[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 190 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51123-51126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24911]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service


Alaska OCS Region, Beaufort Sea, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 170; Call 
for Information and Nominations (Responses Due in 30 Days)

    In accordance with the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
Oil and Gas Leasing Program 1997 to 2002, the Minerals Management 
Service (MMS), Alaska OCS Region, is proceeding with the Call for 
Information and Nominations (Call) for Beaufort Sea Sale 170.

Purpose of Call

    The purpose of the Call is to gather information for the proposed 
OSC Oil and Gas Lease Sale 170. This proposed sale, located in the 
Beaufort Sea Planning Area, is tentatively scheduled for early 1998.

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    Information and nominations on oil and gas leasing, exploration, 
and development and production within the Beaufort Sea Planning Area 
are sought from all interested parties. This early planning and 
consultation step is important for ensuring that all interests and 
concerns are communicated to the Department of the Interior for future 
decisions in the leasing process pursuant to the OCS Lands Act, as 
amended (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356 (1994), and regulations at 30 CFR Part 
256. This Call does not indicate a preliminary decision to lease in the 
area described below. Final delineation of the area for possible 
leasing will be made at a later date and in compliance with all 
applicable laws including requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as amended, and with established 
departmental procedures.

Description of Area

    The area of this Call, located offshore the State of Alaska in the 
Beaufort Sea Planning Area as identified on the attached map, extends 
offshore from about 3 miles to approximately 25 miles, in water depths 
from approximately 25 feet to 120 feet. The area available for 
nominations and comments consists of 362 whole and partial blocks 
(about 1.7 million acres). A large-scale map of the Beaufort Sea 
Planning Area (hereinafter referred to as the Call map) showing 
boundaries of the area on a block-by-block basis and copies of Official 
Protraction Diagrams (OPD's) are available from the Records Manager, 
Alaska OCS Region, Minerals Management Service, 949 East 36th Avenue, 
Room 308, Anchorage, Alaska, 99508-4302, telephone (907) 271-6621. The 
OPD's may be purchased for $2 each.

Instructions on Call

    Respondents are requested to nominate blocks within the Call area 
that they would like considered for inclusion in proposed OCS Lease 
Sale 170. Nominations must be depicted on the Call map by outlining the 
area(s) of interest along block lines. Nominators are asked to submit a 
list of whole and partial blocks nominated (by OPD and block number) to 
facilitate correct interpretation of their nominations on the Call map. 
Although the identities of those submitting nominations become a matter 
of public record, the individual nominations are proprietary 
information.
    Nominators also are requested to rank blocks nominated according to 
priority of interest (e.g., priority 1 (high), 2 (medium), or 3 (low)). 
Blocks nominated that do not indicate priorities will be considered 
priority 3. Nominators are encouraged to be specific in indicating 
blocks by priority. Blanket priorities on large areas are not useful in 
the analysis of industry interest. The telephone number and name of a 
person to contact in the nominator's organization for additional 
information should be included in the response.
    Comments are sought from all interested parties about particular 
geologic, environmental, biological, archaeological, or social and 
economic conditions, conflicts, or other information that might bear 
upon potential leasing and development in the Call area. Comments also 
are sought on potential conflicts with approved local coastal 
management plans (CMP's) that may result from the proposed sale and 
future OCS oil and gas activities. These comments should identify 
specific CMP policies of concern, the nature of the conflicts foreseen, 
and steps that MMS could take to avoid or mitigate the potential 
conflicts. Comments may be expressed in terms of broad areas or 
restricted to particular blocks of concern. Commenters are requested to 
list block numbers or outline the subject area on the large-scale Call 
map.
    Nominations and comments must be received no later than 30 days 
following publication of this document in the Federal Register in 
envelopes labeled ``Nominations for Proposed Beaufort Sea Lease Sale 
170,'' or ``Comments on the Call for Information and Nominations for 
Proposed Beaufort Sea Lease Sale 170,'' as appropriate. The original 
Call map with indications of interest and/or comments must be submitted 
to the Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment, Alaska OCS Region, 
Minerals Management Service, 949 East 36th Avenue, Room 308, Anchorage, 
Alaska, 99508-4302.

Use of Information From Call

    The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Beaufort Sea 
Sale 144, MMS 96-0012, May 1996, and the Beaufort Sea Natural Gas and 
Oil Lease Sale 144 Final Notice of Sale, 61 FR 42682, August 16, 1996, 
will be used as a foundation for the analysis of potential 
environmental effects and use conflicts, and for identifying mitigating 
measures for the Sale 170 area.
    Information submitted in response to this Call will be used for 
several purposes. First, responses, will be used to help identify the 
areas for potential oil and gas development. Second, comments on 
possible environmental effects and potential use conflicts will be used 
in the analysis of environmental conditions in and near the Call area. 
A third purpose for this Call is to assist in the scoping of the EIS 
and the development of alternatives to the proposed action for 
analysis. Fourth, comments may be used in developing lease terms and 
conditions to ensure safe offshore oil and gas activities. Fifth, 
comments may be used to identify out potential conflicts between 
offshore oil and gas activities and State's CMP.

Existing Information

    An extensive environmental, social, and economic studies program 
has been underway in this area since 1975. The emphasis has been on 
geologic mapping, environmental characterization of biologically 
sensitive habitats, endangered whales and marine mammals, physical 
oceanography, ocean-circulation modeling, and ecological effects of oil 
and gas activities. A complete listing of available study reports and 
information for ordering copies may be obtained from the Records 
Manager, Alaska OCS Region, at the address stated under Description of 
Area. The reports also may be ordered directly from the U.S. Department 
of Commerce, National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal 
Road, Springfield, Virginia, 22161, or by telephone at (703) 487-4650.
    In addition, a program status report for continuing studies in this 
area may be obtained from the Chief, Environmental Studies Section, 
Alaska OCS Region, at the address stated under Instructions on Call or 
by telephone at (907) 271-6617.
    Summary Reports and Indices and technical and geologic reports are 
available for review at the MMS Alaska OCS Region (see address under 
Description of Area). Copies of the Alaska OCS Regional Summary Reports 
also may be obtained from the OCS Information Program, Office of 
Offshore Information and Publications, Minerals Management Service, 381 
Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia, 20170.

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Tentative Schedule

    Approximate dates for actions and decision and consultation points 
in the planning process for Sale 170, Beaufort Sea, are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Milestones                             Dates             
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments Due on the Call...............  October 1996.                  
Area Identification and Notice of        November 1996.                 
 Intent to Prepare an EIS.                                              
Draft EIS Filed with EPA...............  May 1997.                      
Hearings on Draft EIS Held.............  June 1997.                     
Comments Due on Draft EIS..............  July 1997.                     
Consistency Determination..............  December 1997.                 
FInal EIS Filed with EPA and Proposed    December 1997.                 
 Notice of Sale available.                                              
Governor's Comments Due on Proposed      February 1998.                 
 Notice of Sale.                                                        
Final Notice of Sale Published.........  March 1998.                    
Sale...................................  April 1998.                    
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    Dated: September 24, 1996
Robert E. Brown,
Acting Director, Minerals Management Service.

BILLING CODE 4310-MR-M
      

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30SE96.002



[FR Doc. 96-24911 Filed 9-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310MR-C