[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 119 (Friday, June 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35377-35378]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14002]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2014-0042]


Notice of Determination of No Competitive Interest for the 
Pacific Marine Energy Center South Energy Test Site Project Offshore 
Newport, Oregon MMAA104000

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides BOEM's determination that there is no 
competitive interest in the area requested by the Northwest National 
Marine Renewable Energy Center at Oregon State University (NNMREC-OSU) 
to acquire an Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) marine hydrokinetic (MHK) 
research lease as described in the Potential Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) 
Research Lease on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Oregon, 
Request for Competitive Interest (RFCI) that BOEM published on March 
24, 2014 (79 FR 16050). The RFCI described NNMREC-OSU's request to 
obtain a lease for renewable energy research activities approximately 
five nautical miles offshore Newport, Oregon and provided an 
opportunity for the public to submit comments about the proposal.

DATES: Effective June 20, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jean Thurston, Renewable Energy 
Specialist, BOEM, Pacific OCS Region, Office of Strategic Resources, 
770 Paseo Camarillo, Second Floor, Camarillo, California 93010, Phone: 
(805) 389-7585.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    This Determination of No Competitive Interest (DNCI) is published 
pursuant to subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1337(p)(3)), and the implementing regulations at 30 CFR Part 585. 
Subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act requires that OCS renewable 
energy leases, easements, or rights-of-way (ROW) be issued ``on a 
competitive basis unless the Secretary [of the Interior] determines 
after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or ROW that there is 
no competitive interest.'' The Secretary delegated the authority to 
make such determinations to BOEM.

Determination and Next Steps

    This DNCI provides notice to the public that BOEM has determined 
there is no competitive interest in the

[[Page 35378]]

proposed lease area, as no indications of competitive interest were 
submitted in response to the RFCI.
    In the RFCI, BOEM also solicited public input from interested 
stakeholders regarding the proposed lease area, the potential 
environmental consequences of MHK energy development in the area, and 
multiple uses of the area. In response to the RFCI, BOEM received 
public comment submissions from six entities. BOEM will use the 
comments to inform subsequent decisions. After publication of this 
DNCI, BOEM may proceed with the noncompetitive leasing process for a 
research lease pursuant to 30 CFR 585.238.

Map of the Area

    A map of the area proposed for a research lease can be found at the 
following Web site: http://www.boem.gov/State-Activities-Oregon.

    Dated: May 30, 2014.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-14002 Filed 6-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P