Bureau of Ocean Energy Management November 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for the Proposed Empire Offshore Wind Projects
Document Number: 2023-26170
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-11-28
Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
The BOEM announces the availability of the joint ROD for the construction and operations plan (COP) submitted by Empire Wind, LLC (Empire Wind) for its proposed Empire Wind Offshore Wind Farm Projects (Projects) offshore New York. The final environmental impact statement (EIS) analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the Projects as described in the COP (the proposed action) and the alternatives to the proposed action. The joint ROD includes the decision of the Department of the Interior (DOI) regarding the COP, and the decision of NMFS regarding Empire Wind's requested incidental take regulations (ITR) and an associated letter of authorization (LOA) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NMFS has adopted the final EIS to support its decision of whether to issue the requested ITR. The joint ROD concludes the National Environmental Policy Act process for each agency.
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261
Document Number: 2023-25634
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-11-20
Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
On Wednesday, December 20, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261 (GOM Lease Sale 261), in accordance with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended, and its implementing regulations. This revised GOM Lease Sale 261 Final Notice of Sale (Final NOS) package contains information essential to potential bidders and comprises this notice, Information to Lessees, and Lease Stipulations. Bids submitted under the Revised Final NOS published on October 6, 2023 (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below) will be held and opened on December 20, 2023, unless the bidders withdraw their bid or bids in accordance with the bid withdrawal procedures described in Section VIII``Bid Withdrawal.''
Agency Information Collection Activities; Geological and Geophysical Explorations of the Outer Continental Shelf
Document Number: 2023-25588
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-11-20
Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes this information collection request (ICR) to renew Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1010-0048.
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261
Document Number: 2023-24834
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-11-09
Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
With this notice, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is announcing that it is postponing Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 261 pending further action by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. To comply with an injunction sought and obtained by the State of Louisiana and other plaintiffs from the district court, as well as a subsequent order from the Fifth Circuit, BOEM had previously provided notice of its intent to hold Lease Sale 261 on November 8, 2023. On October 26, 2023, however, the Fifth Circuit stayed the relevant injunction and order pending the merits panel's decision on appeal. To avoid preempting the Fifth Circuit's decision, and avoid duplication of effort, BOEM is now deferring Lease Sale 261 pending disposition of the appeal that is before the Fifth Circuit. Therefore, BOEM will not open and announce bids for the sale on November 8, 2023. BOEM will make future announcements regarding when and under what terms Lease Sale 261 will be held after the Court issues its ruling or provides additional direction to BOEM. Additional information and announcements will be made available on BOEM's website prior to the sale date. See https://www.boem.gov/sale-261.
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Additional Site Assessment Activities on Beacon Wind, LLC's Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0520
Document Number: 2023-24610
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-11-07
Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) intends to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze the reasonably foreseeable impacts from additional site assessment activities in Lease Area OCS-A 0520 offshore Massachusetts. Beacon Wind, LLC, (Beacon Wind), the leaseholder, requests to conduct additional site assessment activities in the lease area that were not analyzed in the initial EA. Those activities comprise temporarily installing and subsequently removing representative components of offshore wind turbine and substation foundations using a single suction bucket at locations where turbines and substations may be installed. BOEM is seeking public input regarding important environmental issues and the identification of reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the EA. This EA is limited to site assessment activities and will be completed consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and implementing regulations of the Department of the Interior and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). BOEM will assess the impacts of constructing and operating any wind energy project proposed by Beacon Wind in Lease Area OCS-A 0520 in an environmental impact statement before deciding whether to approve that proposed project.
Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for the Proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project
Document Number: 2023-24295
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-11-03
Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
BOEM announces the availability of the joint ROD on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the construction and operations plan (COP) submitted by Virginia Electric and Power Company (dba Dominion Energy) for its proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project (Project), offshore Virginia Beach, Virginia. The joint ROD includes the Department of the Interior's (DOI) decision regarding the COP and NMFS' plans for decision, pending completion of all statutory processes, regarding Dominion Energy's requested Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). NMFS has adopted the final EIS to support its decision of whether or not to issue the requested ITR under the MMPA. The joint ROD concludes the National Environmental Policy Act process for each agency.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Piloting an Approach to Community-Informed Characterization of Communities With Environmental Justice Concerns
Document Number: 2023-24188
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-11-02
Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes this new information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
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