OCS must
preserve, protect, and develop oil and
natural gas resources in a manner that
is consistent with the need to make such
resources available to meet the Nation’s
energy needs as rapidly as possible; to
balance orderly energy resource
development with protection of human,
marine, and coastal environments; to
ensure the public a fair and equitable
return on the resources of the OCS; and
to preserve and maintain free enterprise
ADDRESSES:
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5561
competition. Section 1332(6) states that
‘‘operations in the [O]uter Continental
Shelf should be conducted in a safe
manner by well trained personnel using
technology, precautions, and other
techniques sufficient to prevent or
minimize the likelihood of blowouts,
loss of well control, fires, spillages,
physical obstructions to other users of
the waters or subsoil and seabed, or
other occurrences which may cause
damage to the environment or to
property or endanger life or health.’’
The Independent Offices
Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), the
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L.
104–133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26,
1996), and OMB Circular A–25,
authorize Federal agencies to recover
the full cost of services that confer
special benefits. Under the Department
of the Interior’s implementing policy,
Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement (BSEE) is required to
charge fees for services that provide
special benefits or privileges to an
identifiable non-Federal recipient above
and beyond those which accrue to the
public at large. A request for approval
required in Subpart A is subject to cost
recovery, and BSEE regulations specify
a service fee for this request.
This ICR covers 30 CFR 250, Subpart
A, General. This request also covers the
related Notices to Lessees and Operators
(NTLs) that BSEE issues to clarify and
provide additional guidance on some
aspects of our regulations. To
accommodate the split of regulations
from the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and
Enforcement to BSEE, BSEE is
requesting OMB approval of the already
approved burden hours that were
previously under 1010–0114 to reflect
BSEE’s new 1014 numbering system.
Frequency: On occasion; monthly, or
varies by section.
Description of Respondents: Potential
respondents comprise Federal OCS
lessees and/or operators.
Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping Hour Burden: We
estimate that the reporting burden for
this collection will be approximately
50,859 hours. The following chart
details the individual components and
respective hour burden estimates of this
ICR. In calculating the burdens, we
assumed that respondents perform
certain requirements in the normal
course of their activities. We consider
these to be usual and customary and
took that into account in estimating the
burden.
E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM
03FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5560-5561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2494]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2011-0088]
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on
the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of the Availability (NOA) of an Environmental Assessment
(EA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: BOEM has prepared an EA considering the environmental impacts
of issuing renewable energy leases and authorizing site
characterization activities (geophysical, geotechnical, archaeological,
and biological surveys needed to develop specific project proposals on
those leases) in identified Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the OCS
offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. This final EA
also considers the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts
associated with the approval of site assessment activities (including
the installation and operation of meteorological towers and buoys) on
the leases that may be issued.
As a result of its analysis in the final EA, BOEM issued a Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI concluded that the
environmental impacts associated with the preferred alternative would
not significantly impact the environment; therefore, the preparation of
an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required.
The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the
availability of the EA and FONSI, which can be accessed online at:
https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Smart-from-the-Start/Index.aspx.
Authority: This NOA of an EA and FONSI is published pursuant to
43 CFR 46.305.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Morin, BOEM Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia
20170-4817, (703) 787-1340 or michelle.morin@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 23, 2010, Secretary of the
Interior Ken Salazar announced the ``Smart from the Start'' renewable
energy initiative to accelerate the responsible development of
renewable energy resources on the Atlantic OCS. One of the focuses of
the initiative is the identification and refinement of areas on the OCS
that appear to be suitable for renewable energy development (WEAs),
within which BOEM will focus its leasing efforts. In consultation with
other Federal agencies and BOEM's Intergovernmental Renewable Energy
Task Forces, BOEM identified WEAs on the OCS offshore New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
On February 9, 2011, BOEM identified these WEAs in a Notice of
Intent (NOI) to prepare an EA for Mid-Atlantic WEAs (76 FR 7226). The
NOI requested public input to identify the important environmental
issues associated with leasing and site assessment within the
identified WEAs, and alternatives to be considered in the EA. BOEM
considered these public comments in drafting the alternatives and
assessing the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts associated
with each alternative. Comments received in response to the NOI can be
viewed at https://www.regulations.gov, by searching for Docket ID BOEM-
2010-0077.
On July 12, 2011, BOEM published in the Federal Register a NOA of a
draft of the EA for Mid-Atlantic WEAs (76 FR 40925). Public comments on
the draft EA were considered in the preparation of this final EA and in
determining whether the proposed activities would lead to significant
environmental impacts. Comments received in response to the NOA can be
viewed at https://www.regulations.gov, by searching for Docket ID BOEM-
2011-0053.
BOEM will use this EA to inform decisions to issue leases in the
refined WEAs, and to subsequently approve site assessment plans (SAPs)
on those leases. BOEM may issue one or more commercial wind energy
leases in the WEAs. The competitive lease process is set forth at 30
CFR 585.210-585.225, and the noncompetitive process is set forth at 30
CFR 585.230-585.232 (as amended by a rulemaking effective as of June
15, 2011).
A commercial lease, whether issued through a competitive or non-
competitive process, gives the lessee the exclusive right to
subsequently seek BOEM approval for the development of the leasehold.
The lease does not grant the lessee the right to construct any
facilities; rather, the lease grants the right to use the leased area
to develop its plans, which BOEM must approve before the lessee may
proceed to the next stage of the process. See 30 CFR 585.600 and
585.601. In the event that a particular lease is issued, and the lessee
subsequently submits a SAP, BOEM would then determine whether the EA
adequately considers the environmental consequences of the
[[Page 5561]]
activities proposed in the lessee's SAP. If BOEM determines that the
analysis in the EA adequately considers these consequences, then no
further analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
would be required before BOEM could approve a SAP. If, on the other
hand, BOEM determines that the analysis in this EA is inadequate for
that purpose, BOEM would prepare additional NEPA analysis before it
could approve the SAP.
If a lessee is prepared to propose a wind energy generation
facility on its lease, it would submit a construction and operations
plan (COP). BOEM then would prepare a separate site- and project-
specific NEPA analysis of the proposed project. This analysis would
likely take the form of an EIS and would provide the public and Federal
officials with comprehensive information regarding the reasonably
foreseeable environmental impacts of the proposed project. In this NEPA
analysis, BOEM would evaluate the potential environmental and
socioeconomic consequences of the proposed project. This analysis would
inform BOEM's decision to approve, approve with modification, or
disapprove a lessee's COP pursuant to 30 CFR 585.628. This NEPA process
also would provide additional opportunities for public involvement
pursuant to NEPA and the White House Council on Environmental Quality's
regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508.
Dated: January 20, 2012.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Deputy Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-2494 Filed 2-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P
