Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
Results 51 - 64 of 64
Agency Information Collection Activities; Plans and Information
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes this information collection request (ICR) to renew with revisions the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1010-0151.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf for Minerals Other Than Oil, Gas, and Sulfur
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 1010-0081.
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 259
On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Regionwide Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 259 (GOM Lease Sale 259), in accordance with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended, and its implementing regulations. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 requires BOEM to hold GOM Lease Sale 259 by March 31, 2023. The GOM Lease Sale 259 Final Notice of Sale (NOS) package contains information essential to potential bidders and comprises this notice, Information to Lessees, and Lease Stipulations.
Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 259
BOEM announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 259 (GOM Lease Sale 259). This ROD identifies the selected alternative for GOM Lease Sale 259, which is analyzed in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Lease Sales 259 and 261: Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (GOM Lease Sales 259 and 261 Supplemental EIS).
Proposed Sale Notice for Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico (GOMW-1)
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes to offer one or more lease areas (Lease Areas) for commercial wind power development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The Lease Areas are located in the previously identified wind energy areas (WEA) offshore Lake Charles, LA, and Galveston, TX. This proposed sales notice (PSN) contains information pertaining to the areas available for leasing, certain lease provisions and conditions, auction details, criteria for evaluating competing bids, and procedures for lease award, appeals, and lease execution. BOEM proposes simultaneous auctions for the Lease Areas within each WEA using a multiple-factor bidding format. Any lease resulting from this sale does not constitute approval of any offshore wind energy facilities. Lessees must submit project-specific plans to BOEM for approval before starting construction of an OCS wind energy facility. BOEM will subject such plans to environmental, technical, and public reviews prior to deciding whether the proposed development should be authorized.
Agency Information Collection Activities; North Atlantic Right Whale Research and Management Activities
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes a new information collection request (ICR).
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for SouthCoast Wind Energy, LLC's (Formerly Mayflower Wind Energy, LLC) Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore Massachusetts
BOEM announces the availability of the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the construction and operations plan (COP) submitted by SouthCoast Wind Energy, LLC (SouthCoast Wind) for its proposed SouthCoast Wind Project (Project) offshore Massachusetts. The DEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the Project as described in the COP (the proposed action) and the alternatives to the proposed action. This notice of availability (NOA) announces the start of the public review and comment period, as well as the dates and times for public hearings on the DEIS. After BOEM holds the public hearings and addresses comments provided, BOEM will publish a final environmental impact statement (EIS). The EIS will inform BOEM's decision whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the COP.
2023 Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustments for Oil, Gas, and Sulfur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf
This final rule implements the 2023 inflation adjustments to the maximum daily civil monetary penalties contained in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regulations for violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Improvements Act) and relevant Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. The 2023 adjustment multiplier of 1.07745 accounts for 1 year of inflation from October 2021 through October 2022.
Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources
BOEM proposes to require lessees and operators to submit an archaeological report with any oil and gas exploration or development plan they submit to BOEM for approval of activities proposed on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). An archaeological report is currently required only if the plan covers an area that a BOEM Regional Director has reason to believe may contain an archaeological resource. This proposed rule would increase the likelihood that archaeological resources are located and identified before they are inadvertently damaged by an OCS operator, thereby assuring compliance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). This proposed rule would define the minimum level of survey information necessary to support the conclusions in the archaeological report, the procedure for reporting possible archaeological resources, the procedure for continuing operations when a possible resource is present, and what to do if an unanticipated archaeological resource is discovered during operation.
Renewable Energy Modernization Rule; Correction
This document makes a technical correction in the preamble to a proposed rule entitled, Renewables Energy Modernization Rule, which the Department of the Interior published in the Federal Register on January 30, 2023. This correction clarifies that the proposed rule's FDMS Docket Number is BOEM-2023-0005.
Reorganization of Title 30-Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf
This rule of agency organization reassigns responsibilities for the administration of certain regulations governing renewable energy development and alternate uses of existing facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's orders and the Departmental Manual. This final rule transfers the applicable renewable energy Departmental regulations from BOEM to BSEE. Furthermore, this final rule reassigns renewable energy regulations pertaining to safety, environmental oversight, and enforcement from BOEM to BSEE. This rule does not make substantive changes to current regulatory requirements and does not impose additional regulatory burdens on the public or the regulated community.
Renewable Energy Modernization Rule
The first Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy regulations were promulgated in 2009 by BOEM's predecessor, the Minerals Management Service (MMS). BOEM's renewable energy program has matured over the past 13 years, during which time BOEM conducted eleven auctions and issued and managed 27 active commercial leases. Based on this experience, the Department has identified opportunities to modernize its regulations to facilitate the development of offshore wind energy resources to meet U.S. climate and renewable energy objectives. This proposed rule contains reforms identified by the Department and recommended by industry since 2010, including proposals for incremental funding of decommissioning accounts; more flexible geophysical and geotechnical survey submission requirements; streamlined approval of meteorological (met) buoys; revised project verification procedures; reform of BOEM's renewable energy auction process; and greater clarity regarding safety requirements. This proposed rule would advance the Department of the Interior's (DOI) energy policies in a safe and environmentally sound manner that would provide a fair return to the U.S. taxpayer.
Modifications to the Bid Adequacy Procedures for Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sales
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces and invites comments on its intention to change its bid adequacy procedures (BAPs), which ensure the United States receives fair market value (FMV) from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas lease sales. BOEM proposes to discontinue the use of both tract classification and delayed valuation methodology. Instead, BOEM proposes to use a statistical lower bound confidence interval (LBCI), at the 90 percent confidence level, as a measure of bid adequacy. BOEM is also proposing other, minor adjustments to its BAPs to clarify and streamline its processes.
Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales 259 and 261: Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
BOEM announces the availability of a final supplemental environmental impact statement, Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales 259 and 261: Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (GOM Lease Sales 259 and 261 SEIS). The GOM Lease Sales 259 and 261 SEIS provides an analysis of potential environmental impacts of the proposed action and four alternatives and identifies BOEM's preferred alternative.
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