Notice of Availability (NOA) of and Request for Comments on the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program MAA104000, 14881-14885 [2016-06109]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices of the official filing, we will stay the filing pending our consideration of the protest. We will not officially file this plat, in one sheet, until the day after we have accepted or dismissed all protests and they have become final, including decisions or appeals. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLMT9260000/L19100000.BJ0000/ LRCSEX502200); 16XL1109AF; MO#4500089690] Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; South Dakota AGENCY: Authority 43 U.S.C. Ch. 3. Bureau of Land Management, Interior. Notice of filing of plats of survey. ACTION: Joshua F. Alexander, Acting Chief, Branch of Cadastral Survey, Division of Energy, Minerals and Realty. [FR Doc. 2016–06115 Filed 3–17–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310– DN–P The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana, on April 18, 2016. DATES: Protests of the survey must be filed before April 18, 2016 to be considered. SUMMARY: Protests of the survey should be sent to the Branch of Cadastral Survey, Bureau of Land Management, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59101–4669. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marvin Montoya, Cadastral Surveyor, Branch of Cadastral Survey, Bureau of Land Management, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59101–4669, telephone (406) 896–5124 or (406) 896– 5003, HMontoya@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This survey was executed at the request of the National Parks Service, Midwest Regional Office, Omaha, Nebraska, and was necessary to determine boundaries of Federal lands. The lands we surveyed are: asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES ADDRESSES: Black Hills Meridian, South Dakota T. 3 S., R. 14 E. The plat, in one sheet, representing the dependent resurvey of a portion of the subdivisional lines and the subdivision of section 21, Township 3 South, Range 14 East, Black Hills Meridian, South Dakota, was accepted February 10, 2016. We will place a copy of the plat, in one sheet, and related field notes we described in the open files. They will be available to the public as a matter of information. If the BLM receives a protest against this survey, as shown on this plat, in one sheet, prior to the date VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Jkt 238001 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [Docket No. BOEM–2016–0003] Notice of Availability (NOA) of and Request for Comments on the 2017– 2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program MAA104000 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments. AGENCY: BOEM is announcing the availability of, and requests comments on, the 2017–2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program (Proposed Program). This proposal is the second of three proposals for the 2017–2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program that will succeed the current, 2012–2017 Program. The Proposed Program provides information and analyses to inform the Secretary of the Interior’s (Secretary) decision on the size, timing, and location of leasing in the 2017–2022 Program. Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) specifies a multi-step process of consultation and analysis that must be completed before the Secretary may approve a new Five-Year Program. The required steps following this notice include the development of a Proposed Final Program (PFP) analysis and Secretarial decision. In conjunction with this notice, BOEM is publishing the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the 2017– 2022 Program, which was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). DATES: Please submit comments and information to BOEM no later than June 16, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Five-Year Program Manager, at (703) 787–1613 or Kelly.hammerle@boem.gov. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14881 Public Comment Procedure BOEM will accept comments in one of two formats: Via the Federal internet commenting system at https:// www.regulations.gov or through the U.S. mail. Comments submitted by other means may not be considered. BOEM’s preference is to receive comments via the internet commenting system. Comments should be submitted using only one of these formats, and the full name and address of the individual submitting the comment(s) should be included. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. In order to ensure security and confidentiality of proprietary information to the maximum extent possible, BOEM requests that proprietary information only be sent by U.S. mail. In addition to prominently stating that proprietary information is contained in a comment at the beginning of the submission, comments should be sent in a plain outer envelope with an inner envelope stating that proprietary information is contained within. Commenting via Internet Internet comments should be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. BOEM requests that commenters follow these instructions to submit their comments via this Web site: (1) In the search tab on the main regulations.gov page, search for BOEM– 2016–0003. (2) Locate the document, then click the ‘‘Submit a Comment’’ link either on the Search Results page or the Document Details page. This will display the Web comment form. (3) Enter the submitter information and type the comment on the Web form. Attach any additional files (up to 10 MB). (BOEM cannot ensure the security or confidentiality of information sent via the internet; therefore such information should be provided by U.S. mail as provided in the Public Comment Procedure section of this notice.) (4) After typing the comment, click the ‘‘Preview Comment’’ link to review. Once satisfied with the comment, click the ‘‘Submit’’ button to send the comment. E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 14882 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices Information on using regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through the site’s ‘‘User Tips’’ link. Commenting via U.S. Mail Comments and information on the 2017–2022 Program should be mailed to Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Five-Year Program Manager, BOEM, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM–LD, Sterling, Virginia 20166. BOEM requests comments from states, local governments, Federal agencies, Native groups, tribes, the oil and gas industry, environmental and other public interest organizations, non-energy industries, all other interested parties, and the public to assist in the continued preparation of the 2017–2022 Program. The Proposed Program and supplemental information may be viewed on and downloaded from the BOEM Web site at www.BOEM.gov/Five-Year-Program2017-2022. Additionally, information on the development of the PEIS can be found at www.boemoceaninfo.com. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Background Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act requires the Secretary to prepare and maintain a schedule of proposed OCS oil and gas lease sales determined to ‘‘best meet national energy needs for the 5-year period following its approval or reapproval.’’ This Proposed Program is the second of three proposed leasing schedules for OCS lease sales under the 2017–2022 Program. The first proposal, the Draft Proposed Program (DPP), was published on January 29, 2015, and was followed by a 60-day comment period that ended on March 30, 2015. The areas identified in the Proposed Program were chosen after careful consideration of the factors specified in Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act and the comments received during the DPP comment period. Included in this Proposed Program is an analysis of the lease sale options identified by the Secretary in the DPP. The development of the Five-Year Program is a winnowing process; thus, only those areas that the Secretary decided were appropriate to include in the DPP are analyzed in the Proposed Program and the associated Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). Hereafter, only the OCS areas that the Secretary includes in the Proposed Program lease sale schedule will be analyzed in the Proposed Final Program (PFP) and in the Final PEIS. Inclusion of an area at the DPP or Proposed VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Jkt 238001 Program phase does not mean that it will be included in the Program or offered in a lease sale because steps still remain for reducing or removing areas or lease sales from leasing consideration. Before the new Program is approved and implemented, BOEM will accept and consider comments on the Proposed Program and issue a PFP for public review, accompanied by the Final PEIS. Summary of the Proposed Program As part of the Administration’s energy strategy, the Proposed Program continues the tailored leasing strategy set forth in the current 2012–2017 Program that takes into account regional differences in developing the proposed lease sale schedule. In weighing the Section 18 factors to develop a nationwide program, region-specific information was taken into account, including information about resource potential; the status of resource development and infrastructure to support oil and gas activities and emergency response capabilities; recognition of regional interests and concerns; and the need to balance the development of offshore oil and gas resources with protection of the marine, coastal, and human environments. Further, for preparation of the Proposed Program, robust consideration was given to the substantial stakeholder dialogue and public comments that stemmed from publication of the DPP. After careful consideration of public input and examination of the OCS Lands Act Section 18(a)(2) factors, the Proposed Program proposes lease sales in OCS areas that have high oil and gas resource values, while recognizing potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts, concerns, and competing uses of ocean and coastal areas. In total, the Proposed Program makes available for leasing areas that contain over 70 percent of the undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources estimated to exist on the OCS. The Proposed Program contains a proposed lease sale schedule that includes 13 sales in six OCS planning areas where there are currently existing leases and known or anticipated hydrocarbon potential (see Table 1 below). TABLE 1—2017–2022 PROPOSED PROGRAM LEASE SALE SCHEDULE Year 1. 2. 3. 4. 2017 2018 2018 2019 PO 00000 ......... ......... ......... ......... Frm 00061 Planning area Gulf Gulf Gulf Gulf of of of of Fmt 4703 Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico .... .... .... .... Sfmt 4703 Sale No. 249 250 251 252 TABLE 1—2017–2022 PROPOSED PROGRAM LEASE SALE SCHEDULE— Continued Year Planning area 5. 2019 ......... 6. 2020 ......... 7. 2020 ......... 8. 2020 ......... 9. 2021 ......... 10. 2021 ....... 11. 2021 ....... 12. 2022 ....... 13. 2022 ....... Gulf of Mexico .... Gulf of Mexico .... Beaufort Sea ...... Gulf of Mexico .... Gulf of Mexico .... Cook Inlet ........... Gulf of Mexico .... Gulf of Mexico .... Chukchi Sea ....... Sale No. 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 261 262 Gulf of Mexico Region The GOM combines the most abundant proven and estimated oil and gas resources, broad industry interest, and well-developed infrastructure. The oil and gas resource potential of the Western and Central GOM, as well as the portion of the Eastern GOM not subject to Congressional moratorium, is the best understood of all of the OCS planning areas. Not only are the oil and gas resource volume estimates for the GOM OCS unparalleled, the GOM area has mature infrastructure to support the development of oil and gas activities and provide response capabilities in the event of an emergency. In considering and balancing the Section 18 factors, the Proposed Program is tailored to support development commensurate with the presence and maturity, or lack thereof, of offshore oil and gas activity. Of the 13 lease sales included in the Proposed Program, 10 are in the GOM, where infrastructure is best-established, and there is strong adjacent state support and significant oil and gas resource potential. The GOM proposal identified for further detailed analysis in the Proposed Final Program and the Final PEIS includes region-wide sales: one sale in 2017 and 2022, and two sales in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 (see Table 1). In the past, BOEM has scheduled separate annual sales, generally alternating between the Western and Central GOM, and periodic sales in the portion of the Eastern GOM not under Congressional moratorium. This Proposed Program considers regionwide sales comprised of the combined Western, Central, and Eastern GOM planning areas’ unleased acreage not subject to moratoria or otherwise unavailable (see Figure 1). BOEM is proposing this change to provide greater flexibility to industry, including more frequent opportunities to bid on rejected, relinquished, or expired OCS lease blocks, as well as facilitating better planning to explore resources that may E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES straddle the U.S.-Mexico boundary. Any individual sale could be scaled back during the lease sale process to conform more closely to the traditional separate planning area model should circumstances warrant. Further, the Proposed Final Program will analyze, as an option, the traditional, separate planning area model, which includes five sales in the Western GOM and five in the combined Central/Eastern GOM not subject to moratoria or otherwise unavailable. A 15-mile no-leasing buffer south of Baldwin County, Alabama, as requested by the OCS Governors Coalition in a letter to which the Governor of Alabama was a signatory, will also continue to be analyzed in the PFP. Alaska Region In Alaska, the Proposed Program continues to take a balanced approach to development, utilizing the targeted leasing strategy set forth in the 2012– 2017 Program by identifying one potential lease sale each in the Beaufort Sea (2020), Cook Inlet (2021), and Chukchi Sea (2022) planning areas (see Figure 2). These potential sales in the three Alaska program areas are currently scheduled later in the Proposed Program to provide additional opportunity to evaluate and obtain information regarding environmental issues, subsistence use needs, and infrastructure capabilities, as well as results from any exploration or development activity associated with existing leases. Consistent with what was set forth in the 2012–2017 Program, BOEM will continue to use scientific information and stakeholder feedback to proactively determine, in advance of any potential sale under the 2017–2022 Program, which specific areas offer the greatest resource potential, while minimizing potential conflicts with environmental, subsistence, and other uses. The Proposed Program includes a potential Beaufort Sea sale in 2020. Using input from the PEIS public scoping process, as well as a thorough review of available scientific information, including traditional knowledge, BOEM is considering whether environmentally important areas—such as Cross Island, Barrow Canyon, Camden Bay, an additional area near the existing Kaktovik withdrawal, VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Jkt 238001 and other areas identified in the PEIS— merit additional mitigation or protection during the subsequent phases of the 2017–2022 Program development and/ or the lease sale process. The Proposed Program analyzes an option to advance the Beaufort lease sale to 2019, in light of the Governor of Alaska’s request to advance the sale. The Proposed Program includes a potential Chukchi Sea sale in 2022. Using input from the PEIS, BOEM will continue to consider potential mitigation or exclusion areas, such as areas near Hanna Shoal that include a walrus foraging area and movement corridor, during the subsequent phases of both the 2017–2022 Program development and/or the lease sale process. A potential lease sale is scheduled for 2021 in the Cook Inlet Program Area that includes the northern portion of the Cook Inlet Planning Area (see Figure 2). The design of this lease sale balances the protection of endangered species, for example, taking into account the beluga whale and the northern sea otter critical habitat, as identified in 2013 in the Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244 Area Identification, with the availability for leasing of the areas with industry interest and significant oil and gas resource potential. BOEM will continue to consider potential mitigation or exclusion of areas, such as the beluga whale critical habitat, and other environmentally-sensitive areas, in subsequent steps of the Program development and/or lease sale process. Atlantic Region After a robust public comment process, the Mid- and South Atlantic Program Area lease sale proposed for 2021 in the DPP has been removed from the Proposed Program for a number of reasons, including strong local opposition, conflicts with other ocean users, including the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, and current market dynamics. The decision to remove the Atlantic from the 2017–2022 Program included careful consideration of the comments received from governors of affected states. In their responses to BOEM, both the Governors of Virginia and North Carolina acknowledged the PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14883 developmental risks associated with an offshore oil and gas leasing program in the region and indicated that a revenue sharing program was necessary to offset these risks. Pacific Region As in the DPP, no lease sale options have been identified in the Pacific Region for additional analysis. Assurance of Fair Market Value Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act requires receipt of fair market value from OCS oil and gas leases. BOEM plans to continue to use the two-phase post-sale bid evaluation process that it has used since 1983 to meet the fair market value requirement. BOEM recently revised its post-sale bid evaluation process [see Summary of Procedures for Determining Bid Adequacy at Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Effective March 2016 at https:// www.boem.gov/Summary-ofProcedures-For-Determining-BidAdequacy/]. Further, the Proposed Program provides that BOEM may set minimum bid levels, rental rates, and royalty rates by individual lease sale based on BOEM’s assessment of market and resource conditions closer to the date of the sale. Information Requested for the Proposed Program We request comments on the size, timing, and location of lease sales for offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities. Respondents who submitted information in earlier comment periods may wish to refer to that previously submitted information, as appropriate, rather than repeat it in their comments on the Proposed Program. We also invite comments and suggestions on how to proceed with the Section 18 analysis in the Proposed Final Program. Next Steps in the Process BOEM currently plans to issue the Proposed Final Program and Final PEIS in late 2016. Dated: March 14, 2016. Abigail Ross Hopper, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 14884 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices Figure 1: 2017-2022 Lower 48 States Proposed Program Areas 2017-2022 Oil and Gas leasing Proposed Program Area for the Lower 48 States VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Miles 1,000 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4725 E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 EN18MR16.000</GPH> asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 750 [FR Doc. 2016–06109 Filed 3–17–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MR–C DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management period and also serves to announce public meetings on the Draft Programmatic EIS. After the public meetings and written comments on the Draft Programmatic EIS have been reviewed and considered, a Final Programmatic EIS will be prepared. Comments must be submitted on or before May 2, 2016. See public meeting dates in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below. [MMAA104000] DATES: Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 2017–2022 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), BOEM announces the availability of the OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program 2017– 2022 Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Programmatic EIS) prepared by BOEM to support the Proposed OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2017–2022. This notice initiates the public review and comment asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:50 Mar 17, 2016 Jkt 238001 Jill Lewandowski, Ph.D., Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road VAM–OEP, Sterling, VA 20166; Dr. Lewandowski may also be reached by telephone at (703) 787–1703. This Draft Programmatic EIS analyzes the potential for environmental impacts related to the establishment of a proposed lease sale schedule during the years 2017 to 2022. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1502.4(b)) recommend analyzing the effects of broad programs, such as the 2017–2022 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14885 OCS Oil and Gas Program within a single programmatic EIS. Programmatic EIS Availability: Persons interested in reviewing the 2017–2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program Draft Programmatic EIS, OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2016–001 can download it on the Internet at www.boemoceaninfo.com, or may contact BOEM at the address provided above to request a paper copy or a CD/ ROM version. Please specify if you wish a CD/ROM or paper copy. If neither is specified, a CD/ROM containing the Draft Programmatic EIS will be provided. Library Availability: The Draft Programmatic EIS will also be available for review at libraries in states adjacent to the proposed lease sales. These libraries are listed at the Web site www.boemoceaninfo.com. Written Comments: Comments may be submitted online through www.regulations.gov. Please insert ‘‘BOEM–2016–0002’’ into the search box. Written comments may also be submitted via mail to Dr. Jill K. E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 EN18MR16.001</GPH> Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Notices

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14881-14885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06109]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2016-0003]


Notice of Availability (NOA) of and Request for Comments on the 
2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed 
Program MAA104000

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: BOEM is announcing the availability of, and requests comments 
on, the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing 
Proposed Program (Proposed Program). This proposal is the second of 
three proposals for the 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program that 
will succeed the current, 2012-2017 Program. The Proposed Program 
provides information and analyses to inform the Secretary of the 
Interior's (Secretary) decision on the size, timing, and location of 
leasing in the 2017-2022 Program.
    Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) specifies a multi-
step process of consultation and analysis that must be completed before 
the Secretary may approve a new Five-Year Program. The required steps 
following this notice include the development of a Proposed Final 
Program (PFP) analysis and Secretarial decision. In conjunction with 
this notice, BOEM is publishing the Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement (PEIS) for the 2017-2022 Program, which was prepared 
in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

DATES: Please submit comments and information to BOEM no later than 
June 16, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Five-Year Program 
Manager, at (703) 787-1613 or Kelly.hammerle@boem.gov.

Public Comment Procedure

    BOEM will accept comments in one of two formats: Via the Federal 
internet commenting system at https://www.regulations.gov or through the 
U.S. mail. Comments submitted by other means may not be considered. 
BOEM's preference is to receive comments via the internet commenting 
system. Comments should be submitted using only one of these formats, 
and the full name and address of the individual submitting the 
comment(s) should be included. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    In order to ensure security and confidentiality of proprietary 
information to the maximum extent possible, BOEM requests that 
proprietary information only be sent by U.S. mail. In addition to 
prominently stating that proprietary information is contained in a 
comment at the beginning of the submission, comments should be sent in 
a plain outer envelope with an inner envelope stating that proprietary 
information is contained within.

Commenting via Internet

    Internet comments should be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. BOEM requests that commenters 
follow these instructions to submit their comments via this Web site:
    (1) In the search tab on the main regulations.gov page, search for 
BOEM-2016-0003.
    (2) Locate the document, then click the ``Submit a Comment'' link 
either on the Search Results page or the Document Details page. This 
will display the Web comment form.
    (3) Enter the submitter information and type the comment on the Web 
form. Attach any additional files (up to 10 MB). (BOEM cannot ensure 
the security or confidentiality of information sent via the internet; 
therefore such information should be provided by U.S. mail as provided 
in the Public Comment Procedure section of this notice.)
    (4) After typing the comment, click the ``Preview Comment'' link to 
review. Once satisfied with the comment, click the ``Submit'' button to 
send the comment.

[[Page 14882]]

    Information on using regulations.gov, including instructions for 
accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after 
the close of the comment period, is available through the site's ``User 
Tips'' link.

Commenting via U.S. Mail

    Comments and information on the 2017-2022 Program should be mailed 
to Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Five-Year Program Manager, BOEM, 45600 Woodland 
Road, VAM-LD, Sterling, Virginia 20166.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BOEM requests comments from states, local 
governments, Federal agencies, Native groups, tribes, the oil and gas 
industry, environmental and other public interest organizations, non-
energy industries, all other interested parties, and the public to 
assist in the continued preparation of the 2017-2022 Program. The 
Proposed Program and supplemental information may be viewed on and 
downloaded from the BOEM Web site at www.BOEM.gov/Five-Year-Program-2017-2022. Additionally, information on the development of the PEIS can 
be found at www.boemoceaninfo.com.

Background

    Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act requires the Secretary to prepare 
and maintain a schedule of proposed OCS oil and gas lease sales 
determined to ``best meet national energy needs for the 5-year period 
following its approval or reapproval.'' This Proposed Program is the 
second of three proposed leasing schedules for OCS lease sales under 
the 2017-2022 Program. The first proposal, the Draft Proposed Program 
(DPP), was published on January 29, 2015, and was followed by a 60-day 
comment period that ended on March 30, 2015.
    The areas identified in the Proposed Program were chosen after 
careful consideration of the factors specified in Section 18 of the OCS 
Lands Act and the comments received during the DPP comment period. 
Included in this Proposed Program is an analysis of the lease sale 
options identified by the Secretary in the DPP. The development of the 
Five-Year Program is a winnowing process; thus, only those areas that 
the Secretary decided were appropriate to include in the DPP are 
analyzed in the Proposed Program and the associated Draft Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). Hereafter, only the OCS areas 
that the Secretary includes in the Proposed Program lease sale schedule 
will be analyzed in the Proposed Final Program (PFP) and in the Final 
PEIS. Inclusion of an area at the DPP or Proposed Program phase does 
not mean that it will be included in the Program or offered in a lease 
sale because steps still remain for reducing or removing areas or lease 
sales from leasing consideration.
    Before the new Program is approved and implemented, BOEM will 
accept and consider comments on the Proposed Program and issue a PFP 
for public review, accompanied by the Final PEIS.

Summary of the Proposed Program

    As part of the Administration's energy strategy, the Proposed 
Program continues the tailored leasing strategy set forth in the 
current 2012-2017 Program that takes into account regional differences 
in developing the proposed lease sale schedule. In weighing the Section 
18 factors to develop a nationwide program, region-specific information 
was taken into account, including information about resource potential; 
the status of resource development and infrastructure to support oil 
and gas activities and emergency response capabilities; recognition of 
regional interests and concerns; and the need to balance the 
development of offshore oil and gas resources with protection of the 
marine, coastal, and human environments. Further, for preparation of 
the Proposed Program, robust consideration was given to the substantial 
stakeholder dialogue and public comments that stemmed from publication 
of the DPP.
    After careful consideration of public input and examination of the 
OCS Lands Act Section 18(a)(2) factors, the Proposed Program proposes 
lease sales in OCS areas that have high oil and gas resource values, 
while recognizing potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts, 
concerns, and competing uses of ocean and coastal areas. In total, the 
Proposed Program makes available for leasing areas that contain over 70 
percent of the undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas 
resources estimated to exist on the OCS. The Proposed Program contains 
a proposed lease sale schedule that includes 13 sales in six OCS 
planning areas where there are currently existing leases and known or 
anticipated hydrocarbon potential (see Table 1 below).

         Table 1--2017-2022 Proposed Program Lease Sale Schedule
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Year                       Planning area           Sale No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 2017.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        249
2. 2018.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        250
3. 2018.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        251
4. 2019.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        252
5. 2019.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        253
6. 2020.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        254
7. 2020.......................  Beaufort Sea.................        255
8. 2020.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        256
9. 2021.......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        257
10. 2021......................  Cook Inlet...................        258
11. 2021......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        259
12. 2022......................  Gulf of Mexico...............        261
13. 2022......................  Chukchi Sea..................        262
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gulf of Mexico Region

    The GOM combines the most abundant proven and estimated oil and gas 
resources, broad industry interest, and well-developed infrastructure. 
The oil and gas resource potential of the Western and Central GOM, as 
well as the portion of the Eastern GOM not subject to Congressional 
moratorium, is the best understood of all of the OCS planning areas. 
Not only are the oil and gas resource volume estimates for the GOM OCS 
unparalleled, the GOM area has mature infrastructure to support the 
development of oil and gas activities and provide response capabilities 
in the event of an emergency.
    In considering and balancing the Section 18 factors, the Proposed 
Program is tailored to support development commensurate with the 
presence and maturity, or lack thereof, of offshore oil and gas 
activity. Of the 13 lease sales included in the Proposed Program, 10 
are in the GOM, where infrastructure is best-established, and there is 
strong adjacent state support and significant oil and gas resource 
potential. The GOM proposal identified for further detailed analysis in 
the Proposed Final Program and the Final PEIS includes region-wide 
sales: one sale in 2017 and 2022, and two sales in 2018, 2019, 2020, 
and 2021 (see Table 1).
    In the past, BOEM has scheduled separate annual sales, generally 
alternating between the Western and Central GOM, and periodic sales in 
the portion of the Eastern GOM not under Congressional moratorium. This 
Proposed Program considers region-wide sales comprised of the combined 
Western, Central, and Eastern GOM planning areas' unleased acreage not 
subject to moratoria or otherwise unavailable (see Figure 1). BOEM is 
proposing this change to provide greater flexibility to industry, 
including more frequent opportunities to bid on rejected, relinquished, 
or expired OCS lease blocks, as well as facilitating better planning to 
explore resources that may

[[Page 14883]]

straddle the U.S.-Mexico boundary. Any individual sale could be scaled 
back during the lease sale process to conform more closely to the 
traditional separate planning area model should circumstances warrant. 
Further, the Proposed Final Program will analyze, as an option, the 
traditional, separate planning area model, which includes five sales in 
the Western GOM and five in the combined Central/Eastern GOM not 
subject to moratoria or otherwise unavailable. A 15-mile no-leasing 
buffer south of Baldwin County, Alabama, as requested by the OCS 
Governors Coalition in a letter to which the Governor of Alabama was a 
signatory, will also continue to be analyzed in the PFP.

Alaska Region

    In Alaska, the Proposed Program continues to take a balanced 
approach to development, utilizing the targeted leasing strategy set 
forth in the 2012-2017 Program by identifying one potential lease sale 
each in the Beaufort Sea (2020), Cook Inlet (2021), and Chukchi Sea 
(2022) planning areas (see Figure 2). These potential sales in the 
three Alaska program areas are currently scheduled later in the 
Proposed Program to provide additional opportunity to evaluate and 
obtain information regarding environmental issues, subsistence use 
needs, and infrastructure capabilities, as well as results from any 
exploration or development activity associated with existing leases. 
Consistent with what was set forth in the 2012-2017 Program, BOEM will 
continue to use scientific information and stakeholder feedback to 
proactively determine, in advance of any potential sale under the 2017-
2022 Program, which specific areas offer the greatest resource 
potential, while minimizing potential conflicts with environmental, 
subsistence, and other uses.
    The Proposed Program includes a potential Beaufort Sea sale in 
2020. Using input from the PEIS public scoping process, as well as a 
thorough review of available scientific information, including 
traditional knowledge, BOEM is considering whether environmentally 
important areas--such as Cross Island, Barrow Canyon, Camden Bay, an 
additional area near the existing Kaktovik withdrawal, and other areas 
identified in the PEIS--merit additional mitigation or protection 
during the subsequent phases of the 2017-2022 Program development and/
or the lease sale process. The Proposed Program analyzes an option to 
advance the Beaufort lease sale to 2019, in light of the Governor of 
Alaska's request to advance the sale.
    The Proposed Program includes a potential Chukchi Sea sale in 2022. 
Using input from the PEIS, BOEM will continue to consider potential 
mitigation or exclusion areas, such as areas near Hanna Shoal that 
include a walrus foraging area and movement corridor, during the 
subsequent phases of both the 2017-2022 Program development and/or the 
lease sale process.
    A potential lease sale is scheduled for 2021 in the Cook Inlet 
Program Area that includes the northern portion of the Cook Inlet 
Planning Area (see Figure 2). The design of this lease sale balances 
the protection of endangered species, for example, taking into account 
the beluga whale and the northern sea otter critical habitat, as 
identified in 2013 in the Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244 Area 
Identification, with the availability for leasing of the areas with 
industry interest and significant oil and gas resource potential. BOEM 
will continue to consider potential mitigation or exclusion of areas, 
such as the beluga whale critical habitat, and other environmentally-
sensitive areas, in subsequent steps of the Program development and/or 
lease sale process.

Atlantic Region

    After a robust public comment process, the Mid- and South Atlantic 
Program Area lease sale proposed for 2021 in the DPP has been removed 
from the Proposed Program for a number of reasons, including strong 
local opposition, conflicts with other ocean users, including the 
Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, 
and current market dynamics.
    The decision to remove the Atlantic from the 2017-2022 Program 
included careful consideration of the comments received from governors 
of affected states. In their responses to BOEM, both the Governors of 
Virginia and North Carolina acknowledged the developmental risks 
associated with an offshore oil and gas leasing program in the region 
and indicated that a revenue sharing program was necessary to offset 
these risks.

Pacific Region

    As in the DPP, no lease sale options have been identified in the 
Pacific Region for additional analysis.

Assurance of Fair Market Value

    Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act requires receipt of fair market 
value from OCS oil and gas leases. BOEM plans to continue to use the 
two-phase post-sale bid evaluation process that it has used since 1983 
to meet the fair market value requirement. BOEM recently revised its 
post-sale bid evaluation process [see Summary of Procedures for 
Determining Bid Adequacy at Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Effective 
March 2016 at https://www.boem.gov/Summary-of-Procedures-For-Determining-Bid-Adequacy/]. Further, the Proposed Program provides that 
BOEM may set minimum bid levels, rental rates, and royalty rates by 
individual lease sale based on BOEM's assessment of market and resource 
conditions closer to the date of the sale.

Information Requested for the Proposed Program

    We request comments on the size, timing, and location of lease 
sales for offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities. 
Respondents who submitted information in earlier comment periods may 
wish to refer to that previously submitted information, as appropriate, 
rather than repeat it in their comments on the Proposed Program. We 
also invite comments and suggestions on how to proceed with the Section 
18 analysis in the Proposed Final Program.

Next Steps in the Process

    BOEM currently plans to issue the Proposed Final Program and Final 
PEIS in late 2016.

    Dated: March 14, 2016.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
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[FR Doc. 2016-06109 Filed 3-17-16; 8:45 am]
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