Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment for Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, 2251-2252 [2024-00513]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2024 / Notices
from its disclosure, such as unwarranted
privacy invasion, embarrassment, or
injury.
Even if BOEM withholds your
information in the context of this notice,
your comment is subject to the Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) and any
relevant court orders. If your comment
is requested under FOIA or any court
order, your information will only be
withheld if BOEM determines that one
of the FOIA exemptions to disclosure
applies or if the applicable court order
is challenged. BOEM will make its
determination in accordance with the
Department’s FOIA regulations and
applicable law.
Please label privileged or confidential
information as ‘‘Contains Confidential
Information,’’ and consider submitting
such information as a separate
attachment. BOEM may consider
information that is not labeled as
privileged or confidential as suitable for
public release.
Request for Comment: BOEM requests
data, comments, views, information,
analysis, or suggestions relevant to the
analysis of the Proposed Action from
the public; affected Federal, Tribal,
State, and local governments, agencies,
and offices; the scientific community;
industry; or any other interested party.
Specifically, BOEM requests
information on the following topics:
1. In an effort to fully meet the intent
of Executive Order (E.O.) 12898,
‘‘Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-Income
Populations,’’ and E.O. 14096,
‘‘Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment
to Environmental Justice for All,’’
BOEM is considering several AMMM
measures intended to mitigate impacts
to communities with environmental
justice (EJ) concerns. These measures
include communication plans,
provision of mitigation resources, and
reporting requirements (AMMM
measures EJ–1 through EJ–3). BOEM
seeks input on the potential for these
measures to reduce impacts on
communities with EJ concerns. In
addition, BOEM developed an EJ
compensatory mitigation framework
(EJ–4), per guidance issued by the
Federal Interagency Working Group on
Environmental Justice and NEPA
Committee in its report ‘‘Promising
Practices for EJ Methodologies in NEPA
Reviews’’ (2016). On page 48, the
guidance states that agencies ‘‘may wish
to consider appropriate compensating
mitigation’’ when there are unavoidable
adverse impacts to environmental
justice populations.
EJ engagement participants have
indicated that offshore wind energy
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development has potential for impacts
that are not identified in advance of
construction and operations. Therefore,
BOEM is seeking feedback on the
proposed language outlined in the EJ
compensatory mitigation AMMM
measure (EJ–4) to address impacts that
cannot be avoided or minimized. In
particular, BOEM requests feedback on
the following: (1) the lessee’s financial
contribution and how it is calculated
over the life of mitigation
implementation; (2) what constitutes an
eligible impact to receive compensation;
(3) appropriate level of description and
guidance surrounding a board of
trustees to administer the compensatory
mitigation funds, including its
composition, bylaws, governance, and
oversight; (4) fund management criteria
that need to be stated at the
programmatic stage to advance equity
considerations; (5) fund distribution
objectives; and (6) defining recipients of
fund distributions.
2. BOEM is soliciting feedback on
AMMM measures related to measuring,
monitoring, and reducing noise and its
impacts on marine life. Specifically,
BOEM seeks information on operational
measures, noise abatement technologies,
and other techniques and procedures
that may be helpful to meet any marine
noise reduction targets or to reduce the
impact of any noise introduced into the
marine environment; the cost and
commercial feasibility of such measures
and technologies in meeting a target;
and what criteria BOEM should
consider in determining whether a
specific project could be exempted from
a target. BOEM is also seeking similar
feedback on AMMM measures related to
sound field verification and long-term
passive acoustic monitoring. BOEM
requests feedback on the currently
written acoustic assessment and the use
of the relativistic risk assessment
framework (appendix J in draft PEIS).
BOEM appreciates any information that
can help improve its applicability to the
NY Bight and future projects.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.
(NEPA, as amended), and 40 CFR
1506.6.
Karen Baker,
Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024–00512 Filed 1–11–24; 8:45 am]
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2251
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM–2024–0004]
Notice of Availability of a Draft
Environmental Assessment for
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and
Site Assessment Activities on the
Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf
Offshore Delaware, Maryland, and
Virginia
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) announces the
availability of a draft environmental
assessment (EA) to consider the
potential environmental impacts
associated with possible wind energyrelated leasing, site assessment, and site
characterization activities on the U.S.
Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
This notice of availability (NOA)
announces the start of the public review
and comment period, as well as the
dates and times for public meetings on
the draft EA. After BOEM holds the
public meetings and addresses public
comments submitted during the review
period, BOEM will publish a final EA.
The EA will inform BOEM’s decision
whether to issue wind energy leases in
the Central Atlantic Wind Energy Areas
(WEAs).
DATES: Comments must be received no
later than February 12, 2024. BOEM’s
virtual public meetings will be held on
the following dates at the times (eastern
time) indicated.
• Tuesday, January 30; 5:00 p.m.
• Thursday, February 1; 1:00 p.m.
Registration for the virtual public
meeting is required and may be
completed at https://www.boem.gov/
renewable-energy/state-activities/
central-atlantic. Meeting information
will be sent to registrants via their email
address provided during registration.
ADDRESSES: The draft EA and detailed
information about the Central Atlantic
WEAs can be found on BOEM’s website
at: https://www.boem.gov/renewableenergy/state-activities/central-atlantic.
Comments can be submitted in any of
the following ways:
• Orally or in written form during any
of the public meetings identified in this
NOA.
• In written form by mail or any other
delivery service, enclosed in an
envelope labeled ‘‘Central Atlantic
Wind Leasing EA’’ and addressed to
Chief, Office of Renewable Energy
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\12JAN1.SGM
12JAN1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
2252
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2024 / Notices
Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, 45600 Woodland Road,
Mailstop VAM–OREP, Sterling, VA
20166.
• Through the regulations.gov web
portal: Navigate to https://
www.regulations.gov and search for
Docket No. BOEM–2024–0004. Click on
the ‘‘Comment’’ button below the
document link. Enter your information
and comment, then click ‘‘Submit
Comment.’’
For more information about
submitting comments, please see
‘‘Information on Submitting Comments’’
under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
heading below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jessica Stromberg, BOEM Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 45600
Woodland Road, VAM–OREP, Sterling,
Virginia 20166, (703) 787–1730 or
jessica.stromberg@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action: The draft EA
analyzes the proposed action, which is
issuing wind energy leases in the
Central Atlantic WEAs, and the no
action alternative. The lease sale itself
would not authorize any activities on
the OCS. Therefore, the EA considers
the reasonably foreseeable
environmental consequences of site
characterization surveys (i.e., biological,
archeological, geological and
geophysical surveys, and core samples)
and site assessment activities (i.e.,
installation of meteorological buoys),
which are expected to take place
following lease issuance. BOEM decided
to prepare an EA for this proposed
action in order to assist the agency’s
planning and decision-making (40 CFR
1501.5(b)).
Availability of the Draft EA: The draft
EA and associated information are
available on BOEM’s website at: https://
www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/stateactivities/central-atlantic. If you require
a digital copy on a flash drive or a paper
copy, BOEM will provide one upon
request, if supplies are available. You
may request a flash drive or paper copy
of the draft EA by contacting Lisa
Landers at (703) 787–1520 or
lisa.landers@boem.gov.
Cooperating Agencies: The following
Federal agencies participated as
cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the draft EA: the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement, National
Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, and the
Environmental Protection Agency. The
Town of Ocean City, Maryland, also
participated as a cooperating agency in
the preparation of the draft EA.
Information on Submitting
Comments: All comments from
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00:38 Jan 12, 2024
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identified individuals, businesses, and
organizations will be available for
public viewing on regulations.gov. Note
that BOEM will make available for
public inspection all comments
submitted by organizations and
businesses, or by individuals identifying
themselves as representatives of
organizations or businesses.
a. Freedom of Information Act
BOEM will protect privileged or
confidential information that you
submit as required by the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA). Exemption 4 of
FOIA applies to trade secrets and
commercial or financial information
that is privileged or confidential. If you
wish to protect the confidentiality of
such information, clearly label it and
request that BOEM treat it as
confidential. BOEM will not disclose
such information if BOEM determines
under 30 CFR 585.114(b) that 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 information
or any comments not containing
privileged or confidential information.
Information that is not labeled as
privileged or confidential may be
regarded by BOEM as suitable for public
release.
b. Personally Identifiable Information
BOEM discourages 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 (PII) that you
include, may be made publicly
available.
For BOEM to consider withholding
your PII from disclosure, 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. Even if BOEM
withholds your information in the
context of this notice, your comment is
subject to FOIA. If your comment is
requested under FOIA, BOEM will
withhold your information only if it
determines that one of FOIA’s
exemptions to disclosure applies. Such
a determination will be made in
accordance with the Department’s FOIA
regulations and applicable law.
PO 00000
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c. Section 304 of the NHPA (54 U.S.C.
307103(a))
After consultation with the Secretary,
BOEM is required 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.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.
(NEPA, as amended) and 40 CFR 1506.6.
Karen J. Baker,
Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024–00513 Filed 1–11–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340–98–P
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
[Investigation. No. 337–TA–1385]
Certain Furniture Products Finished
With Decorative Wood Grain Paper and
Components Thereof; Notice of
Institution of Investigation
International Trade
Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that a
complaint was filed with the U.S.
International Trade Commission on
December 7, 2023 under section 337 of
the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on
behalf of Toppan Interamerica, Inc. of
McDonough, Georgia. A supplement
was filed on January 3, 2024. The
complaint alleges violations of section
337 based upon the importation into the
United States, the sale for importation,
and the sale within the United States
after importation of certain furniture
products finished with decorative wood
grain paper and components thereof by
reason of infringement of one of U.S.
Copyright Registration No. VA 2–142–
287 (‘‘the ‘287 copyright’’), U.S.
Copyright Registration No. VA 2–176–
002 (‘‘the ‘002 copyright’’), U.S.
Copyright Registration No. VA 2–142–
295 (‘‘the ‘295 copyright’’), or U.S.
Copyright Registration No. VA 2–142–
292 (‘‘the 292 copyright’’). The
complaint further alleges that an
industry in the United States exists as
required by the applicable Federal
Statute. The complainant requests that
the Commission institute an
investigation and, after the
investigation, issue a limited exclusion
order and a cease and desist order.
ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for
any confidential information contained
SUMMARY:
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 9 (Friday, January 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2251-2252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00513]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2024-0004]
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment for
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the
Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Delaware, Maryland, and
Virginia
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the
availability of a draft environmental assessment (EA) to consider the
potential environmental impacts associated with possible wind energy-
related leasing, site assessment, and site characterization activities
on the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This notice of
availability (NOA) announces the start of the public review and comment
period, as well as the dates and times for public meetings on the draft
EA. After BOEM holds the public meetings and addresses public comments
submitted during the review period, BOEM will publish a final EA. The
EA will inform BOEM's decision whether to issue wind energy leases in
the Central Atlantic Wind Energy Areas (WEAs).
DATES: Comments must be received no later than February 12, 2024.
BOEM's virtual public meetings will be held on the following dates at
the times (eastern time) indicated.
Tuesday, January 30; 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 1; 1:00 p.m.
Registration for the virtual public meeting is required and may be
completed at https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/central-atlantic. Meeting information will be sent to registrants via
their email address provided during registration.
ADDRESSES: The draft EA and detailed information about the Central
Atlantic WEAs can be found on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/central-atlantic. Comments can be
submitted in any of the following ways:
Orally or in written form during any of the public
meetings identified in this NOA.
In written form by mail or any other delivery service,
enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Central Atlantic Wind Leasing EA''
and addressed to Chief, Office of Renewable Energy
[[Page 2252]]
Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road,
Mailstop VAM-OREP, Sterling, VA 20166.
Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to
https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2024-0004.
Click on the ``Comment'' button below the document link. Enter your
information and comment, then click ``Submit Comment.''
For more information about submitting comments, please see
``Information on Submitting Comments'' under the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION heading below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Stromberg, BOEM Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OREP, Sterling,
Virginia 20166, (703) 787-1730 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action: The draft EA analyzes the proposed action, which
is issuing wind energy leases in the Central Atlantic WEAs, and the no
action alternative. The lease sale itself would not authorize any
activities on the OCS. Therefore, the EA considers the reasonably
foreseeable environmental consequences of site characterization surveys
(i.e., biological, archeological, geological and geophysical surveys,
and core samples) and site assessment activities (i.e., installation of
meteorological buoys), which are expected to take place following lease
issuance. BOEM decided to prepare an EA for this proposed action in
order to assist the agency's planning and decision-making (40 CFR
1501.5(b)).
Availability of the Draft EA: The draft EA and associated
information are available on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/central-atlantic. If you require a
digital copy on a flash drive or a paper copy, BOEM will provide one
upon request, if supplies are available. You may request a flash drive
or paper copy of the draft EA by contacting Lisa Landers at (703) 787-
1520 or [email protected].
Cooperating Agencies: The following Federal agencies participated
as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the draft EA: the Bureau
of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, National Marine Fisheries
Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Environmental Protection
Agency. The Town of Ocean City, Maryland, also participated as a
cooperating agency in the preparation of the draft EA.
Information on Submitting Comments: All comments from identified
individuals, businesses, and organizations will be available for public
viewing on regulations.gov. Note that BOEM will make available for
public inspection all comments submitted by organizations and
businesses, or by individuals identifying themselves as representatives
of organizations or businesses.
a. Freedom of Information Act
BOEM will protect privileged or confidential information that you
submit as required by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Exemption
4 of FOIA applies to trade secrets and commercial or financial
information that is privileged or confidential. If you wish to protect
the confidentiality of such information, clearly label it and request
that BOEM treat it as confidential. BOEM will not disclose such
information if BOEM determines under 30 CFR 585.114(b) that 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
information or any comments not containing privileged or confidential
information. Information that is not labeled as privileged or
confidential may be regarded by BOEM as suitable for public release.
b. Personally Identifiable Information
BOEM discourages 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 (PII) that you include, may be made publicly
available.
For BOEM to consider withholding your PII from disclosure, 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. Even if BOEM withholds your information in the
context of this notice, your comment is subject to FOIA. If your
comment is requested under FOIA, BOEM will withhold your information
only if it determines that one of FOIA's exemptions to disclosure
applies. Such a determination will be made in accordance with the
Department's FOIA regulations and applicable law.
c. Section 304 of the NHPA (54 U.S.C. 307103(a))
After consultation with the Secretary, BOEM is required 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.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq. (NEPA, as amended) and 40 CFR
1506.6.
Karen J. Baker,
Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-00513 Filed 1-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P