Department of the Interior April 20, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Wildland Fire Executive Council (WFEC) will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) invites the submission of nominations for one or more commercial leases for the construction of a wind energy project(s) on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore New Jersey. Although this announcement is not itself a leasing announcement, the area described herein may be subject to future leasing, and BOEMRE will use the response to this Call for Information and Nominations (Call) to gauge specific interest in acquiring commercial wind lease(s) in some or all of the area, and to determine whether competitive interest exists in any particular area as required by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). Parties wishing to submit a nomination in response to this Call should submit detailed and specific information as described below in the section entitled, ``Required Nomination Information.'' This announcement also requests that interested and affected parties comment and provide information about site conditions, resources, and multiple uses within the area identified in this notice that would be relevant to BOEMRE's review of the nominations submitted and subsequent decision to offer all or part of the area for commercial wind leasing. The information that BOEMRE is requesting is described below in the section entitled, ``Requested Information from Interested or Affected Parties.'' This notice is published pursuant to subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act, which was added 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 Part 285. The area under consideration for commercial leasing is located off the coast of New Jersey, beginning approximately 7 nautical miles (nmi) from the shore, extending roughly 23 nmi seaward to the approximate 100 ft depth contour, and extending 45 nmi parallel to the Federal/State boundary between Avalon and Barnegat Light. This area is approximately 418 square nmi and contains approximately 43 whole OCS blocks and 34 partial OCS blocks. This area was delineated in consultation with the BOEMRE/New Jersey Renewable Energy Task Force and has been identified as a Wind Energy Area (WEA) as referenced and described in the Secretary's announcement of the Department's ``Smart from the Start'' offshore wind energy initiative. A detailed description of the area and its development is found later in this notice.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for Parker River and Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuges (NWR). We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process. We are also announcing public meetings and requesting public comments.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.