[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18578-18579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07376]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2014-0010; MMAA104000]


Environmental Assessment for Potential Interim Policy Lease 
Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer 
Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Georgia

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of the Availability of an Environmental Assessment.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has prepared an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) considering the reasonably foreseeable 
environmental and socioeconomic impacts of issuing an Interim Policy 
lease and subsequent site characterization activities (geophysical, 
geotechnical, archaeological, and biological surveys) in Official 
Protraction Diagram NH 17-02 Blocks 6074, 6126, and 6174, offshore 
Georgia. The EA also considers the reasonably foreseeable impacts 
associated with the approval of site assessment activities (including 
the installation and operation of a meteorological tower and/or buoys) 
on the lease that may be issued. The purpose of this notice is to 
inform the public of the availability of the EA for review, to solicit 
public comments on the EA, and to seek public comment and input under 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f), 
and its implementing regulations (36 CFR part 800).
    The EA can be found online at http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/Georgia.aspx.

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 6, 2007, the Minerals Management 
Service (MMS), now BOEM, announced an Interim Policy for authorizing 
the issuance of leases for the installation of offshore data collection 
and technology testing facilities on the OCS (72 FR 62673). An 
applicant has submitted a lease proposal to BOEM pursuant to the 
Interim Policy and, thus, has initiated the need for an EA.
    On July 23, 2008, Southern Company nominated three OCS blocks, 
approximately 3 to 11 nautical miles off the coast of Tybee Island, 
Georgia. On April 7, 2011, Southern Company submitted an application to 
lease the area identified as Brunswick NH 17-02 OCS Blocks 6074, 6174, 
and 6126. The proposed lease area covers about 70 square kilometers 
(17,280 acres) of seafloor and ranges from a depth of 12 meters (m) in 
Block 6074 to 20 m in the eastern half of Block 6126. Southern Company 
submitted an amended project application in May 2012 and provided 
additional information in October 2012. The amendment describes 
additional data collection and technology testing activities to be 
conducted on the proposed lease. Southern Company intends to deploy a 
meteorological tower and/or meteorological buoys that will measure wind 
speed, direction and shear, and potentially collect other environmental 
data types during the five year lease term.
    On December 14, 2012, BOEM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to 
prepare an EA that requested public comments on alternatives for 
consideration in the EA as well as identification of important 
environmental issues associated with issuing a lease for an offshore 
data collection facility and related activities (77 FR 74512). BOEM 
considered these public comments in drafting the alternatives and 
assessing the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts associated 
with each. Comments received in response to the NOI can be viewed at: 
http://www.regulations.gov by searching for Docket ID BOEM-2012-0074.
    BOEM is seeking public input on the EA, including comments on the 
completeness and adequacy of the environmental analysis, and on the 
measures and operating conditions in the EA designed to reduce or 
eliminate potential environmental impacts. BOEM will consider public 
comments on the EA in determining whether to issue a Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) or conduct additional analysis

[[Page 18579]]

under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). BOEM will conduct 
public information sessions to explain the proposed activities and 
provide additional opportunities for public input on the EA. Specific 
times and venues will be posted on the BOEM Web site at: http://www.boem.gov/State-Activities-Georgia/.
    Additionally, as part of its compliance with Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f), and its 
implementing regulations (36 CFR 800), BOEM is seeking public comment 
and input regarding the identification of historic properties or 
potential effects to historic properties from leasing and site 
assessment activities in the proposed lease area.

Comments

    Federal, state, and local government agencies, tribal governments, 
and other interested parties are requested to submit their written 
comments on the EA in one of the following ways:
    1. Electronically: http://www.regulations.gov. In the entry 
entitled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2014-0010, then click 
``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view 
supporting and related materials available for this document.
    2. In written form, delivered by hand or by mail, enclosed in an 
envelope labeled ``Comments on Environmental Assessment for Potential 
Interim Policy Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the 
Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Georgia'' to: Program 
Manager, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817.
    Comments must be received or postmarked no later than May 2, 2014. 
All written comments received or postmarked during the comment period 
will be made available to the public.

    Authority:  This Notice of the Availability (NOA) of an EA is 
published pursuant to 43 CFR 46.305.

    Dated: March 27, 2014.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-07376 Filed 4-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P