[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13778-13780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06533]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket ID: BOEM-2017-0063; MMAA104000]


Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska OCS Region, Beaufort Sea, 
Proposed Oil and Gas Lease Sale for 2019

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Call for Information and Nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is issuing this 
Call for Information and Nominations (Call) covering a proposed sale in 
the Beaufort Sea Planning Area in late 2019, as included in the 2019-
2024 National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Draft 
Proposed Program (2019-2024 National Draft Proposed Program), which 
BOEM announced on January 4, 2018. The purpose of this Call is to 
solicit industry nominations for areas of leasing interest and to 
gather comments and information on the area included in the Call for 
consideration in planning for this proposed OCS oil and gas lease sale. 
Because this lease sale is proposed to occur in 2019, and given the 
long lead time needed to prepare for a proposed sale, the planning 
process must begin now or the option of a lease sale in 2019 would be 
precluded. However, this Call is not a decision to lease and is not a 
prejudgment by the Secretary concerning any area that may be made 
available for leasing under the 2019-2024 National Program.

DATES: All nominations and comments submitted in response to this Call 
must be received by BOEM no later than April 30, 2018. BOEM will 
consider submissions sent by mail so long as they are postmarked by the 
last day of the comment period.

ADDRESSES: Public Comment Submission Procedures: All public comments 
should be submitted through one of the following methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
field entitled, ``Search,'' enter ``BOEM-2017-0063'' and then click 
``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view 
supporting and related materials available for this notice;
    2. U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service to the following 
address: Chief, Leasing Section, BOEM, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 
Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5823. Send your 
comments in an envelope clearly labelled, ``Comments on the Call for 
Information and

[[Page 13779]]

Nominations for Proposed 2019 Lease Sale in the Beaufort Sea Planning 
Area.''
    Nominations/Indications of Industry Interest Submission Procedures: 
To ensure security and confidentiality of proprietary information to 
the maximum extent possible, please send nominations/indications of 
interest and other proprietary information to Chief, Leasing Section, 
BOEM, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, 
Alaska 99503-5823. Send your nominations in an envelope clearly 
labeled, ``Nominations for Proposed 2019 Lease Sale in the Beaufort Sea 
Planning Area.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Patricia LaFramboise, Chief, 
Leasing Section, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Alaska OCS Region, 
3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, AK 99503, telephone (907) 
334-5200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    2019-2024 National Program Development: On January 4, 2018, the 
Department of the Interior announced the release of the 2019-2024 
National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program and published a 
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (PEIS) for the 2019-2024 National Program. In the 2019-2024 
National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program, BOEM 
identified potential exclusion areas in the Beaufort Sea Planning Area: 
A Barrow Whaling Area and a Kaktovik Whaling Area. These areas will be 
analyzed and their potential exclusion from leasing considered as the 
Department of the Interior moves forward with the 2019-2024 National 
Program development process. Information on the development of the 
proposed 2019-2024 National Program and PEIS is available on BOEM's 
website at: https://www.boem.gov/National-OCS-Program/.
    Because this sale is proposed to occur at the beginning of the 
2019-2024 National Program lease sale schedule, and there is a long 
lead time needed to prepare for a proposed oil and gas lease sale, the 
administrative and environmental review processes for this sale must 
occur simultaneously and in close coordination with the development of 
the 2019-2024 National Program.
    This Call should not be construed as a prejudgment by the Secretary 
concerning any area that could be made available for leasing under the 
2019-2024 National Program. This Call does not indicate a preliminary 
decision to lease in the area described herein. This Call is not itself 
a leasing announcement; however, the area described herein, or portions 
thereof, may be made available for future oil and gas leasing.
    Environmental Review Process: BOEM intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), covering the proposed lease sale 
included in this Call.
    The lease sale EIS will evaluate the potential effects of leasing 
on the human, marine, and coastal environments, and may develop 
measures and lease stipulations to mitigate adverse impacts for the 
options being analyzed. Several consultations will be conducted 
concurrently with the NEPA process. These consultations include, but 
are not limited to, those required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and Executive 
Order 13175--``Consultation and Coordination with Tribal Governments.'' 
The results of these consultations will assist BOEM in its leasing 
decisions.
    BOEM's Leasing Process: BOEM's regulations for planning and holding 
an oil and gas lease sale are found at 30 CFR 556.300-309.
    (1) Call for Information and Nominations: See section below.
    (2) Area Identification: Based on the information and nominations 
submitted in response to this Call, BOEM will develop a recommendation 
of the area proposed for further leasing consideration and/or 
environmental analysis. Upon approval by the Secretary, BOEM will 
announce the proposed area identified for leasing in the Federal 
Register, in accordance with 30 CFR 556.302(a)(3).
    (3) Proposed Notice of Sale (NOS): If BOEM proceeds with 
consideration of leasing after completion of Area Identification and 
environmental analysis, it will publish a Notice of Availability of a 
PNOS in the Federal Register and send the Proposed NOS to the Governor 
of Alaska for comment and recommendations on the size, timing, and 
location of the proposed sale. The Proposed NOS describes the size, 
timing, and location of the proposed sale, provides additional 
information on the area(s) proposed for leasing, lists proposed lease 
terms and conditions of the sale, and provides proposed stipulations to 
mitigate potential adverse impacts on the environment.
    (4) Final Notice of Sale (NOS): If BOEM decides to proceed with 
leasing, it will publish a Final NOS in the Federal Register at least 
30 days before the date of the lease sale. The Final NOS describes the 
place, time, and method for filing bids and the place, date, and hour 
for opening and publicly announcing bids. It also contains a 
description of the area(s) offered for lease, the lease terms and 
conditions of the sale, and stipulations to mitigate potential adverse 
impacts on the environment.

Call for Information and Nominations

1. Authority

    This Call is published pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf 
Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356), and the 
implementing regulation at 30 CFR 556.301.

2. Purpose of the Call

    The purpose of this Call is to solicit industry nominations for 
areas of leasing interest and to gather comments and information from 
the public on the area(s) that should be included in the proposed OCS 
oil and gas lease sale in the Beaufort Sea Planning Area in 2019. 
Pursuant to 30 CFR 556.301, BOEM seeks comments from industry and the 
public on:
    (a) industry interest in the area proposed for leasing, including 
nominations or indications of interest in specific blocks within the 
area;
    (b) geological conditions, including bottom hazards;
    (c) archaeological sites on the seabed or near shore;
    (d) potential multiple uses of the proposed leasing area, including 
subsistence and navigation;
    (e) areas that should receive special concern and analysis; and
    (f) other socioeconomic, biological, and environmental information.
    Information submitted in response to this Call will be used to:
     Determine the Area Identification under 30 CFR 556.302;
     Prioritize areas with potential for oil and gas 
development;
     Develop potential lease terms and conditions;
     Identify potential use conflicts and potential mitigation 
measures; and
     Assist in BOEM's planning and environmental review 
process.

3. Description of the Call Area

    The Beaufort Sea Planning Area is located offshore the State of 
Alaska and extends from the 3-nautical mile (nm) (4.8 kilometers [km]) 
limit of State of Alaska submerged lands to and northward approximately 
to latitude 75[deg] N on the west (west of longitude 148[deg] W) or to 
latitude 74[deg] N on the east (east of longitude 148[deg] W). The 
planning area

[[Page 13780]]

extends from longitude 156[deg] W (roughly north of the village of 
Utqia[gdot]vik, formerly known as Barrow) on the west to the Canadian 
maritime boundary. This area consists of 11,876 whole and partial 
blocks (about 65 million acres, or 26.2 million hectares).
    A map depicting the Call Area is available for download on the BOEM 
website at: http://www.boem.gov/Beaufort2019. Copies of Official 
Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) also are available for download on the BOEM 
website at: https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.

4. Instructions on the Call

    Parties interested in leasing are requested to indicate their 
interest in, and comment on, the Federal acreage within the boundaries 
of the Call Area that they wish to have included in the proposed lease 
sale. Respondents should explicitly outline the areas of interest along 
block lines and rank the areas or specific blocks in which they are 
interested, according to their priority, using the following 
indicators: 1 [high], 2 [medium], or 3 [low]. Respondents are 
encouraged to be as specific as possible in prioritizing blocks and 
supporting nominations of specific blocks with detailed information, 
such as relevant geologic, geophysical, and economic data. Areas where 
interest has been indicated, but on which respondents have not 
indicated priorities, will be considered low priority. Respondents may 
also submit a list of blocks nominated by OPD and Leasing Map 
designations to ensure correct interpretation of their nominations. 
OPDs and Leasing Maps are available on BOEM's website at https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.
    BOEM also seeks comments from all interested parties about 
particular geological, environmental, biological, archaeological and 
socioeconomic conditions, multi-use conflicts, or other information 
about conditions that could affect the potential leasing and 
development of particular areas. Comments may refer to broad areas or 
may refer to particular OCS blocks.

5. Protection of Privileged or Proprietary Information

    BOEM will protect privileged or proprietary information that 
industry submits in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) and OCSLA requirements. To avoid inadvertent release of such 
information, all documents and every page containing such information 
should be marked with ``Confidential--Contains Proprietary 
Information.'' To the extent a document contains a mix of proprietary 
and nonproprietary information, the document should be clearly marked 
to indicate which portion of the document is proprietary and which is 
not. Exemption 4 of FOIA applies to trade secrets and commercial or 
financial information that you submit that is privileged or 
confidential. The OCSLA states that the ``Secretary shall maintain the 
confidentiality of all privileged or proprietary data or information 
for such period of time as is provided for in this subchapter, 
established by regulation, or agreed to by the parties'' (43 U.S.C. 
1344(g)). BOEM considers nominations of specific blocks to be 
proprietary, and therefore BOEM will not release information that 
identifies any particular nomination with any particular party, so as 
not to compromise the competitive position of any participants in the 
process of indicating interest.
    However, please be aware that BOEM's practice is to make all 
comments, including the names and addresses of individuals, available 
for public inspection. Before including your address, phone number, 
email address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, please be advised that your entire comment, including your 
personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any 
time. In order for BOEM to withhold from disclosure your personal 
identifying information, you must identify any information contained in 
the submission of your comments that, if released, would constitute a 
clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You must also 
briefly describe any possible harmful consequence(s) of the disclosure 
of information, such as embarrassment, injury or other harm. While you 
can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal 
identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do 
so. BOEM will make available for public inspection, in their entirety, 
all comments submitted by organizations and businesses, or by 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives of organizations 
or businesses.

    Dated: March 5, 2018.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-06533 Filed 3-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P