[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 10994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03693]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2020-0018]


Withdrawal of the Public Review Period for Cook Inlet Lease Sale 
258

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice to withdraw public review period.

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SUMMARY: BOEM is withdrawing the public review period and virtual 
public hearings announced in the Notice of Availability (NOA) of the 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Cook Inlet 
Lease Sale 258.

DATES: This withdrawal is effective immediately. The public review 
period, scheduled to close March 1, 2021, and the virtual public 
hearings, scheduled for February 9-11, 2021, are canceled.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding this notice, 
please contact Amee Howard, Project Manager, Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, Alaska Regional Office, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5823, by telephone at (907) 334-5200, or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 15, 2021, BOEM published an NOA 
for the proposed Cook Inlet Lease Sale 258 DEIS. The NOA began a 45-day 
comment period and announced the dates and times of three virtual 
public hearings. However, in response to Executive Order 14008, BOEM 
has decided to cancel the comment period and public hearings for the 
Lease Sale 258 DEIS.
    Executive Order 14008, published in the Federal Register on 
February 1, 2021, directed the Secretary of the Interior to pause new 
oil and gas leasing on public lands and offshore waters pending 
completion of a comprehensive review of Federal oil and gas activities, 
including climate and other impacts. Consistent with the Executive 
Order, BOEM has decided to cancel the comment period and virtual public 
hearings for Lease Sale 258 DEIS. This decision to postpone further 
environmental review of the lease sale pending completion of the review 
specified in the Executive Order was made to avoid administrative costs 
associated with holding hearings on the sale while it is under review. 
In advance of this notice, on February 4, 2021, BOEM issued a press 
release and updated its website to notify stakeholders that the public 
review period and virtual public hearings were cancelled. If, after 
completion of the review directed in Executive Order 14008, BOEM 
resumes its environmental review of Lease Sale 258, a notice will be 
published in the Federal Register.

    Authority: This notice to withdraw the public review period is 
published pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; 40 CFR 1506.6 (2019 
ed.).

Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2021-03693 Filed 2-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P