Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore California-Call for Information and Nominations (Call), 53096-53104 [2018-22879]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 203 (Friday, October 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53096-53104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22879]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2018-0045]


Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Outer 
Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore California--Call for Information and 
Nominations (Call)

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Call for Information and Nominations (hereinafter referred to 
as ``Call'' or ``notice'') for Commercial Leasing for Wind Power 
Development on the OCS offshore California.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) invites the 
submission of information and nominations for commercial wind leases 
that would allow a lessee to propose the construction of a wind energy 
project on the OCS offshore California, and to develop one or more 
projects, if approved, after further environmental review. This is not 
a leasing announcement, but the Call Areas or portions of Call Areas 
described may be available for future leasing. BOEM will use responses 
to this Call to gauge specific interest in acquiring commercial wind 
leases in some or all of the Call Areas. Any nominations submitted in 
response to this Call should provide detailed and specific information 
addressing the requirements described in the section of this notice 
entitled, ``Required Nomination Information.''
    This Call also requests comments and information regarding site 
conditions, resources, and multiple uses in close proximity to, or 
within, the Call Areas that would be relevant to BOEM's review of the 
nominations or to any subsequent decision whether to offer all or part 
of the Call Areas for commercial wind leasing. In providing this 
information, please refer to the section of this Call entitled, 
``Requested Information from Interested or Affected Parties.''

DATES: BOEM must receive nominations describing your interest in one or 
more, or any portion of, the Call Areas, by a postmarked date of 
January 28, 2019 for your nomination to be considered. BOEM requests 
comments or submissions of information to be postmarked or delivered by 
this same date.

ADDRESSES:  If you are submitting a nomination for a lease area in 
response to this Call, please submit your nomination, following the 
``Required Nomination Information'' section below, to the following 
address: BOEM, Office of Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo Camarillo 
(Suite 102), Camarillo, California 93010. In addition to a paper copy 
of the nomination, include an electronic copy of the nomination on a 
data storage device. BOEM will list the parties that submitted 
nominations and the location of the proposed lease areas (i.e., OCS 
blocks nominated) on the BOEM website after the comment period has 
closed.
    Comments and other information may be submitted by either of the 
following two methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the 
entry entitled, ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2018-0045 and then 
click ``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and 
view supporting and related materials available for this notice.
    2. U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service. Send your 
comments and information to the following address: Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Office of Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo Camarillo 
(Suite 102), Camarillo, California 93010.
    BOEM will post all responses on https://www.regulations.gov. If you 
wish to protect the confidentiality of your nominations or comments, 
clearly mark the relevant sections and request that BOEM treat them as 
confidential. Please label privileged or confidential information 
``Contains Confidential Information,'' and consider submitting such 
information as a separate attachment. Treatment of confidential 
information is addressed in the section of this Call entitled, 
``Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information.'' Information 
that is not labeled as privileged or confidential will be regarded by 
BOEM as suitable for public release.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Thurston, BOEM California 
Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force Coordinator, BOEM, Office 
of Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo Camarillo (Suite 102), Camarillo, 
California 93010, (805) 384-6303 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority

    This Call is published pursuant to section 8(p)(3) of the Outer 
Continental

[[Page 53097]]

Shelf Lands Act (``OCSLA''), 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3), which was added by 
section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), as well as the 
implementing regulations at 30 CFR part 585.

Call Areas

    The three (3) geographically distinct Call Areas described in this 
notice are located on the OCS offshore California and are the Humboldt 
Call Area on the north coast and the Morro Bay Call Area and the Diablo 
Canyon Call Area on the central coast. These areas include 85 whole OCS 
blocks and 573 partial blocks in total, and comprise approximately 
1,073 square statute miles (mi) (687,823 acres). If BOEM determines 
that there is competitive interest in these areas, BOEM will identify 
which areas will be subject to an environmental analysis and 
consideration for leasing as part of the area identification portion of 
the competitive leasing process. A detailed description of the areas 
and how they were developed is described in the section of this Call 
entitled, ``Description of the Area.''

Purpose of the Call for Information and Nominations

    OCSLA requires BOEM to award leases competitively, unless BOEM 
determines that there is no competitive interest (43 U.S.C. 
1337(p)(3)). On January 14, 2016, BOEM received an unsolicited lease 
request from Trident Winds, LLC (Trident Winds) for the development of 
a wind energy project offshore Morro Bay, on the central coast of 
California. On August 18, 2016, BOEM published the Potential Commercial 
Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf--Request for 
Interest (``RFI'') in the Federal Register to determine if there was 
competitive interest in the area described by Trident Winds. A copy of 
BOEM's RFI is available online at: https://www.boem.gov/81-FR-55228/. 
In response to the RFI, BOEM received one additional nomination of 
competitive interest in developing wind energy in the area proposed by 
Trident Winds.
    On September 11, 2018, BOEM received an unsolicited lease request 
from the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) for the development of a 
wind energy project offshore Humboldt County. RCEA submitted its 
request after issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on February 1, 
2018, to select one or more qualified entities to enter into a public-
private partnership pursuant to their activities to pursue developing 
an offshore wind energy project off Humboldt County. The RCEA received 
responses on their RFQ from six entities, and in April 2018 selected 
partners for the project. The area requested by RCEA in its unsolicited 
lease request is included in the Humboldt Call Area.
    BOEM will use responses to this Call to confirm competitive 
interest in the portions of the Call Areas for which BOEM already has 
information, as well as to solicit new expressions of interest in 
obtaining a lease within the Call Area(s).
    BOEM will make a formal determination of competitive interest after 
reviewing the nominations and comments provided in response to this 
Call. Depending on the nominations and comments received, BOEM may 
proceed with the competitive leasing process as set forth in 30 CFR 
585.211 through 585.225; may proceed with the noncompetitive leasing 
process as set forth in 30 CFR 585.231 and 232; or may decide not to 
proceed with leasing. BOEM may also determine that some of the Call 
Areas or portions of Call Areas have competitive interest while other 
area do not. For instance, BOEM may determine that there is no 
competitive interest in the Humboldt Call Area and that there is 
competitive interest in the Morro Bay and Diablo Canyon Call Areas. In 
this case, BOEM could proceed with the noncompetitive leasing process 
for the Humboldt Call Area and with the competitive leasing process for 
the Morro Bay and Diablo Canyon Call Areas. We explain these processes 
in detail in the section of this notice entitled, ``BOEM's Planning and 
Leasing Process.''
    We note that a lease, whether issued through a competitive or 
noncompetitive process, does not grant the lessee the right to 
construct any facilities on the lease. The lease only grants the lessee 
the exclusive right to submit site assessment and construction and 
operations plans to BOEM, which BOEM must first approve before the 
lessee may proceed to the next stages of the process (30 CFR 585.600 
and 585.601).
    Whether competitive or noncompetitive, the leasing process will 
include subsequent opportunities for public input, and any proposed 
actions will be reviewed thoroughly for potential environmental impacts 
and multiple use conflicts. BOEM has not yet determined which area(s) 
may be offered for lease, if any, has/have not yet been determined, and 
may include less than the total footprint of any Call Areas or may 
offer no leasing at all.

1 Background

1.1 Statutory Authorization

    Section 8(p) of OCSLA, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior 
(``Secretary'') to grant leases, easements, or rights-of-way (ROWs) on 
the OCS for activities not previously authorized by the OCS Lands Act 
or other applicable law. Under subsection 8(p)(1)(C), the Secretary of 
the Interior may issue leases for activities that produce or support 
production, transportation, or transmission of energy from sources 
other than oil or gas, including renewable energy sources. Section 8(p) 
also requires the Secretary to issue any necessary regulations to carry 
out this authority. Regulations were issued for this purpose on April 
29, 2009, and are codified in BOEM regulations at 30 CFR part 585. The 
Secretary has delegated the authority to issue leases, easements, and 
ROWs to the Director of BOEM.

1.2 Offshore Wind Energy Planning Efforts in California

    BOEM appreciates the importance of coordinating its planning 
endeavors with other OCS users, relevant Federal and state agencies, 
and tribes. BOEM and the State of California, through the leadership of 
the California Energy Commission, have engaged in a collaborative, 
data-based offshore wind energy planning process to foster coordinated 
and informed decisions about California's shared ocean resources and 
the many users who depend on them. This outreach has consisted of 
numerous public meetings, webinars, and briefings with coastal 
communities, fishing communities, federally and non-federally 
recognized tribes, state and Federal agencies, academia and scientists, 
environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the offshore 
renewable energy industry. The summary report on this outreach can be 
viewed at: https://www.boem.gov/California-Outreach-Summary-Report/. 
Additional information gathered by BOEM and the State of California 
during the offshore wind energy planning process, including maps and 
spatially represented data, is available online at: https://caoffshorewind.databasin.org/.

1.3 BOEM California Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force

    At the request of Governor Brown, BOEM established an 
Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force (Task Force) with 
California in 2016 to facilitate coordination among relevant Federal 
agencies and affected state, local, and tribal governments

[[Page 53098]]

throughout the leasing process. The first Task Force meeting was held 
on October 13, 2016, and a second Task Force meeting was held on 
September 17, 2018. Meeting materials are available on the BOEM website 
at: https://www.boem.gov/California/.

1.4 Actions Taken by the State of California in Support of Renewable 
Energy Development

    The State of California established a Renewables Portfolio Standard 
(RPS) in 2002. California expanded the RPS in 2015 through passage of 
Senate Bill 350, the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act, and 
further expanded the RPS in 2018 through passage of Senate Bill (SB) 
100. SB 100 increased the state's RPS requirements for powering the 
electricity system from renewable energy resources. The legislation 
requires 50 percent powering from renewable resources by 2025, 60 
percent by 2030, and 100 percent powering from zero-carbon resources by 
December 31, 2045, for retail sales of electricity to California end-
use customers and electricity procured to serve state agencies. 
Additional information about California's RPS is available at: 
www.cpuc.ca.gov/RPS_Homepage. The full text of SB 100 is available at: 
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB100.

2 BOEM's Environmental Review Process

    Before deciding whether and where leases may be issued within the 
Call Areas, BOEM will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) under 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and conduct consultations 
to consider the environmental consequences associated with issuing 
commercial wind leases. As the issuance of a lease does not grant the 
right to construct any facilities within the lease, the EA will 
consider reasonably foreseeable environmental consequences associated 
with leasing, site assessment and site characterization activities 
(including geophysical, geotechnical, archaeological, and biological 
surveys). If BOEM issues a lease and the lessee proposes the 
construction and operation of an offshore wind energy facility, BOEM 
would consider the environmental effects of such construction and 
operation under a separate, project-specific NEPA process, which would 
include additional opportunities for public involvement. BOEM would 
also conduct consultations under other authorities, including, but not 
limited to, the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), Endangered Species 
Act (ESA), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and 
Executive Order 13175 (``Consultation and Coordination with Tribal 
Governments'').

3 BOEM's Planning and Leasing Process

3.1 Determination of Competitive Interest

    43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3) states that ``the Secretary shall issue a 
lease, easement, or right-of-way . . . on a competitive basis unless 
the Secretary determines after public notice of a proposed lease, 
easement, or right-of-way that there is no competitive interest.'' 
Accordingly, BOEM must first determine whether there is competitive 
interest in acquiring a lease within the Call Area to develop offshore 
wind energy. At the conclusion of the comment period for this Call, 
BOEM will review the nominations received and determine if competitive 
interest exists in any of the call areas.
    For areas with two or more valid nominations, BOEM may consider 
proceeding with competitive leasing as described in the section of this 
Call entitled, ``Competitive Leasing Process.'' For areas where BOEM 
determines that there is only one interested entity, BOEM may consider 
proceeding with noncompetitive leasing, as described in the section 
entitled ``Noncompetitive Leasing Process.''
    If BOEM determines that competitive interest exists and BOEM 
identifies those areas as appropriate to lease, BOEM may hold a 
competitive lease sale on any or all portions of the Call Area. In the 
event BOEM holds such a lease sale, all qualified bidders, including 
those bidders which did not submit a nomination in response to this 
Call, will be able to participate in the lease sale.
    BOEM will not issue any leases until it has completed all required 
consultations and environmental analysis, which include the opportunity 
for public comment. Furthermore, BOEM reserves the right not to lease 
certain nominated areas, or modify such areas from their original, 
proposed form before offering them for lease.

3.2 Competitive Leasing Process

    BOEM will follow the steps required by 30 CFR 585.211 through 
585.225 if it decides to proceed with the competitive leasing process 
for any areas after receiving responses and nominations for this Call.
    (1) Area Identification: After determining the existence of 
competitive interest based on the information it receives in response 
to this Call, BOEM will identify the area(s) that will be subject to 
environmental analysis and consideration for leasing. Any area 
identified will constitute a Wind Energy Area (WEA) and will be subject 
to environmental analysis as described above, conducted in consultation 
with appropriate Federal agencies, states, local governments, tribes, 
and other interested parties.
    (2) Proposed Sale Notice (PSN): If BOEM decides to proceed with a 
competitive lease sale within any WEA after completion of its 
environmental analysis, BOEM will publish a PSN in the Federal Register 
with a comment period of 60 days. The PSN will describe any area BOEM 
intends to offer for leasing, the proposed conditions of a lease sale, 
the proposed auction format, and the lease instrument, including lease 
addenda. Additionally, the PSN will describe the criteria and process 
for evaluating bids in the lease sale.
    (3) Final Sale Notice (FSN): After considering the comments on the 
PSN, if BOEM decides to proceed with a competitive lease sale, it will 
publish the FSN in the Federal Register at least 30 days before the 
date of the lease sale.
    (4) Bid Submission and Evaluation: Following publication of the FSN 
in the Federal Register, BOEM would offer the lease areas through a 
competitive sale process, using procedures specified in the FSN. The 
conduct of the sale, including bids and bid deposits, would be reviewed 
for technical and legal adequacy. BOEM will ensure that bidders have 
complied with all applicable regulations. BOEM reserves the right to 
reject any or all bids and/or withdraw an offer to lease an area, even 
after bids have been submitted.
    (5) Issuance of a Lease: Following the selection of any winning bid 
by BOEM, the successful bidder would be notified of the decision and 
provided a set of official lease documents for execution. Any 
successful bidder would be required to sign and return the lease, pay 
the remainder of the bonus bid, if applicable, and file the required 
financial assurance within 10 business days of receiving the lease 
documents. Upon receipt of the required payments, financial assurance, 
and properly signed lease forms, BOEM may execute a lease with the 
successful bidder.

3.3 Noncompetitive Leasing Process

    BOEM's noncompetitive leasing process would include the following 
steps:
    (1) Determination of No Competitive Interest: If, after evaluating 
all relevant

[[Page 53099]]

information, including responses to this Call, BOEM determines there is 
no competitive interest in all or a portion of the Call Areas, it may 
proceed with the noncompetitive lease issuance process pursuant to 30 
CFR 585.231 and 232. BOEM would seek to determine if the sole 
respondent, who nominated a particular area, intends to proceed with 
acquiring the lease; if so, the respondent would be required to submit 
an acquisition fee as specified in 30 CFR 585.502(a). After receiving 
the acquisition fee, BOEM would follow the process outlined in 30 CFR 
585.231(d) through (i), which would include the publication of a 
Determination of No Competitive Interest in the Federal Register.
    (2) Review of Lease Request: BOEM would comply with the relevant 
requirements of NEPA, CZMA, ESA, NHPA and other applicable Federal 
statutes before issuing a lease noncompetitively. Further, BOEM would 
coordinate and consult, as appropriate, with relevant Federal agencies, 
other affected or interested parties, and affected state and local 
governments in formulating lease terms, conditions, and stipulations.
    (3) Lease Issuance: After completing its review of the lease 
request, BOEM may offer a noncompetitive lease. Within 10 business days 
of receiving the lease, the lessee must execute it and provide a 
$100,000 lease-specific bond, pursuant to 30 CFR 585.515, to guarantee 
compliance with all terms and conditions of the lease. Within 45 days 
of receiving the lease, the lessee must pay BOEM the first 12 months' 
rent.

4 Development of the Call Areas

    BOEM delineated the Call Areas in consultation with several 
parties, including the State of California and the Task Force. In 
coordination with the State of California, BOEM held multiple 
stakeholder outreach meetings in northern and central California to 
obtain input into the development of the Call Areas and gather data and 
information to use in BOEM's decision making process. More information 
on these meetings can be found in this notice under ``Offshore Wind 
Energy Planning Efforts in California.'' The Call Areas represent 
portions of the OCS that BOEM has identified to solicit information and 
nominations so that potential use conflicts can be analyzed and 
considered in the Area ID stage of the leasing process. During the 
process of delineating the California Call Areas, BOEM determined that 
the following areas would not be appropriate for leasing and 
development at this time:
    1. Areas in water depths beyond 1,100 meters. Based on a National 
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) technical report (NREL, TP-6A20-
55049, Improved Offshore Wind Resource Assessment in Global Climate 
Stabilization Scenarios, 2012), BOEM considers 1,100 meters to be a 
reasonable limit on water depth based on technological feasibility at 
this time.
    2. National Marine Sanctuaries. BOEM lacks the authority to lease 
within the boundaries of National Marine Sanctuaries, and removed these 
areas offshore California from consideration, including: Greater 
Farallones, Cordell Bank, Monterey Bay, and Channel Islands National 
Marine Sanctuaries.
    3. Areas on the OCS that have wind speeds estimated at less than 7 
meters per second. These areas were excluded based on a NREL's 2016 
Offshore Wind Energy Resource Assessment for the United States, 
available at: www.nrel.gov/docs/fy16osti/66599.pdf.
    4. Nearshore areas with high levels of fishing activity. BOEM 
recognizes that several commercial and recreational fisheries operate 
within, or in proximity to, the Call Areas. Fishing industry 
representatives have provided comments and information to BOEM during 
meetings and discussions during outreach in 2017 and 2018. Based on 
these discussions thus far, and data and information gathered during 
the offshore wind energy planning efforts, areas closer to shore tend 
to have higher concentrations of commercial and recreational fishing 
activities and were removed from consideration for leasing. Fishing 
information, including maps and spatially represented data, gathered 
during the offshore wind energy planning process is available online 
at: https://databasin.org/galleries/ae21ddeb4fd642f1a382f96adc898dbe. 
BOEM will continue with outreach to the fishing industry throughout the 
leasing and planning process. BOEM is requesting additional information 
regarding recreational and commercial fisheries that operate within the 
Call Areas and will consider that information at the Area 
Identification stage of its planning process. If BOEM concludes that 
fisheries conflicts cannot be properly mitigated in certain portions of 
the Call Areas, it may exclude those areas from leasing consideration 
at the Area Identification stage, during the environmental review 
process under NEPA, and as a result of essential fish habitat 
consultations under the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act. BOEM may also require measures to mitigate or avoid 
fishery conflicts at the construction and operations phase of the 
regulatory process.
    5. High concentrations of undersea cables. BOEM removed from 
consideration, at this time, the portion of the OCS offshore Morro Bay 
that has a large concentration of undersea cables. Information, 
including a map of these cable locations, is available online at: 
https://databasin.org/maps/706cd85b8b2b4d1dbeb7eba7b68cb934/active.
    6. Santa Barbara Channel. BOEM removed the OCS blocks adjacent to 
the entrance and exit of the Santa Barbara Channel due to vessel 
traffic transiting the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) based on 
automated identification system (AIS) vessel information provided to 
BOEM from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). These blocks include all OCS 
sub-blocks that overlap with a 1 nautical mile buffer along all outer 
edges and a 5 nautical mile buffer at the entrances and exits of the 
Santa Barbara Channel Traffic Separation Scheme. BOEM coordinates with 
the USCG on navigational issues and will continue its engagement 
through all phases of its leasing process. Pending the outcome of 
further analysis, BOEM may decide not offer some portions of the Call 
Areas for leasing or development based on information provided in 
response to the Call regarding safety concerns and historic routes of 
vessel traffic. AIS vessel traffic information is available online at: 
https://databasin.org/maps/new#datasets=422db447c151412d918a3085b31429f8.
    Conversely, BOEM gave preference to areas within close proximity to 
existing transmission infrastructure that could provide for potential 
integration into California's existing electrical grid. These are, on 
the north coast, Humboldt Bay substation, and on the central coast, 
Morro Bay and Diablo Canyon substations. Transmission infrastructure 
information is available online at: https://caoffshorewind.databasin.org/datasets/45590a5de70b4cf7863bf79f3c444030.
    BOEM also endeavored to exclude from Call Areas those places where 
preliminary analysis indicated the presence of high concentrations of 
marine mammal and avian species potentially impacted by offshore wind 
development. These preliminary analyses were based on data found online 
at: https://caoffshorewind.databasin.org/galleries/e1e3eab6e86446e7905c824474f70428#expand=136932. BOEM is presently 
working with partners developing new environmental datasets and 
modeling tools, and will further analyze and

[[Page 53100]]

assess data received in response to the Call during its Area 
Identification process. BOEM will utilize information received in 
response to the Call to assist with verification of migratory periods, 
persistent or seasonally occurring oceanic habitat features associated 
with marine birds, mammals, sea turtles, and fish, and periods of high 
species abundance or diversity that may occur within the Call Areas. 
BOEM will consider the best available information to identify and 
assess potential areas of conflict with marine protected species within 
the Call Areas and consult with resource agencies during the Area 
Identification process, as necessary.
    BOEM's subsequent analysis during Area Identification will evaluate 
the Call Areas for their appropriateness for offshore wind development, 
balanced against potential ocean user conflicts. After conducting 
environmental reviews and associated consultations, analyzing public 
comments, and continuing to coordinate with other government agencies 
through the Task Force, BOEM anticipates developing and requiring terms 
and conditions at the leasing, site assessment, and/or construction and 
operations phases of its leasing process to avoid or lessen impacts. 
This Call will allow stakeholders to provide additional input on these 
areas prior to further modification during the Area Identification 
process.

4.1 Department of Defense

    The Department of Defense (DoD) conducts offshore testing, 
training, and operations within all or portions of the Call Areas. BOEM 
is working with DoD to determine potential compatible areas or 
mitigating measures between military activities and offshore wind 
development areas. While conflicting uses may require some areas of the 
OCS to be deferred from leasing, development in other areas where 
military activities occur may eventually be compatible with conditions 
and stipulations. These stipulations could include, but may not be 
limited to: Hold and save harmless agreements; mandatory coordination 
with DoD on specified activities; restrictions on electromagnetic 
emissions; curtailment of wind farm operations during specific DoD 
events; and evacuation procedures from the lease area for safety 
reasons when notified by the DoD. Interested parties should also be 
aware that the Morro Bay and Diablo Canyon Call Areas on the central 
coast contain OCS blocks that have been assessed as incompatible with 
wind energy development by DoD. DoD is currently reviewing additional 
detailed project information supplied by the offshore wind energy 
industry to determine if any of the areas previously identified by DoD 
as incompatible in the Morro Bay Call Area may be identified as 
compatible after further analyses. The Diablo Canyon area is heavily 
utilized by multiple DoD components and based upon current and future 
expected use, previous assessments have found development there to be 
incompatible with the wide array of critical DoD activities. The 
Humboldt Call Area on the north coast is currently designated as 
``Site-Specific Stipulations'' by DoD. This designation means DoD may 
recommend additional mitigation measures, but does not presently deem 
offshore wind to be incompatible with its missions.

5 Description of the Area

    The Humboldt, Morro Bay, and Diablo Canyon. These Call Areas 
include 85 whole OCS blocks and 573 partial blocks in total, and 
comprise approximately 1,073 square statute miles (mi) (687,823 acres). 
A map of the Call Areas, and associated GIS files, which are located in 
UTM Zone 10N, NAD 83 Datum, can be found at the following URL: https://www.boem.gov/California/.

Call Area Humboldt

    The boundary of Call Area Humboldt begins at 21 mi offshore the 
city of Eureka in northern California. The area is about 28 mi in 
length from north to south and about 14 mi in width from east to west. 
The entire area is approximately 206 square mi (132,369 acres) and is 
described in the table below:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Protraction name               Protraction No.    Block No.                                      Sub-block
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         6975  I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         6976  B, C, F, G, I, J, K, M, N, O.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7023  L, M, N, O, P.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7024  C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7025  All.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7026  A, B, C, E, F, G, I, J, K, M, N, O.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7072  D, G, H, K, L, O, P.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7073  All.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7074  All.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7075  All.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7076  A, B, C, E, F, G, I, J, K, M, N, O.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7122  C, D, G, H, J, K, L, O, P.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7123  All.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7124  All.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7125  All.
Crescent City...........................            NK10-07         7126  A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6023  D.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6024  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6025  All.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6026  All.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6027  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6074  B, C, D, G, H, K, L, O, P.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6075  All.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6076  All.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6077  A, B, E.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6124  D, H.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6125  All.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6126  A, B, C, E, F, G, I, J, K, M, N.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6175  All.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6176  A, B, E, I.
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6225  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, M, N.

[[Page 53101]]

 
Eureka..................................            NK10-10         6275  A, B.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Call Area Morro Bay

    The boundary of Call Area Morro Bay begins 24 mi offshore Cambria, 
California. The area is about 27 mi in length from north to south and 
about 27 mi in width from east to west. The entire area is 
approximately 311 square mi (199,266 acres) and is described in the 
table below:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Protraction name               Protraction No.    Block No.                                      Sub-block
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6102  L, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6103  M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6152  D, L, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6153  A, B, E, F, I, J, K, M, N, O.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6202  D, G, H, K, L, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6203  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6204  I, M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6251  D, H, K, L, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6252  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6253  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6254  A, B, E, F, G, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6301  C, D, G, H, K, L, M, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6302  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6303  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6304  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6305  A, E, I, M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6351  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6352  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6353  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6354  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6355  A, B, E, F, I, J, M, N.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6401  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6402  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6403  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6404  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6405  A, B, E, F, G, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6406  M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6451  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6452  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6453  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6454  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6455  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6456  A, B, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6457  E, F, I, J, M, N, O.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6501  B, C, D, G, H.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6502  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6503  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6504  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6505  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6506  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6507  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6508  I, M, N.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6554  D.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6555  A, B, C, D, G, H.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6556  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6557  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6558  A, B, C, E, F, G, H.
Sur Canyon..............................            NI10-02         6340  O, P.
Sur Canyon..............................            NI10-02         6390  B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
Sur Canyon..............................            NI10-02         6440  A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P.
Sur Canyon..............................            NI10-02         6490  C, D, H.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Call Area Diablo Canyon

    The boundary of Call Area Diablo Canyon begins 22 mi offshore Los 
Osos, California. The area is about 23 mi in length from north to south 
and about 30 mi in width from east to west. The entire area is 
approximately 556 square mi (356,188 acres) and is described in the 
table below:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Protraction name               Protraction No.    Block No.                                      Sub-block
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6756  M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6757  M, N, O, P.

[[Page 53102]]

 
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6758  M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6759  M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6760  M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6761  M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6762  M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6763  M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6764  M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6806  A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6807  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6808  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6809  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6810  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6811  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6812  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6813  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6814  A, E, I, M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6856  C, D, G, H, K, L, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6857  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6858  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6859  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6860  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6861  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6862  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6863  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6864  A, B, E, F, I, J, M, N.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6906  D, H.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6907  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6908  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6909  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6910  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6911  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6912  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6913  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6914  A, B, C, E, F, G, I, J, K, M, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6957  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6958  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6959  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6960  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6961  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6962  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6963  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6964  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         6965  A, E, F, I, J, K, M, N, O.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7007  C, D, H.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7008  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7009  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7010  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7011  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7012  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7013  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7014  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7015  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7016  I, M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7058  A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7059  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7060  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7061  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7062  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7063  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7064  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7065  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7066  A, E, I, M.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7108  C, D, G, H, K, L, N, O, P.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7109  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7110  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7111  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7112  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7113  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7114  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7115  All.
San Luis Obispo.........................            NI10-03         7116  A, E, I, M.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6008  B, C, D, F, G, H.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6009  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6010  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.

[[Page 53103]]

 
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6011  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6012  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6013  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6014  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6015  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
Santa Maria.............................            NI10-06         6016  A, E.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6 Requested Information From Interested or Affected Parties

    BOEM requests specific and detailed comments from the public and 
other interested or affected parties regarding the following features, 
activities, or concerns in or around Call Areas:
    1. Geological, geophysical, and biological conditions (including 
bottom and shallow hazards and live bottom).
    2. Known archaeological and/or cultural resource sites on the 
seabed.
    3. Historic properties potentially affected by site 
characterization (surveys), site assessment (buoy installation), or 
commercial wind development. This information will inform BOEM's review 
of future undertakings under Section 106 of the NHPA and under NEPA.
    4. Other uses, including navigation (in particular, commercial and 
recreational vessel use), recreation, and fisheries (commercial and 
recreational).
    5. Additional information regarding recreational and commercial 
fisheries including, but not limited to, the use of the areas, the 
fishing gear types used, seasonal use, and recommendations for reducing 
use conflicts.
    6. Available and pertinent data and information concerning 
renewable energy resources and environmental conditions. Where 
applicable, spatial information should be submitted in a format 
compatible with ArcGIS 10.5 in a geographic coordinate system (NAD 83).
    7. Information relating to visual resources and aesthetics, the 
potential impacts of wind turbines to those resources, and potential 
strategies to help mitigate or minimize any visual effects.
    8. Other relevant socioeconomic, biological, and environmental 
information.
    9. Any other relevant information BOEM should consider during its 
planning and decision-making process for the purpose of issuing leases 
in the Call Area.

7 Required Nomination Information

    If you intend to submit one or more nominations for a commercial 
wind energy lease within any Call Areas identified in this notice, you 
must provide the following information for each nomination:
    1. The BOEM Protraction name, number, and specific whole or partial 
OCS blocks within the Call Area(s) that you are interested in leasing, 
inclusive of any potential buffers with adjacent leases. This 
information should be submitted as a spatial file compatible with 
ArcGIS 10.5 in a geographic coordinate system (NAD 83) in addition to 
your hard copy submittal. If your nomination includes one or more 
partial blocks, please describe those partial blocks in terms of a 
sixteenth (i.e., sub-block) of an OCS block.
    2. A description of your objectives and the facilities that you 
would use to achieve those objectives.
    3. A preliminary schedule of proposed activities, including those 
leading to commercial operations.
    4. Available and pertinent data and information concerning 
renewable energy resources and environmental conditions in the area(s) 
that you wish to lease, including energy and resource data and 
information used to evaluate the area. Where applicable, spatial 
information should be submitted in a format compatible with ArcGIS 10.5 
in a geographic coordinate system (NAD 83).
    5. Documentation demonstrating that you are legally qualified to 
hold a lease in accordance with the requirements of forth in 30 CFR 
585.106 and 585.107(c). Examples of the documentation appropriate for 
demonstrating your legal qualifications and related guidance can be 
found in Chapter 2 and Appendix B of the BOEM Renewable Energy 
Framework Guide Book available at: https://www.boem.gov/REnGuidebook_03/. The documents you provide to demonstrate your 
qualifications to lease will be placed in a file kept by BOEM that may 
be made available for public review. If you wish that any part of your 
legal qualification documentation be kept confidential, clearly 
identify what should be kept confidential, and submit it under separate 
cover (see ``Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information 
Section,'' below).
    6. Documentation demonstrating that you are technically and 
financially capable of constructing, operating, maintaining, and 
decommissioning the facilities described in (2) above, in accordance 
with the requirements of 30 CFR 585.107(a). Guidance regarding the 
documentation to demonstrate your technical and financial 
qualifications can be found at: https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/QualificationGuidelines-pdf.aspx. Any 
documentation you submit to demonstrate your legal, technical, and 
financial qualifications must be provided to BOEM in both paper and 
electronic formats. BOEM considers an Adobe PDF file on a storage media 
device to be an acceptable format for an electronic copy.
    You are not required to submit a nomination in response to this 
Call in order to participate in a potential future competitive lease 
sale offshore California. You will not be able to participate in such a 
competitive lease sale, however, unless you demonstrate prior to the 
sale that you are legally, technically, and financially qualified to 
hold a BOEM renewable energy lease. To ensure that BOEM has sufficient 
time to process your qualifications package, you should submit this 
package during the PSN 60-day public comment period. More information 
can be found at: https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/QualificationGuidelines-pdf.aspx.

8 Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information

8.1 Freedom of Information Act

    BOEM will not disclose privileged or confidential information that 
you submit if it qualifies for when required by the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) exemption for trade secrets and commercial or 
financial information provided that you clearly label the submission 
with ``Contains Confidential Information'' and request that BOEM treat 
it as confidential. Please consider submitting such information as a 
separate attachment.
    BOEM will not treat as confidential any aggregate summaries of such 
information or comments not containing such confidential or privileged 
information. Additionally, BOEM will not treat as confidential (1) the 
legal title of the nominating entity (for example,

[[Page 53104]]

the name of your company), or (2) the list of whole or partial blocks 
that you are nominating. Information that is not labeled as privileged 
or confidential will be regarded by BOEM as suitable for public 
release.

8.2 Personal Identifying Information

    BOEM does not consider anonymous comments; please include your name 
and address as part of your submittal. You should be aware that your 
entire comment, including your name, address, and your personal 
identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. 
All submissions from identified individuals, businesses and 
organizations will be available for public viewing on regulations.gov. 
In order for BOEM to withhold from disclosure your personal identifying 
information, you must identify any information contained in the 
submittal of your comments that, if released, would constitute a 
clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You must also 
briefly describe any possible harmful consequence of the disclosure of 
information, such as embarrassment, injury or other harm.

8.3 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: October 15, 2018.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-22879 Filed 10-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P