[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 207 (Friday, October 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57471-57472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23248]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-0071]
Guidelines for Providing Information on Lighting and Marking of
Structures Supporting Renewable Energy Development
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of Draft Proposed Guidelines for
Providing Information on Lighting and Marking of Structures Supporting
Renewable Energy Development.
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SUMMARY: BOEM's Office of Renewable Energy Programs (OREP) is making
available for public review its Draft Proposed Guidelines for Providing
Information on Lighting and Marking of Structures Supporting Renewable
Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and is inviting
public comment on how they might be improved. The guidelines may be
accessed at https://www.boem.gov/National-and-Regional-Guidelines-for-Renewable-Energy-Activities/.
DATES: Stakeholders and interested parties may submit comments
electronically or by regular mail, postmarked no later than November
25, 2019. OREP is also offering a web-based presentation on this
subject on November 20, 2019, which may be accessed at http://www.boem.gov/Regulatory-Framework.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted in one of the two following
ways:
1. Electronically: http://www.regulations.gov. In the entry
entitled, ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' search for BOEM-2019-0071. Follow
the instructions to submit public comments in response to this
document.
2. Written Comments: Mail to: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OREP,
Sterling, Virginia 20166. Please include your name, return address, and
phone number or email address, so we can contact you if we have
questions regarding your submission.
Public Availability of Comments: Before including your address,
phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable
information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire
comment--including your personally identifiable information--may be
made publicly available at any time. In order for BOEM to withhold from
disclosure your personally identifiable information, you must identify
any information contained in the submittal of your comments that, if
released, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your
personal privacy. You must also briefly describe any possible harmful
consequences of the disclosure of information, such as embarrassment,
injury, or other harm. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold
your personally identifiable information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angel McCoy, [email protected], or
by mail at: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Renewable
Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OREP, Sterling, Virginia
20166, (703) 787-1758.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: This notice is published pursuant to subsection 8(p) of
the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)), added by Section 388 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the implementing regulations at 30 CFR
585.116. This regulatory provision states that the Director, ``may . .
. solicit information from industry and other relevant stakeholders
(including state and local agencies), as necessary, to evaluate the
state of the offshore renewable energy industry, including the
identification of potential challenges or obstacles to its continued
development.''
Purpose: BOEM is seeking public comment on its Draft Proposed
Guidelines for Providing Information on Lighting and Marking of
Structures Supporting Renewable Energy Development on the OCS. In
particular, BOEM is seeking comment on whether these draft proposed
guidelines set forth appropriate recommendation and/or are necessary
given applicable international standards and practices.
The BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs (OREP) drafted these
guidelines based upon studies and consultations with the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) and United States Coast Guard (USCG). In
response to stakeholder comments and concerns, BOEM convened a working
group of Federal agencies with interests in lighting, including the
FAA, USCG, Department of Defense (DoD), National Park Service, United
States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement. The working group noted the absence of FAA
regulations or guidance regarding the use of lighting for offshore wind
turbines beyond the United States Territorial Sea, 12 nm (22.2 km)
offshore.
In addition, BOEM funded the study Development of Guidance for
Lighting of Offshore Wind Turbines Beyond 12 Nautical Miles (BOEM OCS
Study 2016-002, https://www.boem.gov/offshore-lighting-guidance/). The
study analyzed FAA guidance (Advisory Circular AC 70/7460-1, Chapter
13) and identified best management practices related to aviation safety
while addressing environmental concerns identified in BOEM OCS Study
2013-0116. This guidance incorporates conclusions of the 2016 study and
recommendations from the working group.
[[Page 57472]]
These draft proposed guidelines contain recommendations for
industry to follow and also summarize the relevant FAA and USCG
regulatory requirements on lighting and marking design for wind energy
facilities on Federal renewable energy leases on the OCS. The draft
proposed guidelines outline the types of information that BOEM requests
from lessees as part of their Site Assessment Plan (SAP), Construction
and Operations Plan (COP), or General Activities Plan (GAP), as
applicable. BOEM's goal is to ensure that the lighting and marking of
offshore wind energy facilities:
Are safe;
do not unreasonably interfere with other uses of the OCS;
do not cause undue harm or damage to natural resources;
life (including human and wildlife); property; the marine, coastal, or
human environment; or sites, structures, or objects of historical or
archaeological significance;
use best available and safest technology; and
use best management practices.
These recommendations are offered to assist lessees in
demonstrating that their SAPs, COPs or GAPs adequately address the
concerns enumerated above. This draft proposed guidance is not intended
to set information or data standards or prescribe additional regulatory
requirements. Even under the draft proposed guidance, lessees would
remain free to propose alternative design parameters to provide for
aviation safety, avoid harm to wildlife, avoid interference with other
users, and/or further other criteria for plan approval.
For more information about BOEM's renewable energy program, please
visit: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy/.
Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information: BOEM will
protect privileged or confidential information that you submit as
required by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Exemption 4 of FOIA
applies to trade secrets and commercial or financial information that
you submit that is privileged or confidential. If you wish to protect
the confidentiality of such information, clearly mark it and request
that BOEM treat it as confidential. BOEM will not disclose such
information, except as required by FOIA. Please label privileged or
confidential information ``Contains Confidential Information'' and
consider submitting such information as a separate attachment.
However, BOEM will not treat as confidential any aggregate
summaries of such information or comments not containing such
information. Additionally, BOEM may not treat as confidential the legal
title of the commenting entity (e.g., the name of your company).
Information that is not labeled as privileged or confidential will be
regarded by BOEM as suitable for public release.
Dated: October 21, 2019.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2019-23248 Filed 10-24-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P