Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Sunrise Wind Farm Project on the Northeast Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, 48763-48767 [2021-18741]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 31, 2021 / Notices
Anchorage, Alaska, 30 calendar days
from the date of the Federal Register
notice publication. The surveys, which
were executed at the request of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs and the BLM,
are necessary for the management of
these lands.
DATES: The BLM must receive protests
by September 30, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may buy a copy of the
plats from the BLM Alaska Public
Information Center, 222 W. 7th Avenue,
Mailstop 13, Anchorage, AK 99513.
Please use this address when filing
written protests. You may also view the
plats at the BLM Alaska Public
Information Center, Fitzgerald Federal
Building, 222 West 7th Avenue,
Anchorage, Alaska, at no cost.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas B. O’Toole, Chief, Branch of
Cadastral Survey, Alaska State Office,
Bureau of Land Management, 222 West
7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99513;
907–271–4231; totoole@blm.gov. People
who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf may call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
contact the BLM during normal business
hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, to leave a message
or question with the above individual.
You will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The lands
surveyed are:
Copper River Meridian, Alaska
T. 10 N., R. 1 E., accepted November 5, 2020.
T. 20 N., R. 11 E., accepted February 2, 2021.
U.S. Survey No. 13416, accepted January 13,
2021, situated in T. 17 N., R. 12 E.
U.S. Survey No. 13841, accepted November
9, 2020, situated in T. 16 N., R. 12 E.,
and T. 16 N., R. 13 E.
U.S. Survey No. 14503, accepted January 14,
2021, situated in T. 20 N., R. 11 E.
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Fairbanks Meridian, Alaska
T. 4 N., R. 2 W., accepted February 10, 2021.
T. 5 N., R. 6 W., accepted January 13, 2021.
T. 7 S., R. 27 E., accepted November 6, 2020.
T. 3 S., R. 12 W., accepted February 10, 2021.
U.S. Survey No. 14506, accepted January 15,
2021, situated in T. 13 S., R. 10 E.
U.S. Survey No. 14507, accepted January 13,
2021, situated in T. 28 S., R. 9 E.
U.S. Survey No. 14511, accepted January 13,
2021, situated in T. 21 S., R. 7 E.
Seward Meridian, Alaska
T. 15 N., R. 2 E., Memorandum of correction
of survey plat, dated December 4, 2020,
corrects the area of section 26.
T. 20 N., R. 73 W., accepted March 10, 2021.
T. 6 S., R. 55 W., accepted January 29, 2021.
T. 17 S., R. 45 W., accepted December 22,
2020.
U.S. Survey No. 11746, accepted January 27,
2021, situated in T. 16 S., R. 63 W.
U.S. Survey No. 14465, accepted April 30,
2019, situated in T. 8 S., R. 31 W.
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A person or party who wishes to
protest one or more plats of survey
identified above must file a written
notice of protest with the State Director
for the BLM in Alaska. The protest may
be filed by mailing to BLM State
Director, Alaska State Office, Bureau of
Land Management, 222 West 7th
Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99513 or by
delivering it in person to BLM Alaska
Public Information Center, Fitzgerald
Federal Building, 222 West 7th Avenue,
Anchorage, Alaska. The notice of protest
must identify the plat(s) of survey that
the person or party wishes to protest.
You must file the notice of protest
before the scheduled date of official
filing for the plat(s) of survey being
protested. The BLM will not consider
any notice of protest filed after the
scheduled date of official filing. A
notice of protest is considered filed on
the date it is received by the State
Director for the BLM in Alaska during
regular business hours; if received after
regular business hours, a notice of
protest will be considered filed the next
business day. A written statement of
reasons in support of a protest, if not
filed with the notice of protest, must be
filed with the State Director for the BLM
in Alaska within 30 calendar days after
the notice of protest is filed.
If a notice of protest against a plat of
survey is received prior to the
scheduled date of official filing, the
official filing of the plat of survey
identified in the notice of protest will be
stayed pending consideration of the
protest. A plat of survey will not be
officially filed until the dismissal or
resolution of all protests of the plat.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personally identifiable information in a
notice of protest or statement of reasons,
you should be aware that the documents
you submit, including your personally
identifiable information, may be made
publicly available in their entirety at
any time. While you can ask the BLM
to withhold your personally identifiable
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
(Authority: 43 U.S.C. Chap. 3.)
Thomas O’Toole,
Chief Cadastral Surveyor, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2021–18669 Filed 8–30–21; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM–2021–0052]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Sunrise Wind Farm
Project on the Northeast Atlantic Outer
Continental Shelf
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare
an environmental impact statement
(EIS); request for comments.
AGENCY:
Consistent with the
regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
BOEM announces its intent to prepare
an EIS for the review of a construction
and operations plan (COP) submitted by
Sunrise Wind LLC (Sunrise Wind) for
the construction, and operation of a
wind energy facility offshore
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New
York with a proposed interconnection
location at the existing Holbrook
Substation. BOEM seeks public
comment for the EIS scoping process as
well as comment concerning
compliance with section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA) and its implementing
regulations. Detailed information about
the proposed wind energy facility,
including the COP, can be found on
BOEM’s website at: www.boem.gov/
Sunrise-Wind.
DATES: Comments are due to BOEM no
later than September 30, 2021.
BOEM will hold virtual public
scoping meetings for the Sunrise Wind
EIS at the following dates and times
(eastern daylight time):
• Thursday, September 16, 5:30 p.m.;
• Monday, September 20, 1:00 p.m.;
and
• Wednesday, September 22, 5:30
p.m.
Registration for the virtual public
meetings may be completed here:
https://www.boem.gov/Sunrise-WindScoping-Virtual-Meetings or by calling
(703) 787–1073.
ADDRESSES: Comments can be submitted
in any of the following ways:
• In written form, delivered by mail
or delivery service, enclosed in an
envelope labeled, ‘‘SUNRISE WIND
COP EIS’’ and addressed to Program
Manager, Office of Renewable Energy,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
45600 Woodland Road, Sterling,
Virginia 20166; or
• Through the regulations.gov web
portal: Navigate to https://
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 31, 2021 / Notices
www.regulations.gov and search for
Docket No. BOEM–2021–0052. Click on
the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ button to the right
of the document link. Enter your
information and comment, then click
‘‘Submit.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle Morin, BOEM Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 45600
Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia
20166, (703) 787–1722 or
michelle.morin@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of and Need for the Proposed
Action
In Executive Order 14008, President
Biden stated that it is the policy of the
United States:
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to organize and deploy the full capacity of its
agencies to combat the climate crisis to
implement a Government-wide approach that
reduces climate pollution in every sector of
the economy; increases resilience to the
impacts of climate change; protects public
health; conserves our lands, waters, and
biodiversity; delivers environmental justice;
and spurs well-paying union jobs and
economic growth, especially through
innovation, commercialization, and
deployment of clean energy technologies and
infrastructure.
Sunrise Wind has the exclusive right
to submit a COP for activities located
offshore Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
and New York in the area covered by
BOEM Renewable Energy Lease OCS–A
0487 (Lease Area). A portion of the area
covered by Renewable Energy Lease
OCS–A 0500 and the entirety of the area
covered by Renewable Energy Lease
OCS–A 0487 were merged and included
in a revised Lease OCS–A 0487 issued
to Sunrise Wind on March 15, 2021.
Sunrise Wind has submitted a COP to
BOEM proposing the construction and
installation, operations and
maintenance, and conceptual
decommissioning of an offshore wind
energy facility in the Lease Area
(Project).
Sunrise Wind’s purpose and need is
to develop a commercial-scale, offshore
wind energy facility in the Lease Area,
with up to 122 wind turbine generators,
an offshore converter station (OCS–DC),
inter-array cables, an onshore converter
station (OnCS–DC), an offshore
transmission cable making landfall on
Long Island, New York, and an onshore
interconnection cable to the Long Island
Power Authority Holbrook Substation.
The Project will generate between 880
megawatts (MW) and 1,300 MW of
renewable energy. This Project will help
the State of New York achieve the
aggressive clean energy goals set forth in
the Clean Energy Standards Order and
the Climate Leadership and Community
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Protection Act through a power
purchase agreement (PPA) contract with
the New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority to deliver
880 MW of offshore wind energy.
Sunrise Wind may modify its PPA
contract with NYSERDA to deliver up to
924 MW of offshore wind energy.
Based on the goals of the applicant
and BOEM’s authority, the purpose of
BOEM’s action is to respond to Sunrise
Wind’s COP proposal and determine
whether to approve, approve with
modifications, or disapprove Sunrise
Wind’s COP to construct and install,
operate and maintain, and
decommission a commercial-scale
offshore wind energy facility within the
Lease Area (the Proposed Action).
BOEM’s action is needed to further the
United States’ policy to make Outer
Continental Shelf energy resources
available for expeditious and orderly
development, subject to environmental
safeguards (43 U.S.C. 1332(3)),
including consideration of natural
resources, safety of navigation, and
other ocean uses.
In addition, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) anticipates receipt of one or
more requests for authorization to take
marine mammals incidental to activities
related to the Project under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
NMFS’ issuance of an MMPA incidental
take authorization is a major Federal
action, and, in relation to BOEM’s
action, is considered a connected action
(40 CFR 1501.9(e)(1)). The purpose of
the NMFS action—which is a direct
outcome of Sunrise Wind’s request for
authorization to take marine mammals
incidental to specified activities
associated with the Project (e.g., pile
driving)—is to evaluate Sunrise Wind’s
request pursuant to specific
requirements of the MMPA and its
implementing regulations administered
by NMFS, considering impacts of
Sunrise Wind’s activities on relevant
resources, and if appropriate, issue the
authorization. NMFS needs to render a
decision regarding the request for
authorization due to NMFS’
responsibilities under the MMPA (16
U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(D)) and its
implementing regulations. If, after
independent review, NMFS makes the
findings necessary to issue the
requested authorization, NMFS intends
to adopt BOEM’s environmental impact
statement (EIS) to support that decision
and fulfill its National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) New York District anticipates
a permit action to be undertaken
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through authority delegated to the
District Engineer by 33 CFR 325.8,
under section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA) (33 U.S.C.
403) and section 404 of the Clean Water
Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1344). In addition,
it is anticipated that a section 408
permission will be required pursuant to
Section 14 of the RHA of 1899 (33
U.S.C. 408) for any proposed alterations
that have the potential to alter, occupy
or use any USACE federally authorized
Civil Works projects. The USACE
considers issuance of a permit under
these three delegated authorities a major
Federal action connected to BOEM’s
Proposed Action (40 CFR 1501.9(e)(1)).
Sunrise Wind’s stated purpose and need
for the project, as indicated above, is to
provide a commercially viable offshore
wind energy project within the Lease
Area to help New York achieve its
renewable energy goals. The basic
project purpose, as determined by
USACE for section 404(b)(1) guidelines
evaluation, is offshore wind energy
generation. The overall project purpose
for section 404(b)(1) guidelines
evaluation, as determined by USACE, is
the construction and operation of a
commercial-scale offshore wind energy
project for renewable energy generation
and distribution to the New York energy
grid. The purpose of USACE section 408
action as determined by EC 1165–2–220
is to evaluate the applicant’s request
and determine whether the proposed
alterations are injurious to the public
interest or impair the usefulness of the
USACE project. USACE section 408
permission is needed to ensure that
Congressionally authorized projects
continue to provide their intended
benefits to the public. USACE intends to
adopt BOEM’s EIS to support its
decision on any permits/permissions
requested under section 10 of the RHA,
or section 404 of the CWA, and section
408 of the RHA. The USACE would
adopt the EIS per 40 CFR 1506.3 if, after
its independent review of the document,
it concludes that the EIS satisfies the
USACE’s comments and
recommendations. Based on its
participation as a cooperating agency
and its consideration of the final EIS,
the USACE would issue a Record of
Decision to formally document its
decision on the proposed action.
Preliminary Proposed Action and
Alternatives
As noted above, Sunrise Wind is
proposing to construct and operate up to
122 wind turbine generators, an OCS–
DC, inter-array cables, an OnCS–DC, an
offshore transmission cable making
landfall on Long Island, New York, and
an onshore interconnection cable to the
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Long Island Power Authority Holbrook
Substation. The wind turbine generator
foundations may be monopiles or
gravity base structures with associated
support and access structures, in some
combination or entirely of one kind. The
wind turbine generators, offshore
substations, foundations, and inter-array
cables would be located within the
Lease Area in federal waters
approximately 18.9 statute miles (mi)
(16.4 nautical miles [nm], 30.4
kilometers [km]) south of Martha’s
Vineyard, Massachusetts; approximately
30.5 mi (26.5 nm, 48.1 km) east of
Montauk, New York, and
approximately16.7 mi (14.5 nm, 26.8
km) from Block Island, Rhode Island.
The offshore export cables would be
buried below the seabed in federal and
New York State waters. If any
reasonable alternatives are identified
during the scoping period, BOEM will
evaluate those alternatives in the draft
EIS, which will also include a no action
alternative. Under the no action
alternative, BOEM would disapprove
the COP and the proposed wind energy
facility would not be built.
Once BOEM completes the EIS and
associated consultations, BOEM will
decide whether to approve, approve
with modification, or disapprove the
Sunrise Wind COP. If BOEM approves
the COP, Sunrise Wind must comply
with all conditions of its approval.
Summary of Potential Impacts
The draft EIS will identify and
describe the potential effects of the
Proposed Action on the human
environment that are reasonably
foreseeable and have a reasonably close
causal relationship to the Proposed
Action. This includes such effects that
occur at the same time and place as the
Proposed Action or alternatives and
effects that are later in time or occur in
a different place. Potential impacts
include, but are not limited to, impacts
(whether beneficial or adverse) on air
quality, water quality, bats, benthic
habitat, essential fish habitat,
invertebrates, finfish, birds, marine
mammals, terrestrial and coastal
habitats and fauna, sea turtles, wetlands
and other waters of the United States,
commercial fisheries and for-hire
recreational fishing, cultural resources,
demographics, employment, economics,
environmental justice, land use and
coastal infrastructure, navigation and
vessel traffic, other marine uses,
recreation and tourism, and visual
resources. These potential impacts will
be analyzed in the draft and final EIS.
Based on a preliminary evaluation of
these resources, BOEM expects potential
impacts on sea turtles and marine
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mammals from underwater noise caused
by construction and from collision risks
with Project-related vessel traffic.
Structures installed by the Project could
permanently change benthic habitat and
other fish habitat (e.g., creation of
artificial reefs). Commercial fisheries
and for-hire recreational fishing could
be impacted. Project structures above
the water could affect the visual
character defining historic properties
and have visual impacts on recreational
and tourism areas. Project structures
also would pose an allision and height
hazard to vessels passing close by, and
vessels would in turn pose a hazard to
the structures. Additionally, the Project
could cause conflicts with military
activities, air traffic, land-based radar
services, cables and pipelines, and
scientific surveys. Beneficial impacts
are also expected by facilitating
achievement of State renewable energy
goals, increasing job opportunities,
improving air quality, and reducing
carbon emissions. Specifically, for
increasing job opportunities, an 880
MW Sunrise Wind project is estimated
to support more than 2,500 job-years
during the development and
construction phases of the project.
During the operations and maintenance
phase an 880 MW Sunrise offshore wind
project will support about 270 jobs per
year during its 35-year operational
phase. If Sunrise Wind increases the
MW installed, the number of jobs
supported will be greater than the
estimates cited for the 880 MW project.
The EIS will analyze measures that
would avoid, minimize, or mitigate
environmental effects.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
In addition to the requested COP
approval, various other Federal, State,
and local authorizations will be
required for the Project. Applicable
Federal laws include the Endangered
Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act,
NEPA, MMPA, RHA, CWA, and the
Coastal Zone Management Act. BOEM
will also conduct government-togovernment Tribal consultations. For a
detailed listing of regulatory
requirements applicable to the Project,
please see the COP, volume I, available
at https://www.boem.gov/Sunrise-Wind.
BOEM has chosen to use the NEPA
substitution process to fulfill its
obligations under NHPA. While BOEM’s
obligations under NHPA and NEPA are
independent, regulations implementing
section 106 of the NHPA, at 36 CFR
800.8(c), allow the NEPA process and
documentation to substitute for various
aspects of review otherwise required
under the NHPA. This substitution is
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intended to improve efficiency, promote
transparency and accountability, and
support a broadened discussion of
potential effects that a project could
have on the human environment.
During preparation of the EIS, BOEM
will ensure that the NEPA substitution
process will fully meet all NHPA
obligations.
Schedule for the Decision-Making
Process
After the draft EIS is completed,
BOEM will publish a notice of
availability (NOA) and request public
comments on the draft EIS. BOEM
currently expects to issue the NOA in
October 2022. After the public comment
period ends, BOEM will review and
respond to comments received and will
develop the final EIS. BOEM currently
expects to make the final EIS available
to the public in July 2023. A record of
decision (ROD) will be completed no
sooner than 30 days after the final EIS
is released, in accordance with 40 CFR
1506.11.
This project is a ‘‘covered project’’
under section 41 of the Fixing America’s
Surface Transportation Act (FAST–41).
FAST–41 provides increased
transparency and predictability by
requiring Federal agencies to publish
comprehensive permitting timetables for
all covered projects. FAST–41 also
provides procedures for modifying
permitting timetables to address the
unpredictability inherent in the
environmental review and permitting
process for significant infrastructure
projects. To view the FAST–41
Permitting Dashboard for the Project,
visit: https://
cms.permits.performance.gov/
permitting-project/sunrise-wind-farm.
Scoping Process
This NOI commences the public
scoping process to identify issues and
potential alternatives for consideration
in the Sunrise Wind EIS. BOEM will
hold virtual public scoping meetings at
the times and dates described above.
Throughout the scoping process,
Federal agencies, state, tribal, and local
governments, and the general public
have the opportunity to help BOEM
identify significant resources and issues,
impact-producing factors, reasonable
alternatives (e.g., size, geographic,
seasonal, or other restrictions on
construction and siting of facilities and
activities), and potential mitigation
measures to be analyzed in the EIS, as
well as to provide additional
information.
As noted above, BOEM will use the
NEPA substitution process provided for
in the NHPA regulations. BOEM will
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consider all written requests from
individuals or organizations to
participate as consulting parties under
NHPA and, as discussed below, will
determine who among those parties will
be a consulting party in accordance with
NHPA regulations.
NEPA Cooperating Agencies: BOEM
invites other Federal agencies and state,
tribal, and local governments to
consider becoming cooperating agencies
in the preparation of this EIS. The NEPA
regulations specify that qualified
agencies and governments are those
with ‘‘jurisdiction by law or special
expertise.’’ Potential cooperating
agencies should consider their authority
and capacity to assume the
responsibilities of a cooperating agency
and should be aware that an agency’s
role in the environmental analysis
neither enlarges nor diminishes the final
decision-making authority of any other
agency involved in the NEPA process.
Upon request, BOEM will provide
potential cooperating agencies with a
written summary of expectations for
cooperating agencies, including
schedules, milestones, responsibilities,
scope and detail of cooperating
agencies’ contributions, and availability
of pre-decisional information. BOEM
anticipates this summary will form the
basis for a memorandum of agreement
between BOEM and any nonDepartment of the Interior cooperating
agency. Agencies also should consider
the factors for determining cooperating
agency status in the Council on
Environmental Quality memorandum
entitled, ‘‘Cooperating Agencies in
Implementing the Procedural
Requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act,’’ dated
January 30, 2002. This document is
available on the internet at: https://
energy.gov/sites/prod/files/nepapub/
nepa_documents/RedDont/G-CEQCoopAgenciesImplem.pdf.
BOEM, as the lead agency, does not
provide financial assistance to
cooperating agencies. Governmental
entities that are not cooperating
agencies will have opportunities to
provide information and comments to
BOEM during the public input stages of
the NEPA process.
NHPA Consulting Parties: Certain
individuals and organizations with a
demonstrated interest in the Project can
request to participate as NHPA
consulting parties under 36 CFR
800.2(c)(5) based on their legal or
economic stake in historic properties
affected by the Project. Interested parties
are referred to that provision to learn
under what circumstances and how
those with concerns about the Project’s
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effect on historic properties may request
to be consulting parties.
Before issuing this NOI, BOEM
compiled a list of potential consulting
parties and invited them in writing to
become consulting parties. To become a
consulting party, those invited must
respond in writing, by the requested
response date.
Interested individuals or
organizations that did not receive an
invitation can request to be consulting
parties by writing to the appropriate
staff at SEARCH, the third party EIS
contractor supporting BOEM in its
administration of this review.
SEARCH’s NHPA contact for this review
is Dr. Barry Bleichner (504–291–6446),
barry@searchinc.com. BOEM will
determine which interested parties
should be consulting parties.
Comments: Federal agencies, tribal,
state, and local governments, and other
interested parties are requested to
comment on the scope of this EIS,
significant issues that should be
addressed, and alternatives that should
be considered. For information on how
to submit comments, see the ADDRESSES
section above.
BOEM does not consider anonymous
comments. Please include your name
and address as part of your comment.
BOEM makes all comments, including
the names, addresses, and other
personally identifiable information
included in the comment, available for
public review online. Individuals can
request that BOEM withhold their
names, addresses, or other personally
identifiable information included in
their comment from the public record;
however, BOEM cannot guarantee that it
will be able to do so. 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 privacy. You also must
briefly describe any possible harmful
consequences of the disclosure of
information, such as embarrassment,
injury, or other harm.
Additionally, under section 304 of
NHPA, BOEM is required, after
consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior, to withhold the location,
character, or ownership of historic
resources if it determines that disclosure
may, among other things, cause a
significant invasion of privacy, risk
harm to the historic resources, or
impede the use of a traditional religious
site by practitioners. Tribal entities and
other parties providing information on
historic resources should designate
information that they wish to be held as
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confidential and provide the reasons
why BOEM should do so.
All submissions from organizations or
businesses and from individuals
identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses will be
made available for public inspection in
their entirety.
Request for Identification of Potential
Alternatives, Information, and
Analyses Relevant to the Proposed
Action
BOEM requests data, comments,
views, information, analysis,
alternatives, or suggestions from the
public; affected Federal, state, tribal,
and local governments, agencies, and
offices; the scientific community;
industry; or any other interested party
on the Proposed Action. Specifically,
BOEM requests information on the
following topics:
1. Potential effects that the Proposed
Action could have on biological
resources, including bats, birds, coastal
fauna, finfish, invertebrates, essential
fish habitat, marine mammals, and sea
turtles.
2. Potential effects that the Proposed
Action could have on physical resources
and conditions including air quality,
water quality, and wetlands and other
waters of the United States.
3. Potential effects that the Proposed
Action could have on socioeconomic
and cultural resources, including
commercial fisheries and for-hire
recreational fishing, demographics,
employment, economics, environmental
justice, land use and coastal
infrastructure, navigation and vessel
traffic, other uses (marine minerals,
military use, aviation), recreation and
tourism, and scenic and visual
resources.
4. Other possible reasonable
alternatives to the Proposed Action that
BOEM should consider, including
additional or alternative avoidance,
minimization, and mitigation measures.
5. As part of its compliance with
NHPA section 106 and its implementing
regulations (36 CFR part 800), BOEM
seeks comment and input from the
public and consulting parties regarding
the identification of historic properties
within the Proposed Action’s area of
potential effects, the potential effects on
those historic properties from the
activities proposed in the COP, and any
information that supports identification
of historic properties under NHPA.
BOEM also solicits proposed measures
to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any
adverse effects on historic properties.
BOEM will present available
information regarding known historic
E:\FR\FM\31AUN1.SGM
31AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 31, 2021 / Notices
properties during the public scoping
period at https://www.boem.gov/
Sunrise-Wind/. BOEM’s effects analysis
for historic properties will be available
for public and consulting party
comment in the draft EIS.
6. Information on other current or
planned activities in, or in the vicinity
of, the Proposed Action and their
possible impacts on the Project or the
Project’s impacts on those activities.
7. Other information relevant to the
Proposed Action and its impacts on the
human environment.
To promote informed decisionmaking, comments should be as specific
as possible and should provide as much
detail as necessary to meaningfully and
fully inform BOEM of the commenter’s
position. Comments should explain why
the issues raised are important to the
consideration of potential
environmental impacts and alternatives
to the Proposed Action as well as
economic, employment, and other
impacts affecting the quality of the
human environment.
The draft EIS will include a summary
of all alternatives, information, and
analyses submitted during the scoping
process for consideration by BOEM and
the cooperating agencies.
Authority: This NOI is published in
accordance with NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321
et seq., and 40 CFR 1501.9.
William Yancey Brown,
Chief Environmental Officer, Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2021–18741 Filed 8–30–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE
UNITED STATES
Advisory Committee on Civil Rules;
Meeting of the Judicial Conference
Judicial Conference of the
United States.
ACTION: Advisory Committee on Civil
Rules; revised notice of open meeting.
AGENCY:
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:08 Aug 30, 2021
Jkt 253001
DATES:
October 5, 2021, 10 a.m.
(Eastern).
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE
UNITED STATES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy
Rules; Meeting of the Judicial
Conference
Scott Myers, Esq., Acting Chief Counsel,
Rules Committee Staff, Administrative
Office of the U.S. Courts, Thurgood
Marshall Federal Judiciary Building,
One Columbus Circle NE, Suite 7–300,
Washington, DC 20544, Phone (202)
502–1820, RulesCommittee_Secretary@
ao.uscourts.gov.
(Authority: 28 U.S.C. 2073.)
Judicial Conference of the
United States.
ACTION: Advisory Committee on
Bankruptcy Rules; revised notice of
open meeting.
AGENCY:
The Advisory Committee on
Bankruptcy Rules will hold a virtual
meeting on September 14, 2021 rather
than meeting in person. The meeting is
open to the public. When a meeting is
held virtually, members of the public
may join by telephone or video
conference to observe but not
participate. An agenda and supporting
materials will be posted at least 7 days
in advance of the meeting at: https://
www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/
records-and-archives-rules-committees/
agenda-books. The announcement for
this meeting was previously published
in the Federal Register on June 28,
2021.
SUMMARY:
Dated: August 26, 2021.
Shelly L. Cox,
Management Analyst, Rules Committee Staff.
[FR Doc. 2021–18758 Filed 8–30–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 2210–55–P
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE
UNITED STATES
Advisory Committee on Appellate
Rules; Meeting of the Judicial
Conference
Judicial Conference of the
United States.
AGENCY:
Advisory Committee on
Appellate Rules; revised notice of open
meeting.
DATES:
The Advisory Committee on
Appellate Rules will hold a virtual
meeting on October 7, 2021 rather than
meeting in person. The meeting is open
to the public. When a meeting is held
virtually, members of the public may
join by telephone or video conference to
observe but not participate. An agenda
and supporting materials will be posted
at least 7 days in advance of the meeting
at: https://www.uscourts.gov/rulespolicies/records-and-archives-rulescommittees/agenda-books. The
announcement for this meeting was
previously published in the Federal
Register on June 28, 2021.
Scott Myers, Esq., Acting Chief Counsel,
Rules Committee Staff, Administrative
Office of the U.S. Courts, Thurgood
Marshall Federal Judiciary Building,
One Columbus Circle NE, Suite 7–300,
Washington, DC 20544, Phone (202)
502–1820, RulesCommittee_Secretary@
ao.uscourts.gov.
ACTION:
SUMMARY:
September 14, 2021, 10 a.m.
(Eastern).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
(Authority: 28 U.S.C. 2073.)
Dated: August 25, 2021.
Shelly L. Cox,
Management Analyst, Rules Committee Staff.
[FR Doc. 2021–18693 Filed 8–30–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 2210–55–P
October 7, 2021, 10 a.m.
(Eastern).
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Employee Benefits Security
Administration
DATES:
The Advisory Committee on
Civil Rules will hold a virtual meeting
on October 5, 2021 rather than meeting
in person. The meeting is open to the
public. When a meeting is held
virtually, members of the public may
join by telephone or video conference to
observe but not participate. An agenda
and supporting materials will be posted
at least 7 days in advance of the meeting
at: https://www.uscourts.gov/rulespolicies/records-and-archives-rulescommittees/agenda-books. The
announcement for this meeting was
previously published in the Federal
Register on June 28, 2021.
SUMMARY:
48767
Scott Myers, Esq., Acting Chief Counsel,
Rules Committee Staff, Administrative
Office of the U.S. Courts, Thurgood
Marshall Federal Judiciary Building,
One Columbus Circle NE, Suite 7–300,
Washington, DC 20544, Phone (202)
502–1820, RulesCommittee_Secretary@
ao.uscourts.gov.
(Authority: 28 U.S.C. 2073.)
Dated: August 26, 2021.
Shelly L. Cox,
Management Analyst, Rules Committee Staff.
[FR Doc. 2021–18763 Filed 8–30–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 2210–55–P
PO 00000
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208th Meeting of the Advisory Council
on Employee Welfare and Pension
Benefit Plans; Notice of
Teleconference Meeting
Pursuant to the authority contained in
Section 512 of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), 29
U.S.C. 1142, the 208th open meeting of
the Advisory Council on Employee
Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans (also
known as the ERISA Advisory Council)
will be held via a teleconference on
Thursday, September 30, 2021.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48763-48767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18741]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2021-0052]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Sunrise Wind Farm Project on the Northeast Atlantic Outer
Continental Shelf
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS); request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Consistent with the regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), BOEM announces its intent to prepare
an EIS for the review of a construction and operations plan (COP)
submitted by Sunrise Wind LLC (Sunrise Wind) for the construction, and
operation of a wind energy facility offshore Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, and New York with a proposed interconnection location at the
existing Holbrook Substation. BOEM seeks public comment for the EIS
scoping process as well as comment concerning compliance with section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its
implementing regulations. Detailed information about the proposed wind
energy facility, including the COP, can be found on BOEM's website at:
www.boem.gov/Sunrise-Wind.
DATES: Comments are due to BOEM no later than September 30, 2021.
BOEM will hold virtual public scoping meetings for the Sunrise Wind
EIS at the following dates and times (eastern daylight time):
Thursday, September 16, 5:30 p.m.;
Monday, September 20, 1:00 p.m.; and
Wednesday, September 22, 5:30 p.m.
Registration for the virtual public meetings may be completed here:
https://www.boem.gov/Sunrise-Wind-Scoping-Virtual-Meetings or by
calling (703) 787-1073.
ADDRESSES: Comments can be submitted in any of the following ways:
In written form, delivered by mail or delivery service,
enclosed in an envelope labeled, ``SUNRISE WIND COP EIS'' and addressed
to Program Manager, Office of Renewable Energy, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166; or
Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http:/
/
[[Page 48764]]
www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2021-0052. Click on
the ``Comment Now!'' button to the right of the document link. Enter
your information and comment, then click ``Submit.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Morin, BOEM Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia
20166, (703) 787-1722 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action
In Executive Order 14008, President Biden stated that it is the
policy of the United States:
to organize and deploy the full capacity of its agencies to combat
the climate crisis to implement a Government-wide approach that
reduces climate pollution in every sector of the economy; increases
resilience to the impacts of climate change; protects public health;
conserves our lands, waters, and biodiversity; delivers
environmental justice; and spurs well-paying union jobs and economic
growth, especially through innovation, commercialization, and
deployment of clean energy technologies and infrastructure.
Sunrise Wind has the exclusive right to submit a COP for activities
located offshore Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York in the area
covered by BOEM Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0487 (Lease Area). A
portion of the area covered by Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0500 and
the entirety of the area covered by Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0487
were merged and included in a revised Lease OCS-A 0487 issued to
Sunrise Wind on March 15, 2021. Sunrise Wind has submitted a COP to
BOEM proposing the construction and installation, operations and
maintenance, and conceptual decommissioning of an offshore wind energy
facility in the Lease Area (Project).
Sunrise Wind's purpose and need is to develop a commercial-scale,
offshore wind energy facility in the Lease Area, with up to 122 wind
turbine generators, an offshore converter station (OCS-DC), inter-array
cables, an onshore converter station (OnCS-DC), an offshore
transmission cable making landfall on Long Island, New York, and an
onshore interconnection cable to the Long Island Power Authority
Holbrook Substation. The Project will generate between 880 megawatts
(MW) and 1,300 MW of renewable energy. This Project will help the State
of New York achieve the aggressive clean energy goals set forth in the
Clean Energy Standards Order and the Climate Leadership and Community
Protection Act through a power purchase agreement (PPA) contract with
the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to deliver
880 MW of offshore wind energy.
Sunrise Wind may modify its PPA contract with NYSERDA to deliver up
to 924 MW of offshore wind energy.
Based on the goals of the applicant and BOEM's authority, the
purpose of BOEM's action is to respond to Sunrise Wind's COP proposal
and determine whether to approve, approve with modifications, or
disapprove Sunrise Wind's COP to construct and install, operate and
maintain, and decommission a commercial-scale offshore wind energy
facility within the Lease Area (the Proposed Action). BOEM's action is
needed to further the United States' policy to make Outer Continental
Shelf energy resources available for expeditious and orderly
development, subject to environmental safeguards (43 U.S.C. 1332(3)),
including consideration of natural resources, safety of navigation, and
other ocean uses.
In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) anticipates receipt of
one or more requests for authorization to take marine mammals
incidental to activities related to the Project under the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA). NMFS' issuance of an MMPA incidental take
authorization is a major Federal action, and, in relation to BOEM's
action, is considered a connected action (40 CFR 1501.9(e)(1)). The
purpose of the NMFS action--which is a direct outcome of Sunrise Wind's
request for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to
specified activities associated with the Project (e.g., pile driving)--
is to evaluate Sunrise Wind's request pursuant to specific requirements
of the MMPA and its implementing regulations administered by NMFS,
considering impacts of Sunrise Wind's activities on relevant resources,
and if appropriate, issue the authorization. NMFS needs to render a
decision regarding the request for authorization due to NMFS'
responsibilities under the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(D)) and its
implementing regulations. If, after independent review, NMFS makes the
findings necessary to issue the requested authorization, NMFS intends
to adopt BOEM's environmental impact statement (EIS) to support that
decision and fulfill its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
requirements.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York District
anticipates a permit action to be undertaken through authority
delegated to the District Engineer by 33 CFR 325.8, under section 10 of
the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA) (33 U.S.C. 403) and section
404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1344). In addition, it is
anticipated that a section 408 permission will be required pursuant to
Section 14 of the RHA of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 408) for any proposed
alterations that have the potential to alter, occupy or use any USACE
federally authorized Civil Works projects. The USACE considers issuance
of a permit under these three delegated authorities a major Federal
action connected to BOEM's Proposed Action (40 CFR 1501.9(e)(1)).
Sunrise Wind's stated purpose and need for the project, as indicated
above, is to provide a commercially viable offshore wind energy project
within the Lease Area to help New York achieve its renewable energy
goals. The basic project purpose, as determined by USACE for section
404(b)(1) guidelines evaluation, is offshore wind energy generation.
The overall project purpose for section 404(b)(1) guidelines
evaluation, as determined by USACE, is the construction and operation
of a commercial-scale offshore wind energy project for renewable energy
generation and distribution to the New York energy grid. The purpose of
USACE section 408 action as determined by EC 1165-2-220 is to evaluate
the applicant's request and determine whether the proposed alterations
are injurious to the public interest or impair the usefulness of the
USACE project. USACE section 408 permission is needed to ensure that
Congressionally authorized projects continue to provide their intended
benefits to the public. USACE intends to adopt BOEM's EIS to support
its decision on any permits/permissions requested under section 10 of
the RHA, or section 404 of the CWA, and section 408 of the RHA. The
USACE would adopt the EIS per 40 CFR 1506.3 if, after its independent
review of the document, it concludes that the EIS satisfies the USACE's
comments and recommendations. Based on its participation as a
cooperating agency and its consideration of the final EIS, the USACE
would issue a Record of Decision to formally document its decision on
the proposed action.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
As noted above, Sunrise Wind is proposing to construct and operate
up to 122 wind turbine generators, an OCS-DC, inter-array cables, an
OnCS-DC, an offshore transmission cable making landfall on Long Island,
New York, and an onshore interconnection cable to the
[[Page 48765]]
Long Island Power Authority Holbrook Substation. The wind turbine
generator foundations may be monopiles or gravity base structures with
associated support and access structures, in some combination or
entirely of one kind. The wind turbine generators, offshore
substations, foundations, and inter-array cables would be located
within the Lease Area in federal waters approximately 18.9 statute
miles (mi) (16.4 nautical miles [nm], 30.4 kilometers [km]) south of
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts; approximately 30.5 mi (26.5 nm, 48.1
km) east of Montauk, New York, and approximately16.7 mi (14.5 nm, 26.8
km) from Block Island, Rhode Island. The offshore export cables would
be buried below the seabed in federal and New York State waters. If any
reasonable alternatives are identified during the scoping period, BOEM
will evaluate those alternatives in the draft EIS, which will also
include a no action alternative. Under the no action alternative, BOEM
would disapprove the COP and the proposed wind energy facility would
not be built.
Once BOEM completes the EIS and associated consultations, BOEM will
decide whether to approve, approve with modification, or disapprove the
Sunrise Wind COP. If BOEM approves the COP, Sunrise Wind must comply
with all conditions of its approval.
Summary of Potential Impacts
The draft EIS will identify and describe the potential effects of
the Proposed Action on the human environment that are reasonably
foreseeable and have a reasonably close causal relationship to the
Proposed Action. This includes such effects that occur at the same time
and place as the Proposed Action or alternatives and effects that are
later in time or occur in a different place. Potential impacts include,
but are not limited to, impacts (whether beneficial or adverse) on air
quality, water quality, bats, benthic habitat, essential fish habitat,
invertebrates, finfish, birds, marine mammals, terrestrial and coastal
habitats and fauna, sea turtles, wetlands and other waters of the
United States, commercial fisheries and for-hire recreational fishing,
cultural resources, demographics, employment, economics, environmental
justice, land use and coastal infrastructure, navigation and vessel
traffic, other marine uses, recreation and tourism, and visual
resources. These potential impacts will be analyzed in the draft and
final EIS.
Based on a preliminary evaluation of these resources, BOEM expects
potential impacts on sea turtles and marine mammals from underwater
noise caused by construction and from collision risks with Project-
related vessel traffic. Structures installed by the Project could
permanently change benthic habitat and other fish habitat (e.g.,
creation of artificial reefs). Commercial fisheries and for-hire
recreational fishing could be impacted. Project structures above the
water could affect the visual character defining historic properties
and have visual impacts on recreational and tourism areas. Project
structures also would pose an allision and height hazard to vessels
passing close by, and vessels would in turn pose a hazard to the
structures. Additionally, the Project could cause conflicts with
military activities, air traffic, land-based radar services, cables and
pipelines, and scientific surveys. Beneficial impacts are also expected
by facilitating achievement of State renewable energy goals, increasing
job opportunities, improving air quality, and reducing carbon
emissions. Specifically, for increasing job opportunities, an 880 MW
Sunrise Wind project is estimated to support more than 2,500 job-years
during the development and construction phases of the project. During
the operations and maintenance phase an 880 MW Sunrise offshore wind
project will support about 270 jobs per year during its 35-year
operational phase. If Sunrise Wind increases the MW installed, the
number of jobs supported will be greater than the estimates cited for
the 880 MW project. The EIS will analyze measures that would avoid,
minimize, or mitigate environmental effects.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
In addition to the requested COP approval, various other Federal,
State, and local authorizations will be required for the Project.
Applicable Federal laws include the Endangered Species Act,
Magnuson[hyphen]Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, NEPA,
MMPA, RHA, CWA, and the Coastal Zone Management Act. BOEM will also
conduct government-to-government Tribal consultations. For a detailed
listing of regulatory requirements applicable to the Project, please
see the COP, volume I, available at https://www.boem.gov/Sunrise-Wind.
BOEM has chosen to use the NEPA substitution process to fulfill its
obligations under NHPA. While BOEM's obligations under NHPA and NEPA
are independent, regulations implementing section 106 of the NHPA, at
36 CFR 800.8(c), allow the NEPA process and documentation to substitute
for various aspects of review otherwise required under the NHPA. This
substitution is intended to improve efficiency, promote transparency
and accountability, and support a broadened discussion of potential
effects that a project could have on the human environment. During
preparation of the EIS, BOEM will ensure that the NEPA substitution
process will fully meet all NHPA obligations.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
After the draft EIS is completed, BOEM will publish a notice of
availability (NOA) and request public comments on the draft EIS. BOEM
currently expects to issue the NOA in October 2022. After the public
comment period ends, BOEM will review and respond to comments received
and will develop the final EIS. BOEM currently expects to make the
final EIS available to the public in July 2023. A record of decision
(ROD) will be completed no sooner than 30 days after the final EIS is
released, in accordance with 40 CFR 1506.11.
This project is a ``covered project'' under section 41 of the
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41). FAST-41 provides
increased transparency and predictability by requiring Federal agencies
to publish comprehensive permitting timetables for all covered
projects. FAST-41 also provides procedures for modifying permitting
timetables to address the unpredictability inherent in the
environmental review and permitting process for significant
infrastructure projects. To view the FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard for
the Project, visit: https://cms.permits.performance.gov/permitting-project/sunrise-wind-farm.
Scoping Process
This NOI commences the public scoping process to identify issues
and potential alternatives for consideration in the Sunrise Wind EIS.
BOEM will hold virtual public scoping meetings at the times and dates
described above. Throughout the scoping process, Federal agencies,
state, tribal, and local governments, and the general public have the
opportunity to help BOEM identify significant resources and issues,
impact-producing factors, reasonable alternatives (e.g., size,
geographic, seasonal, or other restrictions on construction and siting
of facilities and activities), and potential mitigation measures to be
analyzed in the EIS, as well as to provide additional information.
As noted above, BOEM will use the NEPA substitution process
provided for in the NHPA regulations. BOEM will
[[Page 48766]]
consider all written requests from individuals or organizations to
participate as consulting parties under NHPA and, as discussed below,
will determine who among those parties will be a consulting party in
accordance with NHPA regulations.
NEPA Cooperating Agencies: BOEM invites other Federal agencies and
state, tribal, and local governments to consider becoming cooperating
agencies in the preparation of this EIS. The NEPA regulations specify
that qualified agencies and governments are those with ``jurisdiction
by law or special expertise.'' Potential cooperating agencies should
consider their authority and capacity to assume the responsibilities of
a cooperating agency and should be aware that an agency's role in the
environmental analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes the final
decision-making authority of any other agency involved in the NEPA
process.
Upon request, BOEM will provide potential cooperating agencies with
a written summary of expectations for cooperating agencies, including
schedules, milestones, responsibilities, scope and detail of
cooperating agencies' contributions, and availability of pre-decisional
information. BOEM anticipates this summary will form the basis for a
memorandum of agreement between BOEM and any non-Department of the
Interior cooperating agency. Agencies also should consider the factors
for determining cooperating agency status in the Council on
Environmental Quality memorandum entitled, ``Cooperating Agencies in
Implementing the Procedural Requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act,'' dated January 30, 2002. This document is available on the
internet at: https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/nepapub/nepa_documents/RedDont/G-CEQ-CoopAgenciesImplem.pdf.
BOEM, as the lead agency, does not provide financial assistance to
cooperating agencies. Governmental entities that are not cooperating
agencies will have opportunities to provide information and comments to
BOEM during the public input stages of the NEPA process.
NHPA Consulting Parties: Certain individuals and organizations with
a demonstrated interest in the Project can request to participate as
NHPA consulting parties under 36 CFR 800.2(c)(5) based on their legal
or economic stake in historic properties affected by the Project.
Interested parties are referred to that provision to learn under what
circumstances and how those with concerns about the Project's effect on
historic properties may request to be consulting parties.
Before issuing this NOI, BOEM compiled a list of potential
consulting parties and invited them in writing to become consulting
parties. To become a consulting party, those invited must respond in
writing, by the requested response date.
Interested individuals or organizations that did not receive an
invitation can request to be consulting parties by writing to the
appropriate staff at SEARCH, the third party EIS contractor supporting
BOEM in its administration of this review. SEARCH's NHPA contact for
this review is Dr. Barry Bleichner (504-291-6446), [email protected].
BOEM will determine which interested parties should be consulting
parties.
Comments: Federal agencies, tribal, state, and local governments,
and other interested parties are requested to comment on the scope of
this EIS, significant issues that should be addressed, and alternatives
that should be considered. For information on how to submit comments,
see the ADDRESSES section above.
BOEM does not consider anonymous comments. Please include your name
and address as part of your comment. BOEM makes all comments, including
the names, addresses, and other personally identifiable information
included in the comment, available for public review online.
Individuals can request that BOEM withhold their names, addresses, or
other personally identifiable information included in their comment
from the public record; however, BOEM cannot guarantee that it will be
able to do so. 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 privacy. You also must briefly
describe any possible harmful consequences of the disclosure of
information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other harm.
Additionally, under section 304 of NHPA, BOEM is required, after
consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, to withhold the
location, character, or ownership of historic resources if it
determines that disclosure may, among other things, cause a significant
invasion of privacy, risk harm to the historic resources, or impede the
use of a traditional religious site by practitioners. Tribal entities
and other parties providing information on historic resources should
designate information that they wish to be held as confidential and
provide the reasons why BOEM should do so.
All submissions from organizations or businesses and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses will be made available for public
inspection in their entirety.
Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and
Analyses Relevant to the Proposed Action
BOEM requests data, comments, views, information, analysis,
alternatives, or suggestions from the public; affected Federal, state,
tribal, and local governments, agencies, and offices; the scientific
community; industry; or any other interested party on the Proposed
Action. Specifically, BOEM requests information on the following
topics:
1. Potential effects that the Proposed Action could have on
biological resources, including bats, birds, coastal fauna, finfish,
invertebrates, essential fish habitat, marine mammals, and sea turtles.
2. Potential effects that the Proposed Action could have on
physical resources and conditions including air quality, water quality,
and wetlands and other waters of the United States.
3. Potential effects that the Proposed Action could have on
socioeconomic and cultural resources, including commercial fisheries
and for-hire recreational fishing, demographics, employment, economics,
environmental justice, land use and coastal infrastructure, navigation
and vessel traffic, other uses (marine minerals, military use,
aviation), recreation and tourism, and scenic and visual resources.
4. Other possible reasonable alternatives to the Proposed Action
that BOEM should consider, including additional or alternative
avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures.
5. As part of its compliance with NHPA section 106 and its
implementing regulations (36 CFR part 800), BOEM seeks comment and
input from the public and consulting parties regarding the
identification of historic properties within the Proposed Action's area
of potential effects, the potential effects on those historic
properties from the activities proposed in the COP, and any information
that supports identification of historic properties under NHPA. BOEM
also solicits proposed measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any
adverse effects on historic properties. BOEM will present available
information regarding known historic
[[Page 48767]]
properties during the public scoping period at https://www.boem.gov/Sunrise-Wind/. BOEM's effects analysis for historic properties will be
available for public and consulting party comment in the draft EIS.
6. Information on other current or planned activities in, or in the
vicinity of, the Proposed Action and their possible impacts on the
Project or the Project's impacts on those activities.
7. Other information relevant to the Proposed Action and its
impacts on the human environment.
To promote informed decision-making, comments should be as specific
as possible and should provide as much detail as necessary to
meaningfully and fully inform BOEM of the commenter's position.
Comments should explain why the issues raised are important to the
consideration of potential environmental impacts and alternatives to
the Proposed Action as well as economic, employment, and other impacts
affecting the quality of the human environment.
The draft EIS will include a summary of all alternatives,
information, and analyses submitted during the scoping process for
consideration by BOEM and the cooperating agencies.
Authority: This NOI is published in accordance with NEPA, 42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq., and 40 CFR 1501.9.
William Yancey Brown,
Chief Environmental Officer, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2021-18741 Filed 8-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
