Potential Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf-Request for Competitive Interest, 60913-60918 [2024-16626]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Notices
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Darrin A. King,
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[FR Doc. 2024–16619 Filed 7–26–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM–2024–0039]
Potential Commercial Leasing for Wind
Power Development on the Gulf of
Mexico Outer Continental Shelf—
Request for Competitive Interest
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Interior.
ACTION: Public notice of an unsolicited
request for a Commercial Outer
AGENCY:
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60913
Continental Shelf Wind Lease, request
for competitive interest, and request for
public comment.
The purpose of this public
notice is to: describe the unsolicited
proposal submitted to the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) by
Hecate Energy Gulf Wind LLC (Hecate
Energy) to acquire an outer continental
shelf (OCS) commercial wind energy
lease; solicit indications of interest in
acquiring two commercial leases for
wind energy development on the OCS
in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) in the
areas described in this notice; and
solicit public input regarding the areas
described in this notice, the potential
environmental consequences associated
with wind energy development in the
areas, and existing and planned
multiple uses of the areas.
DATES: Submissions indicating your
interest in or providing comments on
commercial leasing within the request
for competitive interest (RFCI) Areas
must be received no later than
September 12, 2024. Late submissions
may not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Please submit indications of
interest in acquiring a commercial wind
energy lease within the RFCI Areas
electronically via email to
renewableenergygomr@boem.gov or
hard copy by mail to the following
address: Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Office of Leasing and
Plans, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123. If you
elect to mail a hard copy, also include
an electronic copy on a portable storage
device.
Please submit comments or other
information concerning research or
commercial activities within the RFCI
Areas by either of the following two
methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. In the entry
entitled, ‘‘Search for dockets and
documents on agency actions,’’ enter
BOEM–2024–0039, and then click
‘‘search.’’ Follow the instructions to
submit public comments and view
supporting and related materials
available for this notice.
2. By Mail to the Following Address:
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
Office of Leasing and Plans, 1201
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123.
Treatment of confidential information
is addressed in the section of this notice
entitled, ‘‘Protection of Privileged or
Confidential Information.’’ BOEM will
post all comments on regulations.gov
unless labeled as confidential.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karoline DiPerna, BOEM Office of
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Notices
Leasing and Plans, 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123, (504) 736–5722, or
karoline.diperna@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Purpose of This Request for
Competitive Interest
Responses to this public notice will
allow BOEM to determine, pursuant to
30 CFR 585.231, whether there is
competitive interest in acquiring an
OCS commercial wind energy lease in
the RFCI Areas. In addition, this notice
provides an opportunity for the public
to comment on the RFCI Areas, the
proposed project, and any potential
impacts wind energy development in
the RFCI Areas may have. BOEM may
use comments received to further
identify and refine the areas being
considered for wind energy
development and inform future
environmental analyses related to the
project.
This RFCI is published pursuant to
subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act,
43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3), and BOEM’s
regulations at 30 CFR part 585.
Subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act
requires that OCS renewable energy
leases, easements, and rights-of-way be
issued ‘‘on a competitive basis unless
the Secretary [of the Interior] determines
after public notice of a proposed lease,
easement, or right-of-way that there is
no competitive interest.’’ This RFCI
provides public notice for the areas
requested by Hecate Energy described
below in the section ‘‘Description of the
RFCI Areas’’ and invites the submission
of indications of interest in acquiring
commercial wind energy leases within
the RFCI Areas. Parties who would like
to express competitive interest in the
RFCI Areas should submit detailed and
specific information, as described in the
section entitled, ‘‘Required Indication of
Interest Information.’’ BOEM will
consider the responses to this public
notice to determine whether
competitive interest exists in the RFCI
Areas.
This notice also requests that
interested and affected parties comment
and provide information about site
conditions and any existing or planned
multiple uses within the RFCI Areas
that may be relevant to the proposed
project or its potential impacts.
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Background
On February 16, 2024, BOEM received
an unsolicited application from Hecate
Energy for two commercial wind energy
leases on the GOM OCS in Wind Energy
Area (WEA) options C and D. Hecate
Energy’s proposed Gulf Wind Offshore
Wind Project 2 (Gulf Wind 2) aims to
generate up to 2 gigawatts (GW) of
renewable energy in the GOM. Hecate
Energy proposes multiple potential uses
for this renewable energy, including
interconnection to the electric grid, sale
in power purchase agreements to private
offtakers, or use for Wind-to-X
technologies through which offshore
wind energy is used to produce another
energy resource.
The proposed Gulf Wind 2 project
would consist of up to 133 fixed-bottom
wind turbine generators (WTGs), each
with a capacity of 15–23 megawatts
(MW). This would result in an overall
maximum capacity of approximately
3,000 MW. Each turbine would be
deployed on fixed monopile or jacket
foundation types. Turbines would be
connected by interconnection cables
that are connected to an onshore
transition point by an export
transmission cable. Export cables may
run separately from each of the two
lease areas, or the lease areas may be
joined offshore with one substation and
one central export cable. Following
extensive research on points of
interconnection (POI) in Texas and
Louisiana, Hecate narrowed its
selections to three POI and continues to
examine 12 potential landfall locations
with paths to three designated
substations.
More information about Hecate
Energy’s unsolicited lease request can
be viewed at https://www.boem.gov/
renewable-energy/state-activities/gulfmexico-activities.
Determination of Competitive Interest
and the Leasing Process
After the publication of this notice,
BOEM will evaluate expressions of
interest in acquiring a commercial wind
energy lease in the RFCI Areas. At the
conclusion of the comment period for
this public notice, BOEM will review
the submissions received and undertake
a completeness review for each of those
submissions and a qualification review
for each of the nominating entities.
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BOEM will then determine whether
competitive interest exists.
If, in response to this notice, BOEM
receives one or more expressions of
interest in acquiring a commercial wind
energy lease from qualified entities who
would like to compete for the RFCI
Areas, BOEM may decide to move
forward with the lease issuance process
using competitive procedures pursuant
to 30 CFR 585.211–585.225. If BOEM
receives no competing expressions of
interest from qualified companies,
BOEM may decide to move forward
with the lease issuance process using
the noncompetitive procedures
contained in 30 CFR 585.231.
If BOEM decides to proceed with
issuing a lease in the RFCI Areas,
whether competitively or
noncompetitively, it will comply with
all applicable requirements and provide
the public with additional opportunities
to provide input pursuant to 30 CFR
part 585 and other applicable laws, such
as the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA). BOEM will also coordinate
and consult, as appropriate, with
relevant Federal agencies, affected
Tribes, affected state agencies, and
affected local governments during the
lease development and issuance
process.
We note that a lease, whether issued
through a competitive or
noncompetitive process, does not grant
the lessee the right to construct any
facilities on the lease. A lease would
only grant the lessee the exclusive right
to submit site assessment and
construction and operations plans (30
CFR 585.600 and 585.601) to BOEM for
approval before the lessee may proceed
to the next stage of lease development.
Description of the RFCI Areas
The RFCI Areas are located in WEA
options C and D off the coast of
Southeast Texas. WEA C totals 74,240
acres, and WEA D totals 68,288 acres.
The combined areas comprise
approximately 142,528 acres. Both areas
are located within the Gulf of Mexico
Call Area, which is located within the
Central Planning Area and Western
Planning Area on the OCS portion of the
Gulf of Mexico. See Figure 1 and Table
1, below.
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Figure 1. Map of the RFCI Areas
TABLE 1—LIST OF OCS BLOCKS INCLUDED IN THE RFCI AREAS
Protraction No.
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Block No.
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Protraction Name
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Notices
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Required Indication of Interest
Information
If you intend to submit an expression
of interest in acquiring a commercial
wind lease within the RFCI Areas, you
must provide the following:
(1) The BOEM protraction name,
number, and specific whole or partial
OCS blocks within the RFCI Areas that
are of interest for commercial wind
leasing, including any required buffer
area(s). If your area(s) includes partial
blocks, include the sub-block letter(s)
(A–P). Additionally, this information
should be submitted as a spatial file
compatible with ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0 in a
geographic coordinate system (NAD 83)
in addition to your hard copy
submission. If your submission includes
one or more partial blocks, please
describe those partial blocks in terms of
one sixteenth (i.e., a sub-block) of an
OCS block.
Any request for a commercial wind
lease located outside of the RFCI Areas
should be submitted separately
pursuant to 30 CFR 585.230.
(2) A general description of your
objectives and the facilities that you
would use to achieve those objectives;
(3) A general schedule of proposed
activities, including those leading to the
development of a commercial wind
energy project within the RFCI Areas;
(4) Available and pertinent data and
information concerning renewable
energy resources and environmental
conditions in the area that you would
like to lease, including energy and
resource data and information used to
evaluate the area of interest. Where
applicable, spatial information should
be submitted in a format compatible
with ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0 either in NAD 83
or unprojected;
(5) Documentation demonstrating that
you are legally qualified to hold a lease
as set forth in 30 CFR 585.107–585.108.
Legal qualification documents will be
placed in an official file that may be
made available for public review. If you
would like any part of your legal
qualification documentation to be kept
confidential, clearly identify what
should be kept confidential, and submit
it under separate cover (see ‘‘Protection
of Privileged or Confidential
Information’’ below); and
(6) Documentation demonstrating that
you are technically and financially
capable of constructing, operating,
maintaining, and decommissioning the
facilities described in paragraph (2)
above. Guidance regarding the
documentation that could be used to
demonstrate your technical and
financial qualifications can be found at:
https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-
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Energy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/QualificationGuidelinespdf.aspx. If you would like any part of
your technical and financial
qualification documentation to be kept
confidential, clearly identify what
should be kept confidential, and submit
it under separate cover (see ‘‘Protection
of Privileged or Confidential
Information’’ below).
It is critical that you provide a
complete submission of interest so that
BOEM may consider your submission in
a timely manner. If BOEM reviews your
submission and determines that it is
incomplete, BOEM will inform you of
this determination in writing and
describe the information that BOEM
needs from you to deem your
submission complete. You will be given
15 business days from the date of the
letter to provide any information that
BOEM has determined is missing from
your original submission. If you do not
meet this deadline, or if BOEM
determines that your second submission
is also insufficient, BOEM may deem
your submission invalid. In such a case,
BOEM will not consider your
submission.
limited to, the use of the areas, the
fishing gear used, seasonal use, and
recommendations for reducing use
conflicts.
5. Available and pertinent data and
information concerning renewable
energy resources and environmental
conditions. Where applicable, spatial
information should be submitted in a
format compatible with ArcGIS Pro
3.1.0 in a geographic coordinate system
(NAD 83).
6. Information relating to visual
resources and aesthetics, the potential
impacts of wind turbines and associated
infrastructure to those resources, and
potential strategies to help mitigate or
minimize any visual effects.
7. Other relevant socioeconomic,
cultural, biological, and environmental
information.
8. Any other relevant information
BOEM should consider during its
planning and decision-making process
for the purpose of issuing leases in the
RFCI Areas.
Requested Information From Interested
or Affected Parties
BOEM is also requesting specific and
detailed comments from the public and
interested or affected parties regarding
the following:
1. Geological, geophysical, and
biological bathymetric conditions
(including shallow hazards and live
bottom).
2. Known archaeological or cultural
resource sites on the seabed.
3. Information regarding the
identification of historic properties or
potential effects to historic properties
from leasing, site assessment activities
(including the construction of
meteorological towers or the installation
of meteorological buoys), or commercial
wind energy development in the RFCI
Areas. This includes potential offshore
and onshore archaeological sites or
historic properties within or near the
RFCI Areas that could potentially be
affected by renewable energy activities
within the RFCI Areas. This information
will inform BOEM’s review of future
undertakings under section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA) and under NEPA.
4. Information about potentially
conflicting uses of the RFCI Areas,
including, but not limited to, navigation
(in particular, commercial and
recreational vessel use); significant
sediment resource areas; oil and gas
leasing; and recreational and
commercial fisheries including, but not
Freedom of Information Act
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Protection of Privileged or Confidential
Information
BOEM will protect privileged or
confidential information you submit
when 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
would like to protect the confidentiality
of such information, please identify and
clearly label it with ‘‘Contains
Confidential Information’’ and request
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 privileged
or confidential information or
comments not containing such
privileged or confidential information.
Information that is not labeled as
privileged or confidential may be
regarded by BOEM as suitable for public
release. Additionally, BOEM will not
treat as confidential (1) the legal title of
any entity submitting an indication of
interest (for example, the name of your
company), or (2) the list of whole or
partial blocks that you are indicating an
interest in leasing.
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Personally Identifiable Information
BOEM encourages you not to submit
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 personally
identifiable information (PII) included
in your comment, may be made publicly
available. All submissions from
identified individuals, businesses, and
organizations will be available for
public viewing on regulations.gov. For
BOEM to withhold 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.
Section 304 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470w–3(a))
BOEM is required, after consultation
with the Secretary, to withhold the
location, character, or ownership of
historic resources if it determines
disclosure may, among other things, risk
harm to the historic resources or impede
the use of a traditional religious site by
practitioners. Those providing
information eligible for protection under
section 304 of NHPA should designate
such information as confidential.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
BOEM’s Environmental Review Process
BOEM prepared a programmatic
environmental assessment (EA) under
NEPA and conducted some
programmatic consultations in the Call
Area of the Gulf of Mexico to consider
the environmental consequences
associated with issuing commercial
wind energy leases. The EA assesses the
potential environmental impacts from
the issuance of up to 18 leases within
the Call Area. This EA is available to the
public and can be viewed at https://
www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/
documents/renewable-energy/stateactivities/GOM%20Wind%20Lease%20
EA_0.pdf. The EA considered the
reasonably foreseeable environmental
consequences associated with leasing,
such as site characterization activities
(including geophysical, geotechnical,
archaeological, and biological surveys)
and site assessment activities (including
installation of a meteorological buoy).
BOEM’s environmental analysis found
no significant impacts. BOEM released a
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI), available online at https://
www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/
documents/renewable-energy/state-
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activities/FONSI_Signed20230524.pdf.
Additional, site-specific NEPA would be
conducted later in the process if a lessee
obtains a lease and submits a project
plan. BOEM also conducted
programmatic consultations
concurrently with, and integrated into,
the NEPA process for granting a lease.
Existing consultations for the
Endangered Species Act and the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
provide programmatic coverage in this
area. Additional consultations for the
Coastal Zone Management Act, section
106 of the NHPA, and Executive Order
13175, ‘‘Consultation and Coordination
with Tribal Governments,’’ would be
conducted during review of a potential
project plan. Before BOEM allows a
lessee to begin construction of a wind
energy project in the RFCI Areas, BOEM
will consider the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of any wind
energy facility under a separate, projectspecific environmental review process.
This separate environmental review
process would include additional
opportunities for public involvement.
Determination of Competitive Interest
and Leasing Process
1. Determination of Competitive
Interest: Section 8(p)(3) of OCSLA states
that ‘‘the Secretary shall issue a lease,
easement, or right-of-way . . . on a
competitive basis unless the Secretary
determines after public notice of a
proposed lease, easement, or right-ofway that there is no competitive
interest.’’ Accordingly, BOEM must first
determine whether there is competitive
interest in acquiring a lease within the
RFCI Areas to develop offshore wind
energy. At the conclusion of the
comment period for this RFCI, BOEM
will review the expressions of interest
received and determine if competitive
interest exists in any part of the RFCI
Areas. For areas with competitive
interest, BOEM may consider
proceeding with competitive leasing as
described in the section of this RFCI
entitled, ‘‘Competitive Leasing Process.’’
For areas where BOEM determines that
only one entity is interested, BOEM may
consider proceeding with
noncompetitive leasing, as described in
the section entitled, ‘‘Noncompetitive
Leasing Process.’’
If BOEM determines that competitive
interest exists in the RFCI Areas and
identifies those areas as appropriate to
lease, BOEM may hold a competitive
lease sale on any or all portions of the
RFCI Areas. In the event BOEM holds
such a lease sale, all qualified bidders,
including those bidders that did not
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60917
submit an expression of interest in
response to this RFCI, will be able to
participate in the lease sale. BOEM
reserves the right not to lease any or all
portions of the RFCI Areas or to modify
such areas from their original, proposed
form before offering them for lease.
2. Competitive Leasing Process: BOEM
will follow the steps required by 30 CFR
585.211 through 585.226 if it decides to
proceed with the competitive leasing
process in the RFCI Areas. A Call for
Information was issued on November 1,
2021, which includes the areas
requested in this RFCI. On May 25,
2023, BOEM announced the availability
of the final EA (https://www.boem.gov/
sites/default/files/documents/
renewable-energy/state-activities/
GOM%20Wind%20Lease%20EA_0.pdf)
and that it had conducted consultations
required by the Coastal Zone
Management Act, the Endangered
Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, section 106 of the NHPA, and
Executive Order 13175—‘‘Consultation
and Coordination with Tribal
Governments.’’ Therefore, the next steps
in the leasing process would include:
a. Area Identification: Based on the
information received in response to this
RFCI, BOEM would typically determine
the level of commercial interest and
identify the areas that would be
appropriate to analyze for potential
leasing, which would constitute the
final WEAs. In this situation, because
WEAs have already been finalized, this
step would likely not be necessary.
b. Proposed Sale Notice (PSN): If
BOEM decides to proceed with a
competitive lease sale within the WEAs,
BOEM will publish a PSN in the
Federal Register with a comment period
of 60 days. The PSN would describe the
areas BOEM intends to offer for leasing,
the proposed conditions of a lease sale,
the proposed auction format of the lease
sale, and the lease instrument, including
lease addenda. Additionally, the PSN
would describe the criteria and process
for evaluating bids in the lease sale.
c. Final Sale Notice (FSN): After
considering the comments on the PSN,
if BOEM decides to proceed with a
competitive lease sale, it will publish an
FSN in the Federal Register at least 30
days before the date of the lease sale.
d. Bid Submission and Evaluation:
Following publication of the FSN in the
Federal Register, BOEM would offer the
lease areas through a competitive sale
process, using procedures specified in
the FSN. BOEM would review the sale,
including bids and bid deposits, for
technical and legal adequacy, and
ensure that bidders have complied with
all applicable regulations. BOEM
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Notices
reserves the right to reject any or all bids
and to withdraw an offer to lease an
area, even after bids have been
submitted.
e. Issuance of a Lease: Following
identification of the winning bid on a
lease area, BOEM would notify the
successful bidder and provide a set of
official lease documents for signature.
BOEM requires a successful bidder to
sign and return the lease, pay the
remainder of the bonus bid, if
applicable, and file the required
financial assurance within 10 business
days of receiving the lease documents.
Upon receipt of the required payments,
financial assurance, and properly signed
lease forms, BOEM may execute a lease
with the successful bidder.
3. Noncompetitive Leasing Process:
BOEM’s noncompetitive leasing process
would include the following steps:
a. Determination of No Competitive
Interest: If, after evaluating all relevant
information, BOEM determines there is
no competitive interest in all or a
portion of the RFCI Areas, it may
proceed with the noncompetitive lease
issuance process under 30 CFR
585.231(d) through (j), which includes
the publication of a determination of no
competitive interest in the Federal
Register. Hecate Energy would be
responsible for paying a fee for the
processing costs under 30 CFR 585.112,
including any environmental review
that BOEM may require before lease
issuance. Hecate Energy also would be
responsible for submitting any required
consistency certification and necessary
data and information in a timely manner
pursuant to 15 CFR part 930, subpart D,
to the applicable State CZMA agency or
agencies and BOEM.
b. Review of Lease Request: BOEM
would complete all required
consultations and environmental
analyses before issuing a lease
noncompetitively. Further, BOEM
would coordinate and consult, as
appropriate, with relevant Federal
agencies, federally recognized Tribes,
affected State and local governments,
and other affected or interested parties
in formulating lease terms, conditions,
and stipulations.
c. Lease Issuance: After completing its
review of the lease request, BOEM may
offer one or two noncompetitive leases
to Hecate Energy covering all or a
portion of WEAs C and D. Within 10
business days of receiving the lease(s),
Hecate Energy must execute them and
provide a lease-specific bond or other
authorized financial assurance in the
amount of 12 months’ rent for each
lease, under 30 CFR 585.516, to
guarantee compliance with all terms
and conditions of each lease. No later
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:51 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
than 45 days of receiving the executed
lease(s) from BOEM, the lessee must pay
BOEM the first 12 months’ rent for each
lease.
Elizabeth Klein,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2024–16626 Filed 7–26–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340–98–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
Notice Pursuant to the National
Cooperative Research and Production
Act of 1993—Z-Wave Alliance
Notice is hereby given that, on June
14, 2024, pursuant to section 6(a) of the
National Cooperative Research and
Production Act of 1993, 15 U.S.C. 4301
et seq. (‘‘the Act’’), Z-Wave Alliance,
Inc. (the ‘‘Joint Venture’’) filed written
notifications simultaneously with the
Attorney General and the Federal Trade
Commission disclosing changes in its
membership. The notifications were
filed for the purpose of extending the
Act’s provisions limiting the recovery of
antitrust plaintiffs to actual damages
under specified circumstances.
Specifically, Consumer 2.0 DBA
Rently.com, Los Angeles, CA; Hearo,
Springfield, MO; and Nabu Casa, Inc.,
Dover, DE, have joined as parties to the
venture.
Also, System and Network
Engineering Srl, Roma, ITALY; Swidget
Corp., Kingston, CANADA; Sky
Telecom Ingenieria S.L., Bilbao-Vizcaya,
SPAIN; HELTUN, Inc., Los Altos Hills,
CA; iGuard Home Solutions, Inc.,
Seattle, WA; Guangzhou MCOHome
Technology Co., LTD., Guangzhou,
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA;
Hangzhou Roombanker Technology Co.,
Ltd., Hangzhou City, PEOPLE’S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA; Leak Intelligence
LLC, Franklin, TN; SHENZHEN NEO
ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Shenzhen,
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA;
EcoDim, Doetinchem, THE
NETHERLANDS; ZWaveProducts.com,
Iselin, NJ; SHARP FUKUYAMA
SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.,
Fukuyama, JAPAN; Sharp Corporation,
Osaka-fu, JAPAN; JEEDOM SAS,
Rillieux La Pape, FRANCE; Shenzhen
Sunricher Technology Limited,
Shenzhen, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA; Springs Window Fashions,
LLC, Middleton, WI; ZOME Energy
Networks, Inc., Hollis, NH; Sentegrate
Pty Ltd., NSW, AUSTRALIA;
Beaumotica, Breda, THE
NETHERLANDS; Smart Home SA,
Gland, SWITZERLAND; Buffalo, Inc.,
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Nagoya, JAPAN; Oy K1 Services Ab,
Jakobstad, FINLAND; JV Innovation
LLC, East Wakefield, NH; Hank Smart
Tech Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, PEOPLE’S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA; Duke Energy
Business Services LLC, Charlotte, NC;
Masonite Corporation, Tampa, FL; and
Passiv UK Limited, Newbury, UNITED
KINGDOM, have withdrawn as parties
to the venture.
No other changes have been made in
either the membership or the planned
activity of the venture. Membership in
this venture remains open, and the Joint
Venture intends to file additional
written notifications disclosing all
changes in membership.
On November 19, 2020, the Joint
Venture filed its original notification
pursuant to section 6(a) of the Act. The
Department of Justice published a notice
in the Federal Register pursuant to
section 6(b) of the Act on December 1,
2020 (85 FR 77241).
The last notification was filed with
the Department on January 26, 2024. A
notice was published in the Federal
Register pursuant to section 6(b) of the
Act on March 13, 2024 (89 FR 18438).
Suzanne Morris,
Deputy Director Civil Enforcement
Operations, Antitrust Division.
[FR Doc. 2024–16602 Filed 7–26–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
[Docket No. DEA–1391]
Importer of Controlled Substances
Application: Galephar Pharmaceutical
Research Inc
Drug Enforcement
Administration, Justice.
ACTION: Notice of application.
AGENCY:
Galephar Pharmaceutical
Research Inc has applied to be
registered as an importer of basic
class(es) of controlled substance(s).
Refer to Supplementary Information
listed below for further drug
information.
DATES: Registered bulk manufacturers of
the affected basic class(es), and
applicants, therefore, may submit
electronic comments on or objections to
the issuance of the proposed registration
on or before August 28, 2024. Such
persons may also file a written request
for a hearing on the application on or
before August 28, 2024.
ADDRESSES: The Drug Enforcement
Administration requires that all
comments be submitted electronically
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 145 (Monday, July 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60913-60918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16626]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2024-0039]
Potential Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf--Request for Competitive
Interest
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Public notice of an unsolicited request for a Commercial Outer
Continental Shelf Wind Lease, request for competitive interest, and
request for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The purpose of this public notice is to: describe the
unsolicited proposal submitted to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
(BOEM) by Hecate Energy Gulf Wind LLC (Hecate Energy) to acquire an
outer continental shelf (OCS) commercial wind energy lease; solicit
indications of interest in acquiring two commercial leases for wind
energy development on the OCS in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) in the areas
described in this notice; and solicit public input regarding the areas
described in this notice, the potential environmental consequences
associated with wind energy development in the areas, and existing and
planned multiple uses of the areas.
DATES: Submissions indicating your interest in or providing comments on
commercial leasing within the request for competitive interest (RFCI)
Areas must be received no later than September 12, 2024. Late
submissions may not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Please submit indications of interest in acquiring a
commercial wind energy lease within the RFCI Areas electronically via
email to [email protected] or hard copy by mail to the
following address: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Leasing
and Plans, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123.
If you elect to mail a hard copy, also include an electronic copy on a
portable storage device.
Please submit comments or other information concerning research or
commercial activities within the RFCI Areas by either of the following
two methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the
entry entitled, ``Search for dockets and documents on agency actions,''
enter BOEM-2024-0039, and then click ``search.'' Follow the
instructions to submit public comments and view supporting and related
materials available for this notice.
2. By Mail to the Following Address: Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Office of Leasing and Plans, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123.
Treatment of confidential information is addressed in the section
of this notice entitled, ``Protection of Privileged or Confidential
Information.'' BOEM will post all comments on regulations.gov unless
labeled as confidential.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karoline DiPerna, BOEM Office of
[[Page 60914]]
Leasing and Plans, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123, (504) 736-5722, or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of This Request for Competitive Interest
Responses to this public notice will allow BOEM to determine,
pursuant to 30 CFR 585.231, whether there is competitive interest in
acquiring an OCS commercial wind energy lease in the RFCI Areas. In
addition, this notice provides an opportunity for the public to comment
on the RFCI Areas, the proposed project, and any potential impacts wind
energy development in the RFCI Areas may have. BOEM may use comments
received to further identify and refine the areas being considered for
wind energy development and inform future environmental analyses
related to the project.
This RFCI is published pursuant to subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS
Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3), and BOEM's regulations at 30 CFR part
585. Subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act requires that OCS
renewable energy leases, easements, and rights-of-way be issued ``on a
competitive basis unless the Secretary [of the Interior] determines
after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or right-of-way that
there is no competitive interest.'' This RFCI provides public notice
for the areas requested by Hecate Energy described below in the section
``Description of the RFCI Areas'' and invites the submission of
indications of interest in acquiring commercial wind energy leases
within the RFCI Areas. Parties who would like to express competitive
interest in the RFCI Areas should submit detailed and specific
information, as described in the section entitled, ``Required
Indication of Interest Information.'' BOEM will consider the responses
to this public notice to determine whether competitive interest exists
in the RFCI Areas.
This notice also requests that interested and affected parties
comment and provide information about site conditions and any existing
or planned multiple uses within the RFCI Areas that may be relevant to
the proposed project or its potential impacts.
Background
On February 16, 2024, BOEM received an unsolicited application from
Hecate Energy for two commercial wind energy leases on the GOM OCS in
Wind Energy Area (WEA) options C and D. Hecate Energy's proposed Gulf
Wind Offshore Wind Project 2 (Gulf Wind 2) aims to generate up to 2
gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy in the GOM. Hecate Energy proposes
multiple potential uses for this renewable energy, including
interconnection to the electric grid, sale in power purchase agreements
to private offtakers, or use for Wind-to-X technologies through which
offshore wind energy is used to produce another energy resource.
The proposed Gulf Wind 2 project would consist of up to 133 fixed-
bottom wind turbine generators (WTGs), each with a capacity of 15-23
megawatts (MW). This would result in an overall maximum capacity of
approximately 3,000 MW. Each turbine would be deployed on fixed
monopile or jacket foundation types. Turbines would be connected by
interconnection cables that are connected to an onshore transition
point by an export transmission cable. Export cables may run separately
from each of the two lease areas, or the lease areas may be joined
offshore with one substation and one central export cable. Following
extensive research on points of interconnection (POI) in Texas and
Louisiana, Hecate narrowed its selections to three POI and continues to
examine 12 potential landfall locations with paths to three designated
substations.
More information about Hecate Energy's unsolicited lease request
can be viewed at https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/gulf-mexico-activities.
Determination of Competitive Interest and the Leasing Process
After the publication of this notice, BOEM will evaluate
expressions of interest in acquiring a commercial wind energy lease in
the RFCI Areas. At the conclusion of the comment period for this public
notice, BOEM will review the submissions received and undertake a
completeness review for each of those submissions and a qualification
review for each of the nominating entities. BOEM will then determine
whether competitive interest exists.
If, in response to this notice, BOEM receives one or more
expressions of interest in acquiring a commercial wind energy lease
from qualified entities who would like to compete for the RFCI Areas,
BOEM may decide to move forward with the lease issuance process using
competitive procedures pursuant to 30 CFR 585.211-585.225. If BOEM
receives no competing expressions of interest from qualified companies,
BOEM may decide to move forward with the lease issuance process using
the noncompetitive procedures contained in 30 CFR 585.231.
If BOEM decides to proceed with issuing a lease in the RFCI Areas,
whether competitively or noncompetitively, it will comply with all
applicable requirements and provide the public with additional
opportunities to provide input pursuant to 30 CFR part 585 and other
applicable laws, such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
BOEM will also coordinate and consult, as appropriate, with relevant
Federal agencies, affected Tribes, affected state agencies, and
affected local governments during the lease development and issuance
process.
We note that a lease, whether issued through a competitive or
noncompetitive process, does not grant the lessee the right to
construct any facilities on the lease. A lease would only grant the
lessee the exclusive right to submit site assessment and construction
and operations plans (30 CFR 585.600 and 585.601) to BOEM for approval
before the lessee may proceed to the next stage of lease development.
Description of the RFCI Areas
The RFCI Areas are located in WEA options C and D off the coast of
Southeast Texas. WEA C totals 74,240 acres, and WEA D totals 68,288
acres. The combined areas comprise approximately 142,528 acres. Both
areas are located within the Gulf of Mexico Call Area, which is located
within the Central Planning Area and Western Planning Area on the OCS
portion of the Gulf of Mexico. See Figure 1 and Table 1, below.
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P
[[Page 60915]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JY24.003
BILLING CODE 4340-98-C
Figure 1. Map of the RFCI Areas
Table 1--List of OCS Blocks Included in the RFCI Areas
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protraction
Protraction Name No. Block No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beeville................................ NH14-12 7088
Beeville................................ NH14-12 7089
Beeville................................ NH14-12 7090
Beeville................................ NH14-12 7138
Beeville................................ NH14-12 7139
Beeville................................ NH14-12 7140
Beeville................................ NH14-12 7141
Corpus Christi.......................... NG14-03 6039
Corpus Christi.......................... NG14-03 6040
Corpus Christi.......................... NG14-03 6041
Corpus Christi.......................... NG14-03 6042
Corpus Christi.......................... NG14-03 6090
Corpus Christi.......................... NG14-03 6091
Corpus Christi.......................... NG14-03 6092
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6853
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6854
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6855
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6902
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6903
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6904
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6905
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6952
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6953
Bay City................................ NH15-10 6954
Bay City................................ NH15-10 7003
Bay City................................ NH15-10 7004
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 60916]]
Required Indication of Interest Information
If you intend to submit an expression of interest in acquiring a
commercial wind lease within the RFCI Areas, you must provide the
following:
(1) The BOEM protraction name, number, and specific whole or
partial OCS blocks within the RFCI Areas that are of interest for
commercial wind leasing, including any required buffer area(s). If your
area(s) includes partial blocks, include the sub-block letter(s) (A-P).
Additionally, this information should be submitted as a spatial file
compatible with ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0 in a geographic coordinate system (NAD
83) in addition to your hard copy submission. If your submission
includes one or more partial blocks, please describe those partial
blocks in terms of one sixteenth (i.e., a sub-block) of an OCS block.
Any request for a commercial wind lease located outside of the RFCI
Areas should be submitted separately pursuant to 30 CFR 585.230.
(2) A general description of your objectives and the facilities
that you would use to achieve those objectives;
(3) A general schedule of proposed activities, including those
leading to the development of a commercial wind energy project within
the RFCI Areas;
(4) Available and pertinent data and information concerning
renewable energy resources and environmental conditions in the area
that you would like to lease, including energy and resource data and
information used to evaluate the area of interest. Where applicable,
spatial information should be submitted in a format compatible with
ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0 either in NAD 83 or unprojected;
(5) Documentation demonstrating that you are legally qualified to
hold a lease as set forth in 30 CFR 585.107-585.108. Legal
qualification documents will be placed in an official file that may be
made available for public review. If you would like any part of your
legal qualification documentation to be kept confidential, clearly
identify what should be kept confidential, and submit it under separate
cover (see ``Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information''
below); and
(6) Documentation demonstrating that you are technically and
financially capable of constructing, operating, maintaining, and
decommissioning the facilities described in paragraph (2) above.
Guidance regarding the documentation that could be used to demonstrate
your technical and financial qualifications can be found at: https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/QualificationGuidelines-pdf.aspx. If you would like any part of your
technical and financial qualification documentation to be kept
confidential, clearly identify what should be kept confidential, and
submit it under separate cover (see ``Protection of Privileged or
Confidential Information'' below).
It is critical that you provide a complete submission of interest
so that BOEM may consider your submission in a timely manner. If BOEM
reviews your submission and determines that it is incomplete, BOEM will
inform you of this determination in writing and describe the
information that BOEM needs from you to deem your submission complete.
You will be given 15 business days from the date of the letter to
provide any information that BOEM has determined is missing from your
original submission. If you do not meet this deadline, or if BOEM
determines that your second submission is also insufficient, BOEM may
deem your submission invalid. In such a case, BOEM will not consider
your submission.
Requested Information From Interested or Affected Parties
BOEM is also requesting specific and detailed comments from the
public and interested or affected parties regarding the following:
1. Geological, geophysical, and biological bathymetric conditions
(including shallow hazards and live bottom).
2. Known archaeological or cultural resource sites on the seabed.
3. Information regarding the identification of historic properties
or potential effects to historic properties from leasing, site
assessment activities (including the construction of meteorological
towers or the installation of meteorological buoys), or commercial wind
energy development in the RFCI Areas. This includes potential offshore
and onshore archaeological sites or historic properties within or near
the RFCI Areas that could potentially be affected by renewable energy
activities within the RFCI Areas. This information will inform BOEM's
review of future undertakings under section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and under NEPA.
4. Information about potentially conflicting uses of the RFCI
Areas, including, but not limited to, navigation (in particular,
commercial and recreational vessel use); significant sediment resource
areas; oil and gas leasing; and recreational and commercial fisheries
including, but not limited to, the use of the areas, the fishing gear
used, seasonal use, and recommendations for reducing use conflicts.
5. Available and pertinent data and information concerning
renewable energy resources and environmental conditions. Where
applicable, spatial information should be submitted in a format
compatible with ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0 in a geographic coordinate system (NAD
83).
6. Information relating to visual resources and aesthetics, the
potential impacts of wind turbines and associated infrastructure to
those resources, and potential strategies to help mitigate or minimize
any visual effects.
7. Other relevant socioeconomic, cultural, biological, and
environmental information.
8. Any other relevant information BOEM should consider during its
planning and decision-making process for the purpose of issuing leases
in the RFCI Areas.
Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information
Freedom of Information Act
BOEM will protect privileged or confidential information you submit
when 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 would like to protect the
confidentiality of such information, please identify and clearly label
it with ``Contains Confidential Information'' and request 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
privileged or confidential information or comments not containing such
privileged or confidential information. Information that is not labeled
as privileged or confidential may be regarded by BOEM as suitable for
public release. Additionally, BOEM will not treat as confidential (1)
the legal title of any entity submitting an indication of interest (for
example, the name of your company), or (2) the list of whole or partial
blocks that you are indicating an interest in leasing.
[[Page 60917]]
Personally Identifiable Information
BOEM encourages you not to submit 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
personally identifiable information (PII) included in your comment, may
be made publicly available. All submissions from identified
individuals, businesses, and organizations will be available for public
viewing on regulations.gov. For BOEM to withhold 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.
Section 304 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470w-
3(a))
BOEM is required, after consultation with the Secretary, to
withhold the location, character, or ownership of historic resources if
it determines disclosure may, among other things, risk harm to the
historic resources or impede the use of a traditional religious site by
practitioners. Those providing information eligible for protection
under section 304 of NHPA should designate such information as
confidential.
BOEM's Environmental Review Process
BOEM prepared a programmatic environmental assessment (EA) under
NEPA and conducted some programmatic consultations in the Call Area of
the Gulf of Mexico to consider the environmental consequences
associated with issuing commercial wind energy leases. The EA assesses
the potential environmental impacts from the issuance of up to 18
leases within the Call Area. This EA is available to the public and can
be viewed at https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/GOM%20Wind%20Lease%20EA_0.pdf. The EA
considered the reasonably foreseeable environmental consequences
associated with leasing, such as site characterization activities
(including geophysical, geotechnical, archaeological, and biological
surveys) and site assessment activities (including installation of a
meteorological buoy). BOEM's environmental analysis found no
significant impacts. BOEM released a Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI), available online at https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/FONSI_Signed20230524.pdf.
Additional, site-specific NEPA would be conducted later in the process
if a lessee obtains a lease and submits a project plan. BOEM also
conducted programmatic consultations concurrently with, and integrated
into, the NEPA process for granting a lease. Existing consultations for
the Endangered Species Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act provide programmatic coverage in this
area. Additional consultations for the Coastal Zone Management Act,
section 106 of the NHPA, and Executive Order 13175, ``Consultation and
Coordination with Tribal Governments,'' would be conducted during
review of a potential project plan. Before BOEM allows a lessee to
begin construction of a wind energy project in the RFCI Areas, BOEM
will consider the potential environmental effects of the construction
and operation of any wind energy facility under a separate, project-
specific environmental review process. This separate environmental
review process would include additional opportunities for public
involvement.
Determination of Competitive Interest and Leasing Process
1. Determination of Competitive Interest: Section 8(p)(3) of OCSLA
states that ``the Secretary shall issue a lease, easement, or right-of-
way . . . on a competitive basis unless the Secretary determines after
public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or right-of-way that there
is no competitive interest.'' Accordingly, BOEM must first determine
whether there is competitive interest in acquiring a lease within the
RFCI Areas to develop offshore wind energy. At the conclusion of the
comment period for this RFCI, BOEM will review the expressions of
interest received and determine if competitive interest exists in any
part of the RFCI Areas. For areas with competitive interest, BOEM may
consider proceeding with competitive leasing as described in the
section of this RFCI entitled, ``Competitive Leasing Process.'' For
areas where BOEM determines that only one entity is interested, BOEM
may consider proceeding with noncompetitive leasing, as described in
the section entitled, ``Noncompetitive Leasing Process.''
If BOEM determines that competitive interest exists in the RFCI
Areas and identifies those areas as appropriate to lease, BOEM may hold
a competitive lease sale on any or all portions of the RFCI Areas. In
the event BOEM holds such a lease sale, all qualified bidders,
including those bidders that did not submit an expression of interest
in response to this RFCI, will be able to participate in the lease
sale. BOEM reserves the right not to lease any or all portions of the
RFCI Areas or to modify such areas from their original, proposed form
before offering them for lease.
2. Competitive Leasing Process: BOEM will follow the steps required
by 30 CFR 585.211 through 585.226 if it decides to proceed with the
competitive leasing process in the RFCI Areas. A Call for Information
was issued on November 1, 2021, which includes the areas requested in
this RFCI. On May 25, 2023, BOEM announced the availability of the
final EA (https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/GOM%20Wind%20Lease%20EA_0.pdf) and that it had
conducted consultations required by the Coastal Zone Management Act,
the Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act, section 106 of the NHPA, and Executive Order
13175--``Consultation and Coordination with Tribal Governments.''
Therefore, the next steps in the leasing process would include:
a. Area Identification: Based on the information received in
response to this RFCI, BOEM would typically determine the level of
commercial interest and identify the areas that would be appropriate to
analyze for potential leasing, which would constitute the final WEAs.
In this situation, because WEAs have already been finalized, this step
would likely not be necessary.
b. Proposed Sale Notice (PSN): If BOEM decides to proceed with a
competitive lease sale within the WEAs, BOEM will publish a PSN in the
Federal Register with a comment period of 60 days. The PSN would
describe the areas BOEM intends to offer for leasing, the proposed
conditions of a lease sale, the proposed auction format of the lease
sale, and the lease instrument, including lease addenda. Additionally,
the PSN would describe the criteria and process for evaluating bids in
the lease sale.
c. Final Sale Notice (FSN): After considering the comments on the
PSN, if BOEM decides to proceed with a competitive lease sale, it will
publish an FSN in the Federal Register at least 30 days before the date
of the lease sale.
d. Bid Submission and Evaluation: Following publication of the FSN
in the Federal Register, BOEM would offer the lease areas through a
competitive sale process, using procedures specified in the FSN. BOEM
would review the sale, including bids and bid deposits, for technical
and legal adequacy, and ensure that bidders have complied with all
applicable regulations. BOEM
[[Page 60918]]
reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to withdraw an offer
to lease an area, even after bids have been submitted.
e. Issuance of a Lease: Following identification of the winning bid
on a lease area, BOEM would notify the successful bidder and provide a
set of official lease documents for signature. BOEM requires a
successful bidder to sign and return the lease, pay the remainder of
the bonus bid, if applicable, and file the required financial assurance
within 10 business days of receiving the lease documents. Upon receipt
of the required payments, financial assurance, and properly signed
lease forms, BOEM may execute a lease with the successful bidder.
3. Noncompetitive Leasing Process: BOEM's noncompetitive leasing
process would include the following steps:
a. Determination of No Competitive Interest: If, after evaluating
all relevant information, BOEM determines there is no competitive
interest in all or a portion of the RFCI Areas, it may proceed with the
noncompetitive lease issuance process under 30 CFR 585.231(d) through
(j), which includes the publication of a determination of no
competitive interest in the Federal Register. Hecate Energy would be
responsible for paying a fee for the processing costs under 30 CFR
585.112, including any environmental review that BOEM may require
before lease issuance. Hecate Energy also would be responsible for
submitting any required consistency certification and necessary data
and information in a timely manner pursuant to 15 CFR part 930, subpart
D, to the applicable State CZMA agency or agencies and BOEM.
b. Review of Lease Request: BOEM would complete all required
consultations and environmental analyses before issuing a lease
noncompetitively. Further, BOEM would coordinate and consult, as
appropriate, with relevant Federal agencies, federally recognized
Tribes, affected State and local governments, and other affected or
interested parties in formulating lease terms, conditions, and
stipulations.
c. Lease Issuance: After completing its review of the lease
request, BOEM may offer one or two noncompetitive leases to Hecate
Energy covering all or a portion of WEAs C and D. Within 10 business
days of receiving the lease(s), Hecate Energy must execute them and
provide a lease-specific bond or other authorized financial assurance
in the amount of 12 months' rent for each lease, under 30 CFR 585.516,
to guarantee compliance with all terms and conditions of each lease. No
later than 45 days of receiving the executed lease(s) from BOEM, the
lessee must pay BOEM the first 12 months' rent for each lease.
Elizabeth Klein,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-16626 Filed 7-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P
