[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30876-30877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12066]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2014-0050; MMAA104000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for 
Proposed Wind Energy-Related Development Activities on the Pacific 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Oregon and Notice of Public 
Scoping Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.), BOEM intends to 
prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to consider the reasonably 
foreseeable environmental consequences associated with the issuance of 
a lease and approval of plans proposed by Principle Power, Inc. 
(Principle Power) for wind energy-related development activities 
offshore Oregon. We are seeking public input regarding important 
environmental issues and the identification of alternatives that should 
be considered in the EA.
    In addition to the request for written comments, we are holding two 
public scoping meetings to provide information and solicit comments on 
the scope of the EA. The meetings will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 
p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at the 
Coos Bay Public Library, 525 Anderson Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420.

    Authority: The Notice of Intent to prepare an EA is published 
pursuant to 43 CFR 46.305.

DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than July 28, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Sanders, BOEM Pacific OCS Region, 
770 Paseo Camarillo, 2nd Floor, Camarillo, California 93010; (805) 389-
7863 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    On May 15, 2013, BOEM received an unsolicited request from 
Principle Power for a commercial wind energy lease on the OCS offshore 
Coos Bay, Oregon. Principle Power's proposal, the WindFloat Pacific 
Project, is to install a floating wind energy demonstration facility 
approximately 16 nautical miles from shore in a water depth of 
approximately 1,400 feet. The total area being considered in the EA 
encompasses approximately 15 square miles. However, the lease will 
include only the portion of the 15-square-mile area necessary for 
project facilities. The project is designed to generate up to 30 
megawatts (MW) of electricity from five

[[Page 30877]]

floating WindFloat units, each equipped with a 6-MW offshore wind 
turbine. Each unit would be moored with multiple anchors to the 
seafloor, and be connected to a single transmission cable running along 
the seafloor to shore. Additional information on Principle Power's 
unsolicited lease request and maps of the proposed lease site can be 
viewed at http://www.boem.gov/State-Activities-Oregon/.
    On September 30, 2013, we published a notice of the unsolicited 
lease request and a Request for Interest (RFI) to determine whether 
anyone had an interest in acquiring a commercial wind lease in the area 
identified by Principle Power (78 FR 59969). The notice also provided 
the opportunity for interested stakeholders to comment on the proposed 
lease area, the proposed project and potential impacts wind energy 
development may have on the area.
    No indications of competitive interest were received in response to 
the notice, and BOEM published a Determination of No Competitive 
Interest on February 6, 2014 (79 FR 7225). Stakeholder comments 
received in response to the RFI are being considered during our scoping 
process.

2. Purpose and Need for Agency Action

    BOEM will process Principle Power's unsolicited lease request under 
the provisions at 30 CFR Part 585, Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses 
of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf. These 
regulations provide for lease issuance and approval of plans for 
construction and operation of renewable energy facilities.

3. Proposed Action and Scope of Analysis

    BOEM's proposed action is the issuance of a commercial lease and 
the approval of a construction and operation plan for the WindFloat 
Pacific Project. The EA will consider the reasonably foreseeable 
environmental consequences associated with the proposed action, 
including the impacts of the construction, operation, maintenance and 
decommissioning of wind turbines and cables.
    This notice is intended to further engage the public in the scoping 
process for this EA. We are soliciting information regarding important 
environmental issues and alternatives that should be considered in the 
EA. Alternatives currently under consideration include the proposal 
submitted by Principle Power and a no-action alternative. Environmental 
resources we expect to evaluate in the EA include benthic 
invertebrates, fish, birds, bats and marine mammals. We will also 
consider other human uses in the vicinity of the proposed project, 
including commercial and sport fishing, recreation and vessel traffic.
    If at any time during preparation of the EA we determine that an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) is needed, we will issue a Notice 
of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS in the Federal Register. In that 
case, scoping comments you submit now will be considered for the 
development of an EIS.

4. Other Environmental Review and Consultation Processes

    BOEM will also use responses to this notice and the EA public 
involvement process to satisfy the public involvement requirements of 
the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f), as provided in 
36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). We are seeking information from the public on the 
identification of historic properties that may be affected by the 
WindFloat Pacific Project. The analyses contained within the EA also 
will support compliance with other environmental statutes (e.g., 
Endangered Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Marine Mammal Protection 
Act).

5. Cooperating Agencies

    It is BOEM's intent to prepare an EA that will inform all Federal 
decisions related to Principle Power's proposal, and we invite Federal, 
state and local government agencies to consider becoming cooperating 
agencies in the preparation of this EA. Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA 
define cooperating agencies as those with ``jurisdiction by law or 
special expertise'' (40 CFR 1508.5). Potential cooperating agencies 
should consider their authority and capacity to assume the 
responsibilities of a cooperating agency and remember that an agency's 
role in the environmental analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes the 
final decision-making authority of any other agency involved in the 
NEPA process.
    Even if an organization is not a cooperating agency, opportunities 
will exist to provide information and comments to BOEM during the 
normal public involvement phases of the NEPA process.

6. Comments

    Federal, state, local government agencies, tribal governments and 
other interested parties are requested to send written comments on the 
important issues to be considered in the EA by any of the following 
methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
field entitled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2014-0050, and then 
click ``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and 
view supporting and related materials available for this notice;
    2. By U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service, send your 
comments and information to the following address: Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Pacific OCS Region, Attention: Greg Sanders, Office 
of Environment, 770 Paseo Camarillo, 2nd Floor, Camarillo, California 
93010; or
    3. In person at one of the EA public scoping meetings.
    Before including your address, phone number, email 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 publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comments to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: May 14, 2014.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-12066 Filed 5-23-14; 8:45 am]
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