[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5560-5561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2494]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2011-0088]


Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on 
the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore New Jersey, 
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of the Availability (NOA) of an Environmental Assessment 
(EA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact.

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SUMMARY: BOEM has prepared an EA considering the environmental impacts 
of issuing renewable energy leases and authorizing site 
characterization activities (geophysical, geotechnical, archaeological, 
and biological surveys needed to develop specific project proposals on 
those leases) in identified Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the OCS 
offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. This final EA 
also considers the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts 
associated with the approval of site assessment activities (including 
the installation and operation of meteorological towers and buoys) on 
the leases that may be issued.
    As a result of its analysis in the final EA, BOEM issued a Finding 
of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI concluded that the 
environmental impacts associated with the preferred alternative would 
not significantly impact the environment; therefore, the preparation of 
an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required.
    The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the 
availability of the EA and FONSI, which can be accessed online at: 
http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Smart-from-the-Start/Index.aspx.

    Authority:  This NOA of an EA and FONSI is published pursuant to 
43 CFR 46.305.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Morin, BOEM Office of 
Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 
20170-4817, (703) 787-1340 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 23, 2010, Secretary of the 
Interior Ken Salazar announced the ``Smart from the Start'' renewable 
energy initiative to accelerate the responsible development of 
renewable energy resources on the Atlantic OCS. One of the focuses of 
the initiative is the identification and refinement of areas on the OCS 
that appear to be suitable for renewable energy development (WEAs), 
within which BOEM will focus its leasing efforts. In consultation with 
other Federal agencies and BOEM's Intergovernmental Renewable Energy 
Task Forces, BOEM identified WEAs on the OCS offshore New Jersey, 
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
    On February 9, 2011, BOEM identified these WEAs in a Notice of 
Intent (NOI) to prepare an EA for Mid-Atlantic WEAs (76 FR 7226). The 
NOI requested public input to identify the important environmental 
issues associated with leasing and site assessment within the 
identified WEAs, and alternatives to be considered in the EA. BOEM 
considered these public comments in drafting the alternatives and 
assessing the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts associated 
with each alternative. Comments received in response to the NOI can be 
viewed at http://www.regulations.gov, by searching for Docket ID BOEM-
2010-0077.
    On July 12, 2011, BOEM published in the Federal Register a NOA of a 
draft of the EA for Mid-Atlantic WEAs (76 FR 40925). Public comments on 
the draft EA were considered in the preparation of this final EA and in 
determining whether the proposed activities would lead to significant 
environmental impacts. Comments received in response to the NOA can be 
viewed at http://www.regulations.gov, by searching for Docket ID BOEM-
2011-0053.
    BOEM will use this EA to inform decisions to issue leases in the 
refined WEAs, and to subsequently approve site assessment plans (SAPs) 
on those leases. BOEM may issue one or more commercial wind energy 
leases in the WEAs. The competitive lease process is set forth at 30 
CFR 585.210-585.225, and the noncompetitive process is set forth at 30 
CFR 585.230-585.232 (as amended by a rulemaking effective as of June 
15, 2011).
    A commercial lease, whether issued through a competitive or non-
competitive process, gives the lessee the exclusive right to 
subsequently seek BOEM approval for the development of the leasehold. 
The lease does not grant the lessee the right to construct any 
facilities; rather, the lease grants the right to use the leased area 
to develop its plans, which BOEM must approve before the lessee may 
proceed to the next stage of the process. See 30 CFR 585.600 and 
585.601. In the event that a particular lease is issued, and the lessee 
subsequently submits a SAP, BOEM would then determine whether the EA 
adequately considers the environmental consequences of the

[[Page 5561]]

activities proposed in the lessee's SAP. If BOEM determines that the 
analysis in the EA adequately considers these consequences, then no 
further analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
would be required before BOEM could approve a SAP. If, on the other 
hand, BOEM determines that the analysis in this EA is inadequate for 
that purpose, BOEM would prepare additional NEPA analysis before it 
could approve the SAP.
    If a lessee is prepared to propose a wind energy generation 
facility on its lease, it would submit a construction and operations 
plan (COP). BOEM then would prepare a separate site- and project-
specific NEPA analysis of the proposed project. This analysis would 
likely take the form of an EIS and would provide the public and Federal 
officials with comprehensive information regarding the reasonably 
foreseeable environmental impacts of the proposed project. In this NEPA 
analysis, BOEM would evaluate the potential environmental and 
socioeconomic consequences of the proposed project. This analysis would 
inform BOEM's decision to approve, approve with modification, or 
disapprove a lessee's COP pursuant to 30 CFR 585.628. This NEPA process 
also would provide additional opportunities for public involvement 
pursuant to NEPA and the White House Council on Environmental Quality's 
regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508.

    Dated: January 20, 2012.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Deputy Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-2494 Filed 2-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P