[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13307-13308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5158]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Alternative Energy and Alternate Use Program

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Public Hearings.

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SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has prepared a draft 
programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) in support of the 
proposed Alternative Energy and Alternate Use Program and associated 
rulemaking authorized under Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005, and codified as new subsection 8(p) of the Outer Continental 
Shelf Lands Act. Pursuant to the regulations implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Minerals Management Service (MMS) 
is announcing the availability of a draft programmatic EIS for the 
Alternative Energy and Alternate Use (AEAU) Program and Rule. The 
programmatic EIS analysis focuses on the potential environmental 
effects of implementing the AEAU program and associated rulemaking and 
also analyzes alternatives to implementing the AEAU program and rule, 
including the ``no action'' alternative.

    Authority: This NOA and notice of public hearings is published 
pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1506.6) implementing the 
provisions of the NEPA of 1969 as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. 
(1988)).


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(EPAct), granted the Department of the Interior (Department) 
discretionary authority to issue leases, easements, or rights-of-way 
for activities on the OCS that produce or support production, 
transportation, or transmission of energy from sources other than oil 
and gas, and are not otherwise authorized by other applicable law. The 
Department delegated this authority to the MMS. Examples of the general 
types of alternative energy project activities that MMS has the 
discretion to authorize include, but are not limited to: wind energy, 
wave energy, ocean current energy, solar energy, and hydrogen 
production.
    The MMS was also delegated discretionary authority to issue leases, 
easements, or rights-of-way for other OCS project activities that make 
alternate use of existing OCS facilities for ``energy-related purposes 
or for other authorized marine-related purposes,'' to the extent such 
activities are not otherwise authorized by other applicable law. Such 
activities may include, but are not limited to: offshore aquaculture, 
research, education, recreation, and support for offshore operations 
and facilities.
    A new program within MMS is being proposed to oversee these 
potential activities on the OCS. To satisfy the requirements of the 
NEPA in the establishment of an AEAU program and rules on the OCS, the 
MMS prepared a draft programmatic EIS. The proposed action is the 
implementation of the AEAU program and rules in areas not excluded by 
Section 388 of the EPAct. The programmatic EIS focuses on generic 
impacts from each industry sector based on global knowledge and 
identifies key issues that subsequent, site-specific assessments should 
consider. Projections for industry activities are limited in the EIS to 
those anticipated to be pursued within the next 5-7 years. The 
programmatic EIS also addresses AEAU technology testing and site 
characterization. Subsequent NEPA documents prepared for site-specific 
AEAU projects may tier to this programmatic EIS and the Record of 
Decision.
    The primary objectives of the programmatic EIS are to analyze and 
document the potential environmental, social-cultural, and economic 
considerations associated with the establishment of an OCS AEAU program 
and rules, including all foreseeable, potential monitoring, testing, 
construction, commercial development, operations, and decommissioning 
activities on the OCS. The programmatic EIS process:
    (1) Provides for public input concerning the scope of national 
issues associated with offshore alternate energy-related use 
activities;
    (2) Identifies, defines, and assesses generic environmental, socio-
cultural, and economic impacts associated with offshore alternate 
energy-related use activities;
    (3) Evaluates and establishes effective mitigation measures to 
avoid, minimize, or compensate for potential impacts; and
    (4) Facilitates future preparation of site-specific NEPA documents; 
subsequent NEPA documents prepared for site-specific AEAU projects may 
tier to the Programmatic EIS and Record of Decision.
    EIS Availability: To obtain a single, printed or CD-ROM copy of the 
draft EIS, you may contact the Minerals Management Service, 
Environmental Assessment Branch Office (MS 4042), 381 Elden Street, 
Herndon, Virginia 20170. An electronic copy of the draft EIS is 
available at the MMS's Internet Web site at http://ocsenergy.anl.gov/.
    Public Hearings: The MMS will hold public hearings to receive 
comments on the draft EIS. The public hearings are scheduled as 
follows:
     Monday, April 16, 2007, Main Interior Building, 1849 C 
Street NW., Washington, DC, 10 a.m.
     Tuesday, April 24, 2007, Monmouth University, 400 Cedar 
Avenue, West Long Branch, New Jersey, 7 p.m.
     Wednesday, April 25, 2007, Melville Marriott, 1350 Old 
Walt Whitman Road, Melville, New York, 7 p.m.
     Thursday, April 26, 2007, Marriott Boston Newton, 2345 
Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
     Tuesday, May 1, 2007, Houston Airport Marriott, 18700 John 
F. Kennedy Blvd, Houston, Texas, 7 p.m.
     Tuesday, May 1, 2007, The Presidio, 135 Fisher Loop, San 
Francisco, California, 7 p.m.
     Wednesday, May 2, 2007, Residence Inn and Courtyard North 
Harbour, 1250 N. Anchor Way, Portland, Oregon, 7 p.m.
     Wednesday, May 2, 2007, Holiday Inn Miami International 
Airport, 1111 South Royal Poinciana Blvd, Miami Springs, Florida, 7 
p.m.
     Thursday, May 3, 2007, Courtyard by Marriott Charleston, 
35 Lockwood Drive, Charleston, South Carolina, 7 p.m.

    If you wish to testify at a hearing, you should register one hour 
prior to the meeting. Written statements submitted at a hearing will be 
considered part of the hearing record. If you are unable to attend the 
hearings, you may submit written statements.

    Comments: Federal, state, local government agencies, and other 
interested parties are requested to send their written comments on the 
draft EIS in one of the following three ways:
    1. Electronically using MMS's on-line commenting system at http://ocsenergy.anl.gov/. This is the preferred method for commenting.
    2. In written form, mailed or delivered to MMS Alternative Energy 
and

[[Page 13308]]

Alternate Use Programmatic EIS, Argonne National Laboratory, EVS/900, 
9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439.
    3. In person at the public hearings.
    Comments should be submitted no later than 60 days from the 
publication of this notice.
    Public Comment Policy: Before including your address, phone number, 
e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, be advised that your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review 
your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will 
be able to do so.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Minerals Management Service, Mr. James 
F. Bennett, Environmental Assessment Branch, MS 4042, 381 Elden Street, 
Herndon, Virginia 20710, (703) 787-1660.

    Dated: February 26, 2007.
Chris C. Oynes,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
 [FR Doc. E7-5158 Filed 3-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P