Bureau of Ocean Energy Management July 3, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document is the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for the sale of two commercial wind energy leases on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Maryland, pursuant to BOEM's regulations at 30 CFR 585.216. BOEM is offering Lease OCS-A 0489 (North Lease Area) and Lease OCS-A 0490 (South Lease Area) for sale using a multiple factor auction format. The two lease areas (LAs) together comprise the Maryland Wind Energy Area (WEA) described in the Call for Information and Nominations (Call) published on February 3, 2012 (see ``Area Offered for Leasing'' below for a description of the WEA and LAs) (77 FR 5552). The two LAs are identical to those announced in the Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Maryland, which was published on December 18, 2013, in the Federal Register with a 60-day public comment period (78 FR 76643). This FSN contains information pertaining to the areas available for leasing, lease provisions and conditions, auction details, the lease form, criteria for evaluating competing bids, award procedures, appeal procedures, and lease execution. The issuance of the leases resulting from this lease sale would not constitute an approval of project- specific plans to develop offshore wind energy. Such plans, expected to be submitted by successful lessees, will be subject to subsequent environmental and public review prior to a decision to proceed with development.