Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Morro Bay, California, East and West Extensions-Call for Information and Nominations (Call or Notice), 40869-40873 [2021-16134]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 143 / Thursday, July 29, 2021 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM–2021–0044]
Commercial Leasing for Wind Power
Development on the Outer Continental
Shelf (OCS) Offshore Morro Bay,
California, East and West Extensions—
Call for Information and Nominations
(Call or Notice)
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Call for information and
nominations; request for comments.
AGENCY:
This Call is published to
solicit public input and industry
interest on potential offshore wind
energy development on areas adjacent to
the Morro Bay Call Area previously
identified in 2018. These new areas are
within a 399-square-mile area located
off central California, identified as the
Morro Bay 399 Area.
DATES: BOEM must receive nominations
and public comments by September 13,
2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit nominations for a
lease area following the instructions in
section 7, ‘‘Required Nomination
Information,’’ under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION to: BOEM, Office of
Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo
Camarillo (Suite 102), Camarillo,
California 93010.
Comments and other information may
be submitted by either of the following
two methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. In the search box,
enter BOEM–2021–0044 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.
All submissions, including any
personally identifiable information
included in your comment, will be
reported on https://www.regulations.gov.
For additional information on sending
comments and protecting your
confidentiality, see section 8,
‘‘Protection of Privileged or Confidential
Information,’’ under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
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SUMMARY:
Jean
Thurston-Keller, BOEM California
Intergovernmental Renewable Energy
Task Force Coordinator, BOEM, Office
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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of Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo
Camarillo (Suite 102), Camarillo,
California 93010, (805) 384–6303, or
jean.thurston-keller@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
This Call is published pursuant to 43
U.S.C. 1337(p)(3) and the implementing
regulations at 30 CFR part 585.
Call Area
The call areas described in this notice
are located on the OCS offshore central
California and are delineated as the
Morro Bay Call Area East Extension and
the Morro Bay Call Area West Extension
(together, the Call Area Extensions).
These areas include 2 whole OCS blocks
and 221 partial blocks and comprise
approximately 141 square statute miles
(mi) (90,025 acres). BOEM will identify
which, if any, portions of the Call Area
Extensions and the Morro Bay Call Area
will undergo environmental analysis
and consideration for leasing as part of
area identification (Area ID) during the
competitive leasing process. Section 5,
‘‘Description of the Area,’’ provides a
detailed description and developmental
history of the Call Area Extensions.
Purpose of the Call for Information and
Nominations
The OCS Lands Act requires BOEM to
award leases competitively unless
BOEM determines that there is no
competitive interest (43 U.S.C.
1337(p)(3)). On October 19, 2018, BOEM
published a call for information and
nominations to solicit commercial
interest in wind energy leases within
three areas identified offshore California
(83 FR 53096).
In this current notice, BOEM solicits
information on the Call Area
Extensions, as well as new nominations
of commercial interest from entities that
were not previously qualified by BOEM
and did not submit a nomination for the
Morro Bay Call Area in 2018. Entities
who submitted nominations of
commercial interest for the Morro Bay
Call Area in 2018 do not need to
respond to this Call unless they want to
nominate portions of the Call Area
Extensions.
BOEM determined that competitive
interest existed in the Morro Bay Call
Area after reviewing the nominations
submitted in 2018. BOEM assumes that
competitive interest will be expressed in
the Call Area Extensions described in
this notice given their geographical
proximity to the Morro Bay Call Area.
Depending on the comments received in
response to this Call, BOEM may or may
not proceed with the competitive
leasing process set forth in 30 CFR
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40869
585.211 through 585.225. This process
is explained in detail in section 3,
‘‘BOEM’s Planning and Leasing
Process.’’
A lease does not grant the lessee the
right to construct any facilities on the
leasehold. Rather, the lease grants the
lessee the exclusive right to submit site
assessment and construction and
operations plans to BOEM, which
BOEM may approve, modify, or
disapprove. The lessee must obtain
BOEM’s approval of its plans before it
may proceed to the next stage of the
process (30 CFR 585.600 and 585.601).
BOEM’s leasing process includes
opportunities for the public to provide
input, and any proposed leasing actions
will be reviewed thoroughly for
potential environmental impacts and
multiple use conflicts. The areas that
may be offered for lease, if any, have not
yet been determined and may include
less than the total footprint of the Call
Area Extensions.
Although this notice is not itself a
leasing announcement, the area
described herein, or portions thereof,
may be available for future leasing.
Parties wishing to submit a nomination
of commercial interest in response to
this Call should submit detailed and
specific information in response to the
requirements described in section 7,
‘‘Required Nomination Information.’’
This notice also requests comments and
information regarding site conditions,
resources, and multiple uses in close
proximity to, or within, the Call Area
Extensions that would be relevant to
BOEM’s review of the nominations and
to any subsequent decision whether to
offer all or part of the Call Area
Extensions for commercial wind energy
leasing. Information that BOEM is
requesting is described in section 6,
‘‘Requested Information from Interested
or Affected Parties.’’
1
Background
On October 19, 2018, BOEM
published a call for information and
nominations in the Federal Register
(2018 Call) that identified three (3)
geographically distinct call areas on the
OCS offshore California, delineated as
the Humboldt Call Area offshore the
north coast and the Morro Bay Call Area
and the Diablo Canyon Call Area
offshore the central coast.
Based on the 2018 Call, BOEM
previously decided to move forward
with the leasing process for the
Humboldt Call Area. That area is not
addressed in this notice.
Following the 2018 Call, the Morro
Bay and Diablo Canyon Call Areas were
initially assessed as incompatible for
wind energy development by the U.S.
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Department of Defense (DoD). However,
after that initial assessment, BOEM, the
State of California, various California
elected officials, the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration’s
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
(ONMS) and DoD continued discussions
and stakeholder outreach to find a
solution that accommodated offshore
wind development on the central coast
and DoD’s mission requirements. More
information and results of these
meetings and outreach can be viewed at:
https://www.boem.gov/renewableenergy/state-activities/publicinformation-meetings-and-outreachefforts.
In May 2021, the Department of the
Interior, DoD, and the State of California
agreed to advance areas for possible
wind energy development offshore the
northern and central coasts of
California, enabling a path forward for
the Humboldt Call Area and areas
within and adjacent to the Morro Bay
Call Area (https://www.doi.gov/
pressreleases/biden-harrisadministration-advances-offshore-windpacific). With this notice, BOEM is
examining the Call Area Extensions
adjacent to the Morro Bay Call Area but
is not considering the Diablo Canyon
Call Area.
After reviewing the information
received in response to this Call, BOEM
may combine all or portions of the Call
Area Extensions with all or portions of
the Morro Bay Call Area into one or
more Wind Energy Areas (WEA) that
would be subject to environmental
analysis and consideration for leasing. It
is unnecessary for those who previously
nominated areas within the 2018 Morro
Bay Call Area to do so again.
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1.1 The Energy Policy Act of 2005
(EPAct)
The EPAct amended the OCS Lands
Act by adding subsection 8(p),1 which
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
to grant leases, easements, and rights-ofway (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 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.
The Secretary delegated this authority to
issue leases, easements, and ROWs to
the Director of BOEM.
1 Codified
at 43 U.S.C. 1337(p).
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1.2 Offshore Wind Energy Planning
Efforts in California
BOEM appreciates the importance of
coordinating its planning with relevant
Federal agencies, Tribes, State agencies,
and other OCS users. 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 in order 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, scientists, environmental
non-governmental organizations, and
the offshore renewable energy industry.
The summary report on this outreach
can be viewed at: https://
www.boem.gov/California-OutreachSummary-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 with
California in 2016 (Task Force) to
facilitate coordination among relevant
Federal agencies and affected Tribal,
State, and local governments throughout
the leasing process. The Task Force met
three times: October 13, 2016;
September 17, 2018; and March 9, 2020.
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
In 2002, the State of California
established a renewables portfolio
standard (RPS), which establishes how
much of California’s electricity should
be powered by renewable energy
resources. California expanded the RPS
in 2015 through passage of the Clean
Energy and Pollution Reduction Act,
and through passage of Senate Bill 100
(SB 100), the 100 Percent Clean Energy
Act of 2018. SB 100 increased the
State’s RPS to 50 percent by 2025 and
60 percent by 2030, and provides that
renewable energy resources and zero-
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carbon resources supply 100 percent of
retail sales of electricity to California
end-use customers and 100 percent of
electricity procured to serve state
agencies by December 31, 2045.
California’s RPS is one of the most
ambitious renewable energy standards
in the country. Additional information
about California’s RPS is available at:
https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industriesand-topics/electrical-energy/electricpower-procurement/rps and https://
www.energy.ca.gov/programs-andtopics/programs/renewables-portfoliostandard. 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
Prior to deciding whether and where
leases may be issued, BOEM will
prepare an environmental assessment
(EA) and conduct appropriate
consultations to consider the
environmental consequences associated
with issuing commercial wind energy
leases. As any lease that BOEM intends
to issue would not grant the right to
construct any facilities within the
leasehold, the EA will consider the
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 offshore wind energy facilities, BOEM
will identify, analyze, and consider the
environmental effects of such
construction and operation through a
separate, project-specific process under
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), which will include additional
opportunities for public involvement.
At that time, BOEM also will conduct
further coordination and consultation,
including, but not limited to, those
which may be required under the
Coastal Zone Management Act,
Endangered Species Act, the MagnusonStevens 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
As stated in 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3), ‘‘the
Secretary shall issue a lease, easement,
or right-of-way . . . on a competitive
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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
competitive interest exists in the Call
Area Extensions for the purpose of
offshore wind energy development. At
the conclusion of the comment period
for the 2018 Call, BOEM reviewed the
14 nominations received and
determined competitive interest existed
in the Morro Bay Call Area. BOEM may
proceed with competitive leasing as
described in section 3.2, ‘‘Competitive
Leasing Process.’’
BOEM will not issue any leases until
it has completed the necessary
consultations and environmental
analysis and given the public an
opportunity to comment. BOEM
reserves the right to determine which, if
any, of the nominated areas within the
Morro Bay Call Area and Call Area
Extensions will be leased and to modify
such areas from their original, proposed
description before offering them for
lease.
3.2
Competitive Leasing Process
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If, BOEM proceeds with the
competitive leasing process for certain
areas after receiving nominations and
responses to this Call, BOEM will follow
the steps required by 30 CFR 585.211
through 585.225.
(1) Area Identification: After
reviewing the information submitted in
response to this Call, BOEM may
combine all or portions of the Call Area
Extensions with all or portions of areas
identified in response to the 2018 Call
into one or more WEA, subject to
environmental analysis in consultation
with appropriate Federal agencies,
Tribes, States, local governments, and
other interested parties.
(2) Proposed Sale Notice (PSN): If
BOEM decides to proceed with a
competitive lease sale within a WEA
after its environmental analysis, BOEM
will publish a PSN in the Federal
Register with a comment period of 60
days. The PSN will describe each lease
area BOEM intends to offer, the
proposed conditions of a lease auction,
the proposed lease auction format, and
the lease document, 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, BOEM 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,
BOEM will offer each lease area through
a competitive sale process, using
procedures specified in the FSN. BOEM
will ensure that bidders have complied
with all applicable regulations. BOEM
reserves the right to reject any or all bids
or to withdraw an offer to lease an area,
even after bids have been submitted.
(5) Issuance of a Lease: Following
BOEM’s selection of the winning bid on
a lease area, BOEM will notify the
successful bidder and provide that
bidder with a set of official lease
documents for signature. The successful
bidder will be required to sign and
return the lease documents, pay the
remainder of the 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 documents,
BOEM may execute a lease with the
successful bidder.
4 Development of the Call Area
Extensions
In coordination with the State of
California, BOEM held multiple
stakeholder outreach meetings in central
California to obtain input into the
development of additional areas in and
around the Morro Bay Call Area
identified in 2018 and to gather data
and information to use in BOEM’s
decision-making process. BOEM, the
State of California, State elected
officials, ONMS, and DoD conducted
additional outreach and engagement to
determine if any additional areas in and
around the Morro Bay Call Area should
be considered for potential leasing.
More information on these meetings and
outreach can be viewed at: https://
www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/stateactivities/public-information-meetingsand-outreach-efforts. The DoD
expressed concerns regarding military
activities and compatibility with
offshore wind energy development
during these meetings and outreach.
The DoD conducts offshore testing,
training, and operations on the OCS
Area
Official protraction diagram name
East Extension ................................
East Extension ................................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
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Official
protraction
diagram No.
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offshore the central coast of California.
Because the DoD testing, training, and
operations off the coast of California are
essential to national security, DoD
played a critical role in identifying these
new areas for offshore wind
development. The Department of the
Interior, in close coordination with the
DoD, identified the Call Area Extensions
to advance the planning for wind energy
development offshore Morro Bay
(https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/
biden-harris-administration-advancesoffshore-wind-pacific). Through this
Call, BOEM requests information and
nominations regarding the Call Area
Extensions so that potential use
conflicts can be analyzed and
considered in the Area ID stage of the
leasing process.
BOEM’s subsequent analysis during
Area ID will evaluate the Call Area
Extensions and the Morro Bay Call Area
for appropriateness for offshore wind
energy development, balanced against
potential ocean user conflicts. After
conducting environmental reviews and
associated consultations, analyzing
public comments, and coordinating
with other government agencies through
the Task Force, BOEM anticipates
developing and incorporating terms and
conditions—including any measures
necessary to mitigate impacts—at the
leasing and site assessment and
characterization phases. This Call
allows additional stakeholders to
provide input on the Call Area
Extensions prior to further modification
during the Area ID process.
5
Description of the Area
The Call Area Extensions are
described geographically in this section.
A map of the Call Area Extensions, the
Morro Bay Call Area, 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/.
Morro Bay Call Area East Extension
The boundary of Morro Bay Call Area
East Extension begins 21 mi offshore
Cambria, California. The area is about 7
mi in length from north to south and
about 3 mi in width from east to west.
The entire area is approximately 23
square mi (14,589 acres) and is
described in the table below:
Block number
6457
6458
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E, F, I, J, M, N, O.
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Official protraction diagram name
East Extension ................................
San Luis Obispo ............................
NI10–03
6508
East
East
East
East
San
San
San
San
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
6509
6558
6559
6560
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
................................
................................
................................
................................
Luis
Luis
Luis
Luis
Morro Bay Call Area West Extension
The boundary of Morro Bay Call Area
West Extension begins 35 mi offshore
Area
Obispo
Obispo
Obispo
Obispo
............................
............................
............................
............................
Block number
Cambria, California. The area is about
23 mi in length from north to south and
about 11 mi in width from east to west.
Official protraction diagram name
Official
protraction
diagram No.
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
San Luis Obispo ............................
Sur Canyon ....................................
Sur Canyon ....................................
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–03
NI10–02
NI10–02
6251
6301
6451
6501
6502
6503
6551
6552
6553
6554
6555
6237
6238
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
6239
6240
6288
6289
6290
6339
6340
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Sur
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
Canyon
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
NI10–02
6389
6390
6439
6440
6489
6490
6540
BOEM requests specific and detailed
comments from the public and
interested or affected parties regarding
the following:
1. Geological, geophysical, and
biological conditions (including bottom
and shallow hazards and live bottoms)
in the Call Area Extensions.
2. Known archaeological or cultural
resource sites on the seabed in the Call
Area Extensions.
3. Historic properties potentially
affected by site characterization and
assessment or commercial wind energy
development in the Call Area
Extensions. This information will
inform BOEM’s review of future
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A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, O,
P.
E, I, J, M, N, O.
D.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
E.
Block No.
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
Extension
undertakings under section 106 of
NHPA and under NEPA.
4. Other uses of the Call Area
Extensions, including navigation (in
particular, commercial and recreational
vessel use), recreation, and fisheries
(commercial and recreational).
5. Additional information regarding
recreational and commercial fisheries
that operate within the Call Area
Extensions, including, but not limited
to, the use of the area, the fishing gear
types used, seasonal use, and
suggestions for reducing use conflicts.
6. Available and pertinent data and
information concerning renewable
energy resources and environmental
conditions in and around the Call Area
Extensions. Where applicable, spatial
information should be submitted in a
format compatible with ArcGIS 10.5 in
Sub-block
The entire area is approximately 118
square mi (75,436 acres) and is
described in the table below:
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
West
6 Requested Information From
Interested or Affected Parties
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Official
protraction
diagram No.
Area
Sub-block
A, E, F, G, I, J, M, N.
A, B, E, F, I, J, N.
M.
A, E, F, I, J, K, L, N, O, P.
M, N, O, P.
J, M, N, O, P.
C, D, H.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L.
A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L.
E, F, I, J, K.
C, D, H, L, P.
A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M,
N, O, P.
E, F, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P.
M, N, O.
B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, P.
All.
All.
D, H, L, P.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L,
M, N.
B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P.
A, E, I.
B, C, D, G, H, K, L, P.
E, I, M.
D.
A, B, E, F, G, J, K, L, N, O, P.
C, D, H.
a geographic coordinate system (NAD
83).
7. Information relating to the visual
resources and aesthetics of the Call Area
Extensions, the potential impacts of
wind turbines located within the Call
Area Extensions to those resources, and
potential strategies to help mitigate or
minimize any visual effects.
8. 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 Extensions.
7
Required Nomination Information
All interested entities should submit
their nomination for any possible
commercial wind energy lease area
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 143 / Thursday, July 29, 2021 / Notices
within the Call Area Extensions in
response to this Call. If you intend to
submit one or more nominations, you
must provide the following information
for each nomination:
1. The BOEM Protraction Diagram
name and number, and the specific
whole or partial OCS blocks within the
Call Area Extensions 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 a proposed lease area
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 any area that you
nominate, 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,
as set 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/sites/default/files/
documents/about-boem/
Qualification%20Guidelines.pdf. Legal
qualification documents will be placed
in an official file 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 section 8,
‘‘Protection of Privileged or Confidential
Information’’). Entities who submitted
nominations of interest for the Morro
Bay Call Area in response to the 2018
Call do not need to submit this
information again.
6. Documentation demonstrating that
you are technically and financially
capable of constructing, operating,
maintaining, and decommissioning the
facilities described in 7(2) above, as set
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:19 Jul 28, 2021
Jkt 253001
forth in 30 CFR 585.107(a). Guidance
regarding the required documentation to
demonstrate your technical and
financial qualifications can be found at:
https://www.boem.gov/RenewableEnergy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/QualificationGuidelinespdf.aspx. Entities who submitted
nominations of interest for the Morro
Bay Call Area in response to the 2018
Call do not need to submit this
information again.
7. 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 to
participate in a potential future
competitive lease sale offshore
California. However, you will be
required to demonstrate to BOEM that
you are legally, technically, and
financially qualified to hold a BOEMissued renewable energy lease before
you will be allowed to participate in a
competitive lease sale. To ensure that
BOEM has sufficient time to process
your qualifications package, you should
submit this package before or during the
PSN 60-day public comment period.
More information can be found at:
https://www.boem.gov/RenewableEnergy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/QualificationGuidelinespdf.aspx.
BOEM will list the parties that
submitted nominations and the
locations of the proposed lease areas
(i.e., OCS blocks nominated) on the
BOEM website after the comment period
has closed.
8 Protection of Privileged or
Confidential Information
8.1
Freedom of Information Act
Under the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA), BOEM will protect the
privileged or confidential information
that you submit. Exemption 4 of FOIA
applies to trade secrets and commercial
or financial information that you submit
that is privileged or confidential. If you
wish to protect the confidentiality of
such information, clearly mark it and
request that BOEM treat it as
confidential. BOEM will not disclose
such information if it qualifies for
exemption from disclosure under FOIA.
Please label privileged or confidential
information ‘‘Contains Confidential
Information’’ and consider submitting
such information as a separate
attachment.
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
40873
BOEM will not treat as confidential
any aggregate summaries of such
information or comments not containing
such information. Additionally, BOEM
will not treat as confidential (1) the legal
title of the nominating entity (for
example, the name of your company), or
(2) the list of whole or partial blocks
that you are nominating. Information
that is not labeled as privileged or
confidential will be regarded by BOEM
as suitable for public release.
8.2
Personally Identifiable Information
BOEM does not consider anonymous
comments; please include your name
and address as part of your comment.
You should be aware that your entire
comment, including your name,
address, and any other personally
identifiable information that you
submit, 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 personally identifiable
information, you must identify any
information contained in your
comments that, if released, would
constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of your personal privacy. You
must also briefly describe any possible
harmful consequences of the disclosure
of information, such as embarrassment,
injury, or other harm.
8.3 Section 304 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C.
307103)
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.
Amanda Lefton,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2021–16134 Filed 7–28–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40869-40873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16134]
[[Page 40869]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2021-0044]
Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Morro Bay, California, East and West
Extensions--Call for Information and Nominations (Call or Notice)
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Call for information and nominations; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This Call is published to solicit public input and industry
interest on potential offshore wind energy development on areas
adjacent to the Morro Bay Call Area previously identified in 2018.
These new areas are within a 399-square-mile area located off central
California, identified as the Morro Bay 399 Area.
DATES: BOEM must receive nominations and public comments by September
13, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit nominations for a lease area following the
instructions in section 7, ``Required Nomination Information,'' under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION to: BOEM, Office of Strategic Resources, 760
Paseo Camarillo (Suite 102), Camarillo, California 93010.
Comments and other information may be submitted by either of the
following two methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the
search box, enter BOEM-2021-0044 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.
All submissions, including any personally identifiable information
included in your comment, will be reported on https://www.regulations.gov. For additional information on sending comments and
protecting your confidentiality, see section 8, ``Protection of
Privileged or Confidential Information,'' under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Thurston-Keller, 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 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3) and the
implementing regulations at 30 CFR part 585.
Call Area
The call areas described in this notice are located on the OCS
offshore central California and are delineated as the Morro Bay Call
Area East Extension and the Morro Bay Call Area West Extension
(together, the Call Area Extensions). These areas include 2 whole OCS
blocks and 221 partial blocks and comprise approximately 141 square
statute miles (mi) (90,025 acres). BOEM will identify which, if any,
portions of the Call Area Extensions and the Morro Bay Call Area will
undergo environmental analysis and consideration for leasing as part of
area identification (Area ID) during the competitive leasing process.
Section 5, ``Description of the Area,'' provides a detailed description
and developmental history of the Call Area Extensions.
Purpose of the Call for Information and Nominations
The OCS Lands Act requires BOEM to award leases competitively
unless BOEM determines that there is no competitive interest (43 U.S.C.
1337(p)(3)). On October 19, 2018, BOEM published a call for information
and nominations to solicit commercial interest in wind energy leases
within three areas identified offshore California (83 FR 53096).
In this current notice, BOEM solicits information on the Call Area
Extensions, as well as new nominations of commercial interest from
entities that were not previously qualified by BOEM and did not submit
a nomination for the Morro Bay Call Area in 2018. Entities who
submitted nominations of commercial interest for the Morro Bay Call
Area in 2018 do not need to respond to this Call unless they want to
nominate portions of the Call Area Extensions.
BOEM determined that competitive interest existed in the Morro Bay
Call Area after reviewing the nominations submitted in 2018. BOEM
assumes that competitive interest will be expressed in the Call Area
Extensions described in this notice given their geographical proximity
to the Morro Bay Call Area. Depending on the comments received in
response to this Call, BOEM may or may not proceed with the competitive
leasing process set forth in 30 CFR 585.211 through 585.225. This
process is explained in detail in section 3, ``BOEM's Planning and
Leasing Process.''
A lease does not grant the lessee the right to construct any
facilities on the leasehold. Rather, the lease grants the lessee the
exclusive right to submit site assessment and construction and
operations plans to BOEM, which BOEM may approve, modify, or
disapprove. The lessee must obtain BOEM's approval of its plans before
it may proceed to the next stage of the process (30 CFR 585.600 and
585.601).
BOEM's leasing process includes opportunities for the public to
provide input, and any proposed leasing actions will be reviewed
thoroughly for potential environmental impacts and multiple use
conflicts. The areas that may be offered for lease, if any, have not
yet been determined and may include less than the total footprint of
the Call Area Extensions.
Although this notice is not itself a leasing announcement, the area
described herein, or portions thereof, may be available for future
leasing. Parties wishing to submit a nomination of commercial interest
in response to this Call should submit detailed and specific
information in response to the requirements described in section 7,
``Required Nomination Information.'' This notice also requests comments
and information regarding site conditions, resources, and multiple uses
in close proximity to, or within, the Call Area Extensions that would
be relevant to BOEM's review of the nominations and to any subsequent
decision whether to offer all or part of the Call Area Extensions for
commercial wind energy leasing. Information that BOEM is requesting is
described in section 6, ``Requested Information from Interested or
Affected Parties.''
1 Background
On October 19, 2018, BOEM published a call for information and
nominations in the Federal Register (2018 Call) that identified three
(3) geographically distinct call areas on the OCS offshore California,
delineated as the Humboldt Call Area offshore the north coast and the
Morro Bay Call Area and the Diablo Canyon Call Area offshore the
central coast.
Based on the 2018 Call, BOEM previously decided to move forward
with the leasing process for the Humboldt Call Area. That area is not
addressed in this notice.
Following the 2018 Call, the Morro Bay and Diablo Canyon Call Areas
were initially assessed as incompatible for wind energy development by
the U.S.
[[Page 40870]]
Department of Defense (DoD). However, after that initial assessment,
BOEM, the State of California, various California elected officials,
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of
National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) and DoD continued discussions and
stakeholder outreach to find a solution that accommodated offshore wind
development on the central coast and DoD's mission requirements. More
information and results of these meetings and outreach can be viewed
at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/public-information-meetings-and-outreach-efforts.
In May 2021, the Department of the Interior, DoD, and the State of
California agreed to advance areas for possible wind energy development
offshore the northern and central coasts of California, enabling a path
forward for the Humboldt Call Area and areas within and adjacent to the
Morro Bay Call Area (https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-advances-offshore-wind-pacific). With this notice, BOEM
is examining the Call Area Extensions adjacent to the Morro Bay Call
Area but is not considering the Diablo Canyon Call Area.
After reviewing the information received in response to this Call,
BOEM may combine all or portions of the Call Area Extensions with all
or portions of the Morro Bay Call Area into one or more Wind Energy
Areas (WEA) that would be subject to environmental analysis and
consideration for leasing. It is unnecessary for those who previously
nominated areas within the 2018 Morro Bay Call Area to do so again.
1.1 The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct)
The EPAct amended the OCS Lands Act by adding subsection 8(p),\1\
which authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to grant leases,
easements, and 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 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. The Secretary delegated this authority to
issue leases, easements, and ROWs to the Director of BOEM.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Codified at 43 U.S.C. 1337(p).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.2 Offshore Wind Energy Planning Efforts in California
BOEM appreciates the importance of coordinating its planning with
relevant Federal agencies, Tribes, State agencies, and other OCS users.
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 in order 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, scientists,
environmental non-governmental organizations, 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 with California in 2016
(Task Force) to facilitate coordination among relevant Federal agencies
and affected Tribal, State, and local governments throughout the
leasing process. The Task Force met three times: October 13, 2016;
September 17, 2018; and March 9, 2020. 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
In 2002, the State of California established a renewables portfolio
standard (RPS), which establishes how much of California's electricity
should be powered by renewable energy resources. California expanded
the RPS in 2015 through passage of the Clean Energy and Pollution
Reduction Act, and through passage of Senate Bill 100 (SB 100), the 100
Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018. SB 100 increased the State's RPS to
50 percent by 2025 and 60 percent by 2030, and provides that renewable
energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100 percent of retail
sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100 percent of
electricity procured to serve state agencies by December 31, 2045.
California's RPS is one of the most ambitious renewable energy
standards in the country. Additional information about California's RPS
is available at: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-power-procurement/rps and https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/renewables-portfolio-standard. 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
Prior to deciding whether and where leases may be issued, BOEM will
prepare an environmental assessment (EA) and conduct appropriate
consultations to consider the environmental consequences associated
with issuing commercial wind energy leases. As any lease that BOEM
intends to issue would not grant the right to construct any facilities
within the leasehold, the EA will consider the 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 offshore wind energy
facilities, BOEM will identify, analyze, and consider the environmental
effects of such construction and operation through a separate, project-
specific process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
which will include additional opportunities for public involvement. At
that time, BOEM also will conduct further coordination and
consultation, including, but not limited to, those which may be
required under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Endangered Species Act,
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
As stated in 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3), ``the Secretary shall issue a
lease, easement, or right-of-way . . . on a competitive
[[Page 40871]]
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 competitive
interest exists in the Call Area Extensions for the purpose of offshore
wind energy development. At the conclusion of the comment period for
the 2018 Call, BOEM reviewed the 14 nominations received and determined
competitive interest existed in the Morro Bay Call Area. BOEM may
proceed with competitive leasing as described in section 3.2,
``Competitive Leasing Process.''
BOEM will not issue any leases until it has completed the necessary
consultations and environmental analysis and given the public an
opportunity to comment. BOEM reserves the right to determine which, if
any, of the nominated areas within the Morro Bay Call Area and Call
Area Extensions will be leased and to modify such areas from their
original, proposed description before offering them for lease.
3.2 Competitive Leasing Process
If, BOEM proceeds with the competitive leasing process for certain
areas after receiving nominations and responses to this Call, BOEM will
follow the steps required by 30 CFR 585.211 through 585.225.
(1) Area Identification: After reviewing the information submitted
in response to this Call, BOEM may combine all or portions of the Call
Area Extensions with all or portions of areas identified in response to
the 2018 Call into one or more WEA, subject to environmental analysis
in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies, Tribes, States,
local governments, and other interested parties.
(2) Proposed Sale Notice (PSN): If BOEM decides to proceed with a
competitive lease sale within a WEA after its environmental analysis,
BOEM will publish a PSN in the Federal Register with a comment period
of 60 days. The PSN will describe each lease area BOEM intends to
offer, the proposed conditions of a lease auction, the proposed lease
auction format, and the lease document, 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, BOEM
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, BOEM will offer each lease area through a competitive sale
process, using procedures specified in the FSN. BOEM will ensure that
bidders have complied with all applicable regulations. BOEM reserves
the right to reject any or all bids or to withdraw an offer to lease an
area, even after bids have been submitted.
(5) Issuance of a Lease: Following BOEM's selection of the winning
bid on a lease area, BOEM will notify the successful bidder and provide
that bidder with a set of official lease documents for signature. The
successful bidder will be required to sign and return the lease
documents, pay the remainder of the 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 documents, BOEM may execute a
lease with the successful bidder.
4 Development of the Call Area Extensions
In coordination with the State of California, BOEM held multiple
stakeholder outreach meetings in central California to obtain input
into the development of additional areas in and around the Morro Bay
Call Area identified in 2018 and to gather data and information to use
in BOEM's decision-making process. BOEM, the State of California, State
elected officials, ONMS, and DoD conducted additional outreach and
engagement to determine if any additional areas in and around the Morro
Bay Call Area should be considered for potential leasing. More
information on these meetings and outreach can be viewed at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/public-information-meetings-and-outreach-efforts. The DoD expressed concerns regarding
military activities and compatibility with offshore wind energy
development during these meetings and outreach.
The DoD conducts offshore testing, training, and operations on the
OCS offshore the central coast of California. Because the DoD testing,
training, and operations off the coast of California are essential to
national security, DoD played a critical role in identifying these new
areas for offshore wind development. The Department of the Interior, in
close coordination with the DoD, identified the Call Area Extensions to
advance the planning for wind energy development offshore Morro Bay
(https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-advances-offshore-wind-pacific). Through this Call, BOEM requests
information and nominations regarding the Call Area Extensions so that
potential use conflicts can be analyzed and considered in the Area ID
stage of the leasing process.
BOEM's subsequent analysis during Area ID will evaluate the Call
Area Extensions and the Morro Bay Call Area for appropriateness for
offshore wind energy development, balanced against potential ocean user
conflicts. After conducting environmental reviews and associated
consultations, analyzing public comments, and coordinating with other
government agencies through the Task Force, BOEM anticipates developing
and incorporating terms and conditions--including any measures
necessary to mitigate impacts--at the leasing and site assessment and
characterization phases. This Call allows additional stakeholders to
provide input on the Call Area Extensions prior to further modification
during the Area ID process.
5 Description of the Area
The Call Area Extensions are described geographically in this
section. A map of the Call Area Extensions, the Morro Bay Call Area,
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/.
Morro Bay Call Area East Extension
The boundary of Morro Bay Call Area East Extension begins 21 mi
offshore Cambria, California. The area is about 7 mi in length from
north to south and about 3 mi in width from east to west. The entire
area is approximately 23 square mi (14,589 acres) and is described in
the table below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Official
Area Official protraction protraction Block number Sub-block
diagram name diagram No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6457 G, H, K, L, P.
East Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6458 E, F, I, J, M, N, O.
[[Page 40872]]
East Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6508 A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, J, K, L, O, P.
East Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6509 E, I, J, M, N, O.
East Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6558 D.
East Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6559 A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H.
East Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6560 E.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morro Bay Call Area West Extension
The boundary of Morro Bay Call Area West Extension begins 35 mi
offshore Cambria, California. The area is about 23 mi in length from
north to south and about 11 mi in width from east to west. The entire
area is approximately 118 square mi (75,436 acres) and is described in
the table below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Official
Area Official protraction protraction Block No. Sub-block
diagram name diagram No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6251 A, E, F, G, I, J, M,
N.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6301 A, B, E, F, I, J, N.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6451 M.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6501 A, E, F, I, J, K, L,
N, O, P.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6502 M, N, O, P.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6503 J, M, N, O, P.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6551 C, D, H.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6552 A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6553 A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6554 A, B, C, E, F, G, H,
I, J, K, L.
West Extension.................... San Luis Obispo...... NI10-03 6555 E, F, I, J, K.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6237 C, D, H, L, P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6238 A, B, C, E, F, G, H,
I, J, K, L, M, N, O,
P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6239 E, F, I, J, K, L, M,
N, O, P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6240 M, N, O.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6288 B, C, D, F, G, H, J,
K, L, P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6289 All.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6290 All.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6339 D, H, L, P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6340 A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L, M, N.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6389 B, C, D, F, G, H, J,
K, L, N, O, P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6390 A, E, I.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6439 B, C, D, G, H, K, L,
P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6440 E, I, M.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6489 D.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6490 A, B, E, F, G, J, K,
L, N, O, P.
West Extension.................... Sur Canyon........... NI10-02 6540 C, D, H.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Requested Information From Interested or Affected Parties
BOEM requests specific and detailed comments from the public and
interested or affected parties regarding the following:
1. Geological, geophysical, and biological conditions (including
bottom and shallow hazards and live bottoms) in the Call Area
Extensions.
2. Known archaeological or cultural resource sites on the seabed in
the Call Area Extensions.
3. Historic properties potentially affected by site
characterization and assessment or commercial wind energy development
in the Call Area Extensions. This information will inform BOEM's review
of future undertakings under section 106 of NHPA and under NEPA.
4. Other uses of the Call Area Extensions, including navigation (in
particular, commercial and recreational vessel use), recreation, and
fisheries (commercial and recreational).
5. Additional information regarding recreational and commercial
fisheries that operate within the Call Area Extensions, including, but
not limited to, the use of the area, the fishing gear types used,
seasonal use, and suggestions for reducing use conflicts.
6. Available and pertinent data and information concerning
renewable energy resources and environmental conditions in and around
the Call Area Extensions. 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 the visual resources and aesthetics of
the Call Area Extensions, the potential impacts of wind turbines
located within the Call Area Extensions to those resources, and
potential strategies to help mitigate or minimize any visual effects.
8. 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 Extensions.
7 Required Nomination Information
All interested entities should submit their nomination for any
possible commercial wind energy lease area
[[Page 40873]]
within the Call Area Extensions in response to this Call. If you intend
to submit one or more nominations, you must provide the following
information for each nomination:
1. The BOEM Protraction Diagram name and number, and the specific
whole or partial OCS blocks within the Call Area Extensions 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 a proposed lease area
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 any area
that you nominate, 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, as set 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/sites/default/files/documents/about-boem/Qualification%20Guidelines.pdf. Legal qualification documents will be
placed in an official file 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 section 8,
``Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information''). Entities who
submitted nominations of interest for the Morro Bay Call Area in
response to the 2018 Call do not need to submit this information again.
6. Documentation demonstrating that you are technically and
financially capable of constructing, operating, maintaining, and
decommissioning the facilities described in 7(2) above, as set forth in
30 CFR 585.107(a). Guidance regarding the required documentation to
demonstrate your technical and financial qualifications can be found
at: https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/QualificationGuidelines-pdf.aspx. Entities who submitted
nominations of interest for the Morro Bay Call Area in response to the
2018 Call do not need to submit this information again.
7. 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 to participate in a potential future competitive lease sale
offshore California. However, you will be required to demonstrate to
BOEM that you are legally, technically, and financially qualified to
hold a BOEM-issued renewable energy lease before you will be allowed to
participate in a competitive lease sale. To ensure that BOEM has
sufficient time to process your qualifications package, you should
submit this package before or 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.
BOEM will list the parties that submitted nominations and the
locations of the proposed lease areas (i.e., OCS blocks nominated) on
the BOEM website after the comment period has closed.
8 Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information
8.1 Freedom of Information Act
Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), BOEM will protect the
privileged or confidential information that you submit. Exemption 4 of
FOIA applies to trade secrets and commercial or financial information
that you submit that is privileged or confidential. If you wish to
protect the confidentiality of such information, clearly mark it and
request that BOEM treat it as confidential. BOEM will not disclose such
information if it qualifies for exemption from disclosure under FOIA.
Please label privileged or confidential information ``Contains
Confidential Information'' and 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 information. Additionally,
BOEM will not treat as confidential (1) the legal title of the
nominating entity (for example, the name of your company), or (2) the
list of whole or partial blocks that you are nominating. Information
that is not labeled as privileged or confidential will be regarded by
BOEM as suitable for public release.
8.2 Personally Identifiable Information
BOEM does not consider anonymous comments; please include your name
and address as part of your comment. You should be aware that your
entire comment, including your name, address, and any other personally
identifiable information that you submit, 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 personally
identifiable information, you must identify any information contained
in your comments that, if released, would constitute a clearly
unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You must also briefly
describe any possible harmful consequences of the disclosure of
information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other harm.
8.3 Section 304 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C.
307103)
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.
Amanda Lefton,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2021-16134 Filed 7-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
