Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, Cook Inlet Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258, 73322-73323 [2022-25792]

Download as PDF 73322 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 29, 2022 / Notices Authority: This notice is published in the exercise of authority delegated by the Secretary of the Interior to the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs by 209 Departmental Manual 8.1, and is published to comply with the requirements of 25 CFR 151.12(c)(2)(ii) that notice of the decision to acquire land in trust be promptly provided in the Federal Register. Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs. [FR Doc. 2022–25971 Filed 11–28–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4337–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [Docket No. BOEM–2020–0018] Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, Cook Inlet Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision. AGENCY: BOEM announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Cook Inlet Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258. This ROD identifies the selected alternative for Lease Sale 258, which is analyzed in the Alaska OCS: Cook Inlet Planning Area Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 in the Cook Inlet, Alaska; Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) (OCS/EIS EA BOEM 2022–061). The ROD and associated information are available on BOEM’s website at https:// www.boem.gov/ak258. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Randall, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Alaska Regional Office, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, 907– 334–5235. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BOEM is required to hold Lease Sale 258 on or before December 31, 2022, pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA, Pub. L. 117–169), signed into law on August 16, 2022. The Cook Inlet Lease Sale Area is located offshore of the State of Alaska in the northern portion of the Federal waters of Cook Inlet and is comprised of 224 OCS blocks. BOEM evaluated five alternatives and several sub-alternatives in the Lease Sale 258 FEIS. While BOEM has no discretion in whether to hold Lease Sale 258, BOEM issued the Lease Sale 258 FEIS and is issuing the ROD in accordance with its normal khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Nov 28, 2022 Jkt 259001 leasing process to the fullest extent practicable. After careful consideration, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has selected the Preferred Alternative in the Lease Sale 258 FEIS. The Preferred Alternative combines the two critical habitat exclusion alternatives and three mitigation alternatives: Alternative 3A (Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Exclusion), Alternative 3C (Beluga Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas Mitigation), Alternative 4A (Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Exclusion), Alternative 4B (Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Mitigation), and Alternative 5 (Gillnet Fishery Mitigation). The Preferred Alternative will offer for lease 193 unleased OCS blocks (approximately 387,771 hectares (ha) or 958,202 acres). The Preferred Alternative excludes the 17 OCS blocks wholly or partially overlapping beluga whale and northern sea otter critical habitats. The Preferred Alternative also applies additional mitigation measures to reduce potential impacts to beluga whales and their critical habitat and feeding areas, sea otters and their critical habitat, and the gillnet fishery. Each of these mitigations will be implemented through lease stipulations to applicable leases. The selection of the Preferred Alternative includes the following exclusions and mitigation measures, described as alternatives in the FEIS: Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Exclusion (Alternative 3A) This exclusion applies to the 10 OCS blocks that overlap with the ‘‘Area 2’’ beluga whale critical habitat at the northern tip of the proposed sale area analyzed in the Lease Sale 258 FEIS. These OCS blocks will not be offered for lease and represent approximately 0.85 percent of the total area of the beluga whale critical habitat. Beluga Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas Mitigation (Alternative 3C) This mitigation measure creates temporal restrictions for on-lease seismic survey activities within the Lease Sale Area. On all 193 OCS blocks being offered for lease, no on-lease marine seismic surveys will be conducted between November 1 and April 1, when beluga whales are most likely to be present and distributed across the Lease Sale Area. The Protection of Beluga Whales Stipulation will be included on all leases issued as a result of Lease Sale 258. Additionally, for blocks located within 10 miles of major anadromous streams, lessees will not conduct on- PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 lease marine seismic surveys between July 1 and September 30, when beluga whales are migrating to and from their summer feeding areas. The Protection of Beluga Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas Stipulation will be included on any leases issued for blocks located within 10 miles of major anadromous streams. Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Exclusion (Alternative 4A) This exclusion applies to the 7 OCS blocks that overlap with the northern sea otter southwest Alaska distinct population segment (SW DPS) critical habitat within the proposed sale area analyzed in the Lease Sale 258 FEIS. These OCS blocks will not be offered for lease. Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Mitigation (Alternative 4B) This mitigation measure prohibits lessees from discharging drilling fluids and cuttings and conducting seafloor disturbing activities (including anchoring and placement of bottomfounded structures) within 1,000 meters of areas designated as northern sea otter critical habitat. The Protection of Northern Sea Otter SW DPS Critical Habitat Stipulation will be included on any leases issued on the 7 OCS blocks within 1,000 meters of northern sea otter critical habitat. Gillnet Fishery Mitigation (Alternative 5) This mitigation measure applies to the 97 OCS blocks (whole or partial) located north of Anchor Point within the Lease Sale Area to reduce the potential for conflicts with the drift gillnet fishery. Lessees are prohibited from conducting on-lease seismic surveys during the drift gillnetting season as designated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) (approximately mid-June to mid-August). In addition, lessees are advised that the Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery typically operates on Mondays and Thursdays during the drift gillnetting season as designated by the ADF&G. Lessees are required to notify the United Cook Inlet Drift Association (UCIDA) of any temporary or permanent structures planned during the drift gillnetting season. Lessees are encouraged to coordinate with the UCIDA to avoid conflicts. The Protection of Gillnet Fishery Stipulation will be included on any leases issued for these blocks. Each of these Alternatives will be implemented through exclusions or lease stipulations, which would apply to all or some of the OCS blocks offered for lease. For each of the lease stipulations described above, lessees E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 29, 2022 / Notices may request a variance at the time of filing an ancillary activities notice, an exploration plan, or a development and production plan with BOEM’s Regional Supervisor for Leasing and Plans. Such requests must identify alternative methods for providing commensurate protection and analyze the effectiveness of those methods. There are currently 14 active OCS oil and gas leases in the Cook Inlet Planning Area. The Lease Sale Area (Area ID) encompasses approximately 442,500 ha or 1.09 million acres, of which approximately 387,771 ha or 958,202 acres will be offered for lease. The unleased OCS blocks within Cook Inlet that BOEM will offer for lease are listed in the document entitled ‘‘List of Blocks Available for Leasing,’’ which is included in the Final Notice of Sale package for Lease Sale 258. The estimated resource potential of the area to be leased is 192.3 million barrels of oil and 301.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas. BOEM’s Alaska Regional Office developed the Preferred Alternative after considering public comments on the Draft EIS. BOEM also considered the oil and gas resource potential in the Cook Inlet area and the likelihood of industry to develop those resources in the context of social, economic, and environmental values, impacts, and concerns. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (National Environmental Policy Act) and 40 CFR parts 1505 and 1506. Amanda Lefton, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. [FR Doc. 2022–25792 Filed 11–28–22; 8:45 am] DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [Docket No. BOEM–2021–0003] Cook Inlet Planning Area Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Table of Contents On Friday, December 30, 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in the Cook Inlet Planning Area Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 (Cook Inlet Sale 258), in accordance with the provisions of the Outer Continental Jkt 259001 Joel Immaraj, Alaska Regional Supervisor, Office of Leasing and Plans, (907) 334– 5238, joel.immaraj@boem.gov, or Benjamin Burnett, Chief, Leasing Policy and Management Division, Office of Strategic Resources, 703–787–1312, benjamin.burnett@boem.gov. Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. (Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as amended) and 30 CFR 556.308(a). Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior. ACTION: Final notice of sale. 16:29 Nov 28, 2022 Interested parties may download the Final NOS package from BOEM’s website at https:// www.boem.gov/ak258/. Copies of the Final NOS and the sale maps can also be obtained by contacting the BOEM Alaska Regional Office: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503–5823, (907) 334–5200, (800) 764– 2627. For addresses and instruction for submitting bids, see Section VII, ‘‘Bidding Instructions,’’ under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION heading of this notice. ADDRESSES: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 BOEM will hold Cook Inlet Sale 258 at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 30, 2022. All times referred to in this document are Alaska time, unless otherwise specified. Bid Submission Deadline: BOEM must receive all sealed bids by the bid submission deadline of 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2022, the day before the lease sale. Bids will not be accepted in person or by email for any reason. For more information on bid submission, see Section VII, ‘‘Bidding Instructions,’’ of this document. DATES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: BILLING CODE 4340–98–P SUMMARY: Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended, and its implementing regulations. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, signed into law on August 16, 2022, requires BOEM to hold Cook Inlet Sale 258 by December 31, 2022. The Cook Inlet Sale 258 Final Notice of Sale (NOS) package contains information essential to potential bidders and consists of the Final NOS, Information to Lessees, and Lease Stipulations. I. Lease Sale Area II. Statutes and Regulations III. Lease Terms and Economic Conditions IV. Lease Stipulations V. Information to Lessees VI. Maps VII. Bidding Instructions VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions IX. Forms X. The Lease Sale XI. Delay of Sale PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 73323 I. Lease Sale Area BOEM will offer for bid in this lease sale all unleased whole and partial blocks in the area of Cook Inlet identified on the map included as part of this notice that is entitled ‘‘Cook Inlet Planning Area, Lease Sale 258, December 30, 2022, Final Notice of Sale.’’ The BOEM Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official OCS Block Diagrams are available online at https:// www.boem.gov/alaska-cadastral-data. All blocks are shown on the following OPDs: • Iliamna (OPD NO05–01) • Seldovia (OPD NO05–02) • Kenai (OPD NP05–08) The available Federal area of each whole and partial block in this lease sale is shown in the document entitled ‘‘List of Blocks Available for Leasing,’’ which is included in the Final NOS package. Some of these blocks, known as ‘‘partial blocks,’’ may be transected by administrative lines, such as the jurisdictional line between Federal and State waters. A bid on a block must include all of the available Federal area of that block. Bidders should be aware that BOEM has deferred from leasing a total of 17 OCS blocks in the northern portion of the Cook Inlet Planning Area: 10 blocks that overlap with beluga whale designated critical habitat areas (blocks 6759, 6760, 6808, 6809, 6810, 6811, 6858, 6859, 6860, and 6861, as identified under OPD NP05–08) and 7 blocks that overlap with northern sea otter designated critical habitat (blocks 6055, 6056, 6057, 6105, 6106, 6155, as identified under OPD NO05–02, and block 6911, as identified under OPD NP05–08). As a result, BOEM will not include a stipulation entitled ‘‘Protection of Beluga Whale Critical Habitat,’’ which was included as stipulation 5 in the Proposed NOS, since the blocks to which this stipulation would have applied are not being offered for sale. II. Statutes and Regulations Congress directed BOEM to hold Cook Inlet Sale 258 by December 31, 2022, in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117–169). Each lease is issued pursuant to OCSLA, 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq., as amended, and 30 CFR part 556. All leases are subject to OCSLA, its implementing regulations, and other applicable statutes and regulations in existence upon the effective date of the lease. Additionally, all leases are subject to applicable statutes enacted and regulations promulgated thereafter, except to the extent that the after- E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73322-73323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25792]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2020-0018]


Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, Cook Inlet Planning Area, Oil and 
Gas Lease Sale 258

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision.

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

SUMMARY: BOEM announces the availability of the Record of Decision 
(ROD) for the Cook Inlet Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas 
Lease Sale 258. This ROD identifies the selected alternative for Lease 
Sale 258, which is analyzed in the Alaska OCS: Cook Inlet Planning Area 
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 in the Cook Inlet, Alaska; Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) (OCS/EIS EA BOEM 2022-061). The 
ROD and associated information are available on BOEM's website at 
https://www.boem.gov/ak258.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Randall, Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, Alaska Regional Office, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 
Anchorage, Alaska 99503, 907-334-5235.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BOEM is required to hold Lease Sale 258 on 
or before December 31, 2022, pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 
2022 (IRA, Pub. L. 117-169), signed into law on August 16, 2022. The 
Cook Inlet Lease Sale Area is located offshore of the State of Alaska 
in the northern portion of the Federal waters of Cook Inlet and is 
comprised of 224 OCS blocks. BOEM evaluated five alternatives and 
several sub-alternatives in the Lease Sale 258 FEIS. While BOEM has no 
discretion in whether to hold Lease Sale 258, BOEM issued the Lease 
Sale 258 FEIS and is issuing the ROD in accordance with its normal 
leasing process to the fullest extent practicable.
    After careful consideration, the Department of the Interior (DOI) 
has selected the Preferred Alternative in the Lease Sale 258 FEIS. The 
Preferred Alternative combines the two critical habitat exclusion 
alternatives and three mitigation alternatives: Alternative 3A (Beluga 
Whale Critical Habitat Exclusion), Alternative 3C (Beluga Whale 
Nearshore Feeding Areas Mitigation), Alternative 4A (Northern Sea Otter 
Critical Habitat Exclusion), Alternative 4B (Northern Sea Otter 
Critical Habitat Mitigation), and Alternative 5 (Gillnet Fishery 
Mitigation).
    The Preferred Alternative will offer for lease 193 unleased OCS 
blocks (approximately 387,771 hectares (ha) or 958,202 acres). The 
Preferred Alternative excludes the 17 OCS blocks wholly or partially 
overlapping beluga whale and northern sea otter critical habitats. The 
Preferred Alternative also applies additional mitigation measures to 
reduce potential impacts to beluga whales and their critical habitat 
and feeding areas, sea otters and their critical habitat, and the 
gillnet fishery. Each of these mitigations will be implemented through 
lease stipulations to applicable leases. The selection of the Preferred 
Alternative includes the following exclusions and mitigation measures, 
described as alternatives in the FEIS:

Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Exclusion (Alternative 3A)

    This exclusion applies to the 10 OCS blocks that overlap with the 
``Area 2'' beluga whale critical habitat at the northern tip of the 
proposed sale area analyzed in the Lease Sale 258 FEIS. These OCS 
blocks will not be offered for lease and represent approximately 0.85 
percent of the total area of the beluga whale critical habitat.

Beluga Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas Mitigation (Alternative 3C)

    This mitigation measure creates temporal restrictions for on-lease 
seismic survey activities within the Lease Sale Area. On all 193 OCS 
blocks being offered for lease, no on-lease marine seismic surveys will 
be conducted between November 1 and April 1, when beluga whales are 
most likely to be present and distributed across the Lease Sale Area. 
The Protection of Beluga Whales Stipulation will be included on all 
leases issued as a result of Lease Sale 258.
    Additionally, for blocks located within 10 miles of major 
anadromous streams, lessees will not conduct on-lease marine seismic 
surveys between July 1 and September 30, when beluga whales are 
migrating to and from their summer feeding areas. The Protection of 
Beluga Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas Stipulation will be included on 
any leases issued for blocks located within 10 miles of major 
anadromous streams.

Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Exclusion (Alternative 4A)

    This exclusion applies to the 7 OCS blocks that overlap with the 
northern sea otter southwest Alaska distinct population segment (SW 
DPS) critical habitat within the proposed sale area analyzed in the 
Lease Sale 258 FEIS. These OCS blocks will not be offered for lease.

Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Mitigation (Alternative 4B)

    This mitigation measure prohibits lessees from discharging drilling 
fluids and cuttings and conducting seafloor disturbing activities 
(including anchoring and placement of bottom-founded structures) within 
1,000 meters of areas designated as northern sea otter critical 
habitat. The Protection of Northern Sea Otter SW DPS Critical Habitat 
Stipulation will be included on any leases issued on the 7 OCS blocks 
within 1,000 meters of northern sea otter critical habitat.

Gillnet Fishery Mitigation (Alternative 5)

    This mitigation measure applies to the 97 OCS blocks (whole or 
partial) located north of Anchor Point within the Lease Sale Area to 
reduce the potential for conflicts with the drift gillnet fishery. 
Lessees are prohibited from conducting on-lease seismic surveys during 
the drift gillnetting season as designated by the Alaska Department of 
Fish and Game (ADF&G) (approximately mid-June to mid-August). In 
addition, lessees are advised that the Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery 
typically operates on Mondays and Thursdays during the drift 
gillnetting season as designated by the ADF&G. Lessees are required to 
notify the United Cook Inlet Drift Association (UCIDA) of any temporary 
or permanent structures planned during the drift gillnetting season. 
Lessees are encouraged to coordinate with the UCIDA to avoid conflicts. 
The Protection of Gillnet Fishery Stipulation will be included on any 
leases issued for these blocks.
    Each of these Alternatives will be implemented through exclusions 
or lease stipulations, which would apply to all or some of the OCS 
blocks offered for lease. For each of the lease stipulations described 
above, lessees

[[Page 73323]]

may request a variance at the time of filing an ancillary activities 
notice, an exploration plan, or a development and production plan with 
BOEM's Regional Supervisor for Leasing and Plans. Such requests must 
identify alternative methods for providing commensurate protection and 
analyze the effectiveness of those methods.
    There are currently 14 active OCS oil and gas leases in the Cook 
Inlet Planning Area. The Lease Sale Area (Area ID) encompasses 
approximately 442,500 ha or 1.09 million acres, of which approximately 
387,771 ha or 958,202 acres will be offered for lease. The unleased OCS 
blocks within Cook Inlet that BOEM will offer for lease are listed in 
the document entitled ``List of Blocks Available for Leasing,'' which 
is included in the Final Notice of Sale package for Lease Sale 258. The 
estimated resource potential of the area to be leased is 192.3 million 
barrels of oil and 301.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
    BOEM's Alaska Regional Office developed the Preferred Alternative 
after considering public comments on the Draft EIS. BOEM also 
considered the oil and gas resource potential in the Cook Inlet area 
and the likelihood of industry to develop those resources in the 
context of social, economic, and environmental values, impacts, and 
concerns.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (National Environmental Policy 
Act) and 40 CFR parts 1505 and 1506.

Amanda Lefton,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2022-25792 Filed 11-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P
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