[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 166 (Friday, August 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53481-53482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21916]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement


Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska OCS Region, Chukchi Sea Planning 
Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and 
Enforcement (BOEMRE) announces the availability of a Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, Chukchi Sea, Alaska (OCS EIS/EA BOEMRE 
2011-041).
    BOEMRE prepared this Final SEIS pursuant to: (1) The National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq., the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations that 
implement the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); 
and (2) the July 21, 2010, remand order issued by the United States 
District Court for the District of Alaska. The Final SEIS augments the 
analysis of the Final EIS, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, Chukchi Sea 
Planning Area (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-026).
    BOEMRE will issue a NEPA Record of Decision after the 30-day period 
during which the Final SEIS is available. BOEMRE gives this notice of 
availability in accordance with Council on Environmental Quality 
regulations at 40 CFR 1506.6 (b).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sharon Warren or Mr. Mike 
Routhier, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and 
Enforcement, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5820. You may contact Ms. Warren or Mr. 
Routhier by telephone at 907-334-5200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In May 2007, BOEMRE (formerly the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS)) published the Final EIS for Oil and Gas Lease 
Sale 193, Chukchi Sea (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-0026), which evaluated the 
potential effects of the proposed sale and three alternatives: a no 
action alternative, and two alternatives that incorporate deferral 
areas of varying size along the coastward edge of the proposed sale 
area.
    On January 31, 2008, plaintiffs filed a lawsuit challenging Chukchi 
Sea Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, alleging violations of NEPA and the 
Endangered Species Act with the United States District Court for the 
District of Alaska (District Court) [Native Village of Point Hope et 
al., v. Salazar, No. 1:08-cv-00004-RRB (D. Alaska)]. BOEMRE conducted 
the sale in February 2008. BOEMRE received high bids totaling 
approximately $2.6 billion and issued 487 leases.
    In July 2010, the District Court remanded the matter for further 
NEPA analysis in accordance with its order. The District Court amended 
this order in August 2010. The District Court directed BOEMRE to 
address three concerns: (1) Analyze the environmental impact of natural 
gas development; (2) determine whether missing information identified 
by BOEMRE in the Final EIS for Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193 was essential 
or relevant under 40 CFR 1502.22; and (3) determine whether the cost of 
obtaining the missing information was exorbitant, or the means of doing 
so unknown.
    BOEMRE: (1) Completed Chukchi Sea Planning Area Oil and Gas Lease 
Sale 193 in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska, Draft Supplemental EIS (``SEIS'') 
OCS EIS/EA BOEMRE 2010-034 addressing each of these concerns; (2) 
published the Draft SEIS for public comment on October 15, 2010; and 
(3) provided a 45-day comment period. BOEMRE received over 150,000 
comments on the Draft SEIS. Citing the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 
many commenters requested an analysis of a potential blowout and oil 
spill during exploration. In response to those comments, BOEMRE 
determined it appropriate to provide analysis of a very large oil spill 
(``VLOS'') from a hypothetical exploration well blowout. BOEMRE 
prepared the Chukchi Sea Planning Area Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193 in 
the Chukchi Sea, Alaska, Revised Draft Supplemental SEIS OCS EIS/EA 
BOEMRE 2010-034 with the VLOS analysis and those issues under remand.
    On May 27, 2011, the Federal Register published a Notice of 
Availability of the Revised Draft SEIS for a 45-day public comment for 
BOEMRE and Notice of BOEMRE filing the Revised Draft EIS with the 
Environmental Protection Agency. The public comment period officially 
closed on July 11, 2011. During the Revised Draft SEIS public comment 
period, BOEMRE received over 360,000 comment letters and cards from 
Federal Agencies, state and local governments, Alaska Native tribes, 
interested groups, and members of the public.

[[Page 53482]]

    The Final SEIS completes the environmental review process and 
responds to the District Court's remand order. The Final SEIS will 
provide the Secretary of Interior with sufficient information and 
analysis to make an informed decision on whether to affirm, modify, or 
cancel Chukchi Sea Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193.
    Final SEIS Availability: To obtain a printed copy or CD-ROM of the 
Final SEIS, you may contact the BOEMRE, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 
Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5820, telephone 
907-334-5200. You may also view the Final SEIS at the above address, on 
the BOEMRE Web site at http://alaska.boemre.gov, or at the Alaska 
Resources Library and Information Service, 3211 Providence Drive, Suite 
III. Anchorage, Alaska.
    Comments: You may submit your comments on the Final SEIS only by 
one of the following two methods:
    1. Mail or Delivery: In written form enclosed in an envelope 
labeled ``Comments on Final SEIS, Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193'' to the 
Regional Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and 
Enforcement, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5820. BOEMRE will accept hand deliveries during 
regular business hours--8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding holidays.
    2. Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Please do not use alternative means to send your comments through 
the Internet. BOEMRE will not consider comments submitted other than by 
the above two methods. For BOEMRE to consider your comments, BOEMRE 
must receive your comments on or before 30 days after the publication 
of this notice. BOEMRE cautions that before including your address, 
phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, 
including your personal identifying information, may be made publically 
available at any time. While you may ask BOEMRE (prominently at the 
beginning of your submission) to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public view, BOEMRE cannot guarantee that it will be 
able to do so. BOEMRE will not consider anonymous comments.

    Dated: August 1, 2011.
L. Renee Orr,
Acting Associate Director for Offshore Energy and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2011-21916 Filed 8-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P