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

The purpose of this public notice is to: (1) Describe the proposal submitted to BOEM by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center at Oregon State University (NNMREC-OSU) to acquire an OCS lease for MHK research activities; (2) solicit submissions of indications of interest in obtaining a renewable energy lease for MHK research or commercial activities on the OCS offshore Oregon in the area described in this notice; and (3) solicit public input regarding the area described in this notice, the potential environmental consequences of MHK energy development in the area, and multiple uses of the area. On June 17, 2013, BOEM received an unsolicited request from NNMREC- OSU for an MHK OCS research lease offshore Oregon. The objective of NNMREC-OSU is to obtain a lease under 30 CFR 585.238 for renewable energy research activities, including MHK device installation and operational testing and the installation of monitoring equipment. The purpose of NNMREC-OSU's proposed project, the ``Pacific Marine Energy CenterSouth Energy Test Site,'' is to design, develop and demonstrate a grid-connected MHK research facility on the OCS approximately five nautical miles (nmi) southwest of Newport, Oregon. The project would consist of four test sites (or berths), with each test berth capable of testing single or multiple MHK devices and equipped with its own subsea cable to transmit energy, as well as performance and environmental data, from the test berth to an onshore control center. Each of the test berth electrical cables would connect at a single submerged point, with a single transmission export cable capable of transmitting up to 10 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the mainland. The export cable would cross the OCS and state submerged lands. Additional information on NNMREC-OSU's unsolicited lease request can be viewed at: www.boem.gov/Oregon. This RFCI is published pursuant to subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act, as amended by section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3)), and the implementing regulations at 30 CFR 585.238. 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 determines after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or right-of-way that there is no competitive interest.'' 30 CFR 585.238(c) states that BOEM may issue research leases if ``no competitive interest exists''. This RFCI provides such public notice for the proposed lease area requested by NNMREC-OSU and invites the submission of indications of interest. BOEM is soliciting submissions of interest for MHK energy development only with this notice. BOEM will consider the responses to this public notice to determine whether competitive interest exists for the area requested by NNMREC-OSU, as required by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). Parties wishing to obtain a lease for MHK development for the area described herein under ``Description of the Proposed Lease Area'' should submit detailed and specific information as described in the section entitled, ``Required Indication of Interest Information.'' BOEM has jurisdiction to issue leases on the OCS for MHK projects under subsection 8(p) of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 13376(p)), and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has jurisdiction to issue licenses under Part I of the Federal Power Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. 792-823A (2006) for the construction and operation of hydrokinetic projects on the OCS. This announcement also requests that interested and affected parties comment and provide information about site conditions and multiple uses within the area identified in this notice that would be relevant to the proposed project or its potential impacts. A detailed description of the proposed lease area can be found in the section of this notice entitled, ``Description of the Area.''

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.), BOEM intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to consider the reasonably foreseeable environmental consequences associated with the approval of wind energy-related research activities offshore Virginia as proposed by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME). BOEM is seeking public input regarding important environmental issues and the identification of reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the EA. In addition to the request for written comments, BOEM is holding a public scoping meeting to solicit comments on the scope of the EA. The meeting will be held from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 3, 2014, at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is notifying the public that we have submitted an information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This ICR concerns the paperwork requirements that respondents will submit to BOEM to obtain Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) sand, gravel, and shell resources for use in shore protection, beach and coastal restoration, and other authorized projects that qualify for a negotiated noncompetitive agreement. This notice provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of this collection.

BOEM, in accordance with Federal regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), announces the availability of NEPA-related Site-Specific Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSIs). These documents were prepared during the period October 1, 2013, through December 31, 2013, for oil, gas, and mineral-related activities that were proposed in the Gulf of Mexico, and are more specifically described in the Supplementary Information section of this notice.

BOEM has prepared a ROD for oil and gas CPA Lease Sale 231 scheduled for March 19, 2014. CPA Lease Sale 231 is the second CPA lease sale scheduled in the Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program for 2012-2017 (Five-Year Program). The proposed lease sale is in the Gulf of Mexico's CPA off the States of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. In making its decision, BOEM considered alternatives to the proposed action and the potential impacts as presented in the WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS and all comments received throughout the NEPA process. The WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS updated the baseline conditions and potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, exploration, development, and production in the WPA and CPA since publication of the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2012-2017; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 229, 233, 238, 246, and 248; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 227, 231, 235, 241, and 247, Final Environmental Impact Statement (2012-2017 WPA/CPA Multisale EIS) (USDOI, BOEM, 2012b). The WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS analyzed the potential impacts of the proposed action in the CPA and was completed in April 2013.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 582, Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf for Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2014, BOEM will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in CPA Sale 231 in accordance with the provisions of the OCS Lands Act (OCSLA, 43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as amended) and the implementing regulations issued pursuant thereto (30 CFR Parts 550 and 556). The CPA 231 Final Notice of Sale (NOS) package (Final NOS Package) contains information essential to potential bidders, and bidders are charged with knowing the contents of the documents contained in the Final NOS Package. The Final NOS Package is available at the address and Web site below.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is notifying the public that we have submitted an information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR Part 556, Leasing of Sulphur or Oil and Gas in the OCS; 30 CFR Part 550, Subpart J, Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of- Way; and 30 CFR Part 560, OCS Oil and Gas Leasing. This notice provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of this collection.