[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 55539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25983]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XR77


Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement; Seismic 
Surveys in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, Alaska

AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS); 
Notice of Withdrawal.

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SUMMARY:  On November 17, 2006, pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), NMFS and the Minerals Management Service (MMS) 
announced our intent to prepare a DPEIS that would describe and analyze 
the potential significant environmental impacts related to reasonably 
foreseeable proposed geophysical exploration using seismic surveys in 
the waters of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. A Notice of Availability 
(NOA) for the DPEIS and a schedule of public hearings was published on 
April 6, 2007. Since that date, new information has become available 
that may affect aspects of the analysis in the DPEIS and potentially 
the document's scope and range of alternatives. Therefore, NMFS and MMS 
are withdrawing the 2007 DPEIS and initiating a new NEPA process that 
will consider and incorporate this new information.

DATES: Effective October 28, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For any further information, contact 
P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, 
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910 or by telephone at (301) 713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 6, 2007, NMFS and MMS published a 
NOA for a DPEIS and a schedule of public hearings (72 FR 17117) to 
assess the impacts of MMS' issuance of permits and authorizations under 
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act for the conduct of seismic 
surveys in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas off Alaska, and NMFS' 
authorizations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to incidentally 
harass marine mammals while conducting those surveys. The proposed 
scope and effects of the seismic survey activities analyzed in the 
DPEIS were based on the best available information at the time. Since 
then, new information (e.g., scientific study results, changes in 
projections of seismic activity) has become available that may 
potentially alter the scope, set of alternatives, and analyses in the 
DPEIS. Also, there has been a renewed interest in exploratory drilling 
in both the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Therefore, NMFS and MMS believe 
it is appropriate to withdraw the 2007 DPEIS and initiate a new NEPA 
EIS process that will include this new information. Public comment and 
participation opportunities will be provided through this new NEPA 
process. We will be entering into discussions with stakeholders to 
determine how best to proceed and will publish a Notice of Intent to 
prepare a new EIS with dates and locations of public meetings on this 
subject.

    Dated: October 21, 2009.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-25983 Filed 10-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S