[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19309]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 9, 1994]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 

Deep Seabed Mining; Proposal to Issue an Exploration License and 
of Public Hearing

agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

action: Notice of proposal to issue Deep Seabed Mining. Exploration 
License USA-4 to Ocean Minerals Company subject to terms, conditions 
and restrictions (TCRs), of a public hearing on the proposal, and of 
the availability of a draft environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

summary: On May 21, 1993, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) received a notice of surrender of Deep Seabed 
Mining Exploration License USA-4 by the Kennecott Consortium, 
Ladysmith, Wisconsin, pursuant to section 115(a) of the Deep Seabed 
Hard Mineral Resources Act (the ``Act'') and 15 CFR 971.803(a). This 
action was noticed at 58 FR 33933 on June 22, 1993. On June 17, 1993, 
NOAA received an application from Ocean Minerals Company (OMCO), Menlo 
Park, California, to conduct deep seabed mining exploration activities 
in license site USA-4, which was noticed at 58 FR 34782 on June 29, 
1993. NOAA completed the public review process and issued to OMCO a 
certification of its application on March 29, 1994, in accordance with 
Subpart D of 15 CFR Part 970.
    NOAA proposes to issue an exploration license authorizing OMCO to 
engage in deep seabed mining exploration activities in the site known 
as USA-4, consistent with the provisions of the Act and 15 CFR Part 
970, subject to terms, conditions and restrictions (TCRs).
    NOAA has prepared and circulated to Federal agencies a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on issuing the license with the 
proposed TCRs. The availability of the DEIS was noticed at 59 FR 33970 
on July 1, 1994. NOAA will hold a public hearing on this license 
issuance proposal, TCRs and the DEIS at NOAA Building IV, 1305 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, Lobby Conference Room, on September 
13, 1994, at 1:30 p.m.
    Subject to 15 CFR 971.802, which excludes confidential information 
from public disclosure, interested persons will be permitted to examine 
the application documents, the DEIS and TCRs, and to provide comments 
thereon, by October 11, 1994.

for further information contact: Betty Rosser, Ocean Minerals and 
Energy Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 
National Ocean Service, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Station 11437, 
Silver Spring, MD 20010, (301) 713-3159.

    Dated: August 3, 1994.
W. Stanley Wilson,
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management.
[FR Doc. 94-19309 Filed 8-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-M