[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40869-40873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16134]



[[Page 40869]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2021-0044]


Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Outer 
Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Morro Bay, California, East and West 
Extensions--Call for Information and Nominations (Call or Notice)

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

ACTION: Call for information and nominations; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This Call is published to solicit public input and industry 
interest on potential offshore wind energy development on areas 
adjacent to the Morro Bay Call Area previously identified in 2018. 
These new areas are within a 399-square-mile area located off central 
California, identified as the Morro Bay 399 Area.

DATES: BOEM must receive nominations and public comments by September 
13, 2021.

ADDRESSES:  Submit nominations for a lease area following the 
instructions in section 7, ``Required Nomination Information,'' under 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION to: BOEM, Office of Strategic Resources, 760 
Paseo Camarillo (Suite 102), Camarillo, California 93010.
    Comments and other information may be submitted by either of the 
following two methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
search box, enter BOEM-2021-0044 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. Send your 
comments and information to the following address: Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Office of Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo Camarillo 
(Suite 102), Camarillo, California 93010.
    All submissions, including any personally identifiable information 
included in your comment, will be reported on http://www.regulations.gov. For additional information on sending comments and 
protecting your confidentiality, see section 8, ``Protection of 
Privileged or Confidential Information,'' under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Thurston-Keller, BOEM California 
Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force Coordinator, BOEM, Office 
of Strategic Resources, 760 Paseo Camarillo (Suite 102), Camarillo, 
California 93010, (805) 384-6303, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    This Call is published pursuant to 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3) and the 
implementing regulations at 30 CFR part 585.

Call Area

    The call areas described in this notice are located on the OCS 
offshore central California and are delineated as the Morro Bay Call 
Area East Extension and the Morro Bay Call Area West Extension 
(together, the Call Area Extensions). These areas include 2 whole OCS 
blocks and 221 partial blocks and comprise approximately 141 square 
statute miles (mi) (90,025 acres). BOEM will identify which, if any, 
portions of the Call Area Extensions and the Morro Bay Call Area will 
undergo environmental analysis and consideration for leasing as part of 
area identification (Area ID) during the competitive leasing process. 
Section 5, ``Description of the Area,'' provides a detailed description 
and developmental history of the Call Area Extensions.

Purpose of the Call for Information and Nominations

    The OCS Lands Act requires BOEM to award leases competitively 
unless BOEM determines that there is no competitive interest (43 U.S.C. 
1337(p)(3)). On October 19, 2018, BOEM published a call for information 
and nominations to solicit commercial interest in wind energy leases 
within three areas identified offshore California (83 FR 53096).
    In this current notice, BOEM solicits information on the Call Area 
Extensions, as well as new nominations of commercial interest from 
entities that were not previously qualified by BOEM and did not submit 
a nomination for the Morro Bay Call Area in 2018. Entities who 
submitted nominations of commercial interest for the Morro Bay Call 
Area in 2018 do not need to respond to this Call unless they want to 
nominate portions of the Call Area Extensions.
    BOEM determined that competitive interest existed in the Morro Bay 
Call Area after reviewing the nominations submitted in 2018. BOEM 
assumes that competitive interest will be expressed in the Call Area 
Extensions described in this notice given their geographical proximity 
to the Morro Bay Call Area. Depending on the comments received in 
response to this Call, BOEM may or may not proceed with the competitive 
leasing process set forth in 30 CFR 585.211 through 585.225. This 
process is explained in detail in section 3, ``BOEM's Planning and 
Leasing Process.''
    A lease does not grant the lessee the right to construct any 
facilities on the leasehold. Rather, the lease grants the lessee the 
exclusive right to submit site assessment and construction and 
operations plans to BOEM, which BOEM may approve, modify, or 
disapprove. The lessee must obtain BOEM's approval of its plans before 
it may proceed to the next stage of the process (30 CFR 585.600 and 
585.601).
    BOEM's leasing process includes opportunities for the public to 
provide input, and any proposed leasing actions will be reviewed 
thoroughly for potential environmental impacts and multiple use 
conflicts. The areas that may be offered for lease, if any, have not 
yet been determined and may include less than the total footprint of 
the Call Area Extensions.
    Although this notice is not itself a leasing announcement, the area 
described herein, or portions thereof, may be available for future 
leasing. Parties wishing to submit a nomination of commercial interest 
in response to this Call should submit detailed and specific 
information in response to the requirements described in section 7, 
``Required Nomination Information.'' This notice also requests comments 
and information regarding site conditions, resources, and multiple uses 
in close proximity to, or within, the Call Area Extensions that would 
be relevant to BOEM's review of the nominations and to any subsequent 
decision whether to offer all or part of the Call Area Extensions for 
commercial wind energy leasing. Information that BOEM is requesting is 
described in section 6, ``Requested Information from Interested or 
Affected Parties.''

1 Background

    On October 19, 2018, BOEM published a call for information and 
nominations in the Federal Register (2018 Call) that identified three 
(3) geographically distinct call areas on the OCS offshore California, 
delineated as the Humboldt Call Area offshore the north coast and the 
Morro Bay Call Area and the Diablo Canyon Call Area offshore the 
central coast.
    Based on the 2018 Call, BOEM previously decided to move forward 
with the leasing process for the Humboldt Call Area. That area is not 
addressed in this notice.
    Following the 2018 Call, the Morro Bay and Diablo Canyon Call Areas 
were initially assessed as incompatible for wind energy development by 
the U.S.

[[Page 40870]]

Department of Defense (DoD). However, after that initial assessment, 
BOEM, the State of California, various California elected officials, 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of 
National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) and DoD continued discussions and 
stakeholder outreach to find a solution that accommodated offshore wind 
development on the central coast and DoD's mission requirements. More 
information and results of these meetings and outreach can be viewed 
at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/public-information-meetings-and-outreach-efforts.
    In May 2021, the Department of the Interior, DoD, and the State of 
California agreed to advance areas for possible wind energy development 
offshore the northern and central coasts of California, enabling a path 
forward for the Humboldt Call Area and areas within and adjacent to the 
Morro Bay Call Area (https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-advances-offshore-wind-pacific). With this notice, BOEM 
is examining the Call Area Extensions adjacent to the Morro Bay Call 
Area but is not considering the Diablo Canyon Call Area.
    After reviewing the information received in response to this Call, 
BOEM may combine all or portions of the Call Area Extensions with all 
or portions of the Morro Bay Call Area into one or more Wind Energy 
Areas (WEA) that would be subject to environmental analysis and 
consideration for leasing. It is unnecessary for those who previously 
nominated areas within the 2018 Morro Bay Call Area to do so again.

1.1 The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct)

    The EPAct amended the OCS Lands Act by adding subsection 8(p),\1\ 
which authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to grant leases, 
easements, and rights-of-way (ROWs) on the OCS for activities not 
previously authorized by the OCS Lands Act or other applicable law. 
Under subsection 8(p)(1)(C), the Secretary may issue leases for 
activities that produce or support production, transportation, or 
transmission of energy from sources other than oil or gas, including 
renewable energy sources. The Secretary delegated this authority to 
issue leases, easements, and ROWs to the Director of BOEM.
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    \1\ Codified at 43 U.S.C. 1337(p).
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1.2 Offshore Wind Energy Planning Efforts in California

    BOEM appreciates the importance of coordinating its planning with 
relevant Federal agencies, Tribes, State agencies, and other OCS users. 
BOEM and the State of California, through the leadership of the 
California Energy Commission, have engaged in a collaborative, data-
based offshore wind energy planning process in order to foster 
coordinated and informed decisions about California's shared ocean 
resources and the many users who depend on them. This outreach has 
consisted of numerous public meetings, webinars, and briefings with 
coastal communities, fishing communities, federally and non-federally 
recognized Tribes, State and Federal agencies, academia, scientists, 
environmental non-governmental organizations, and the offshore 
renewable energy industry. The summary report on this outreach can be 
viewed at: https://www.boem.gov/California-Outreach-Summary-Report/. 
Additional information gathered by BOEM and the State of California 
during the offshore wind energy planning process, including maps and 
spatially represented data, is available online at: https://caoffshorewind.databasin.org/.

1.3 BOEM California Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force

    At the request of Governor Brown, BOEM established an 
intergovernmental renewable energy task force with California in 2016 
(Task Force) to facilitate coordination among relevant Federal agencies 
and affected Tribal, State, and local governments throughout the 
leasing process. The Task Force met three times: October 13, 2016; 
September 17, 2018; and March 9, 2020. Meeting materials are available 
on the BOEM website at: https://www.boem.gov/California/.

1.4 Actions Taken by the State of California in Support of Renewable 
Energy Development

    In 2002, the State of California established a renewables portfolio 
standard (RPS), which establishes how much of California's electricity 
should be powered by renewable energy resources. California expanded 
the RPS in 2015 through passage of the Clean Energy and Pollution 
Reduction Act, and through passage of Senate Bill 100 (SB 100), the 100 
Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018. SB 100 increased the State's RPS to 
50 percent by 2025 and 60 percent by 2030, and provides that renewable 
energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100 percent of retail 
sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100 percent of 
electricity procured to serve state agencies by December 31, 2045. 
California's RPS is one of the most ambitious renewable energy 
standards in the country. Additional information about California's RPS 
is available at: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-power-procurement/rps and https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/renewables-portfolio-standard. The full text of SB 100 is available at: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB100.

2 BOEM's Environmental Review Process

    Prior to deciding whether and where leases may be issued, BOEM will 
prepare an environmental assessment (EA) and conduct appropriate 
consultations to consider the environmental consequences associated 
with issuing commercial wind energy leases. As any lease that BOEM 
intends to issue would not grant the right to construct any facilities 
within the leasehold, the EA will consider the environmental 
consequences associated with leasing, site assessment, and site 
characterization activities (including geophysical, geotechnical, 
archaeological, and biological surveys). If BOEM issues a lease and the 
lessee proposes the construction and operation of offshore wind energy 
facilities, BOEM will identify, analyze, and consider the environmental 
effects of such construction and operation through a separate, project-
specific process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
which will include additional opportunities for public involvement. At 
that time, BOEM also will conduct further coordination and 
consultation, including, but not limited to, those which may be 
required under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Endangered Species Act, 
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'').

3 BOEM's Planning and Leasing Process

3.1 Determination of Competitive Interest

    As stated in 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3), ``the Secretary shall issue a 
lease, easement, or right-of-way . . . on a competitive

[[Page 40871]]

basis unless the Secretary determines after public notice of a proposed 
lease, easement, or right-of-way that there is no competitive 
interest.'' Accordingly, BOEM must first determine whether competitive 
interest exists in the Call Area Extensions for the purpose of offshore 
wind energy development. At the conclusion of the comment period for 
the 2018 Call, BOEM reviewed the 14 nominations received and determined 
competitive interest existed in the Morro Bay Call Area. BOEM may 
proceed with competitive leasing as described in section 3.2, 
``Competitive Leasing Process.''
    BOEM will not issue any leases until it has completed the necessary 
consultations and environmental analysis and given the public an 
opportunity to comment. BOEM reserves the right to determine which, if 
any, of the nominated areas within the Morro Bay Call Area and Call 
Area Extensions will be leased and to modify such areas from their 
original, proposed description before offering them for lease.

3.2 Competitive Leasing Process

    If, BOEM proceeds with the competitive leasing process for certain 
areas after receiving nominations and responses to this Call, BOEM will 
follow the steps required by 30 CFR 585.211 through 585.225.
    (1) Area Identification: After reviewing the information submitted 
in response to this Call, BOEM may combine all or portions of the Call 
Area Extensions with all or portions of areas identified in response to 
the 2018 Call into one or more WEA, subject to environmental analysis 
in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies, Tribes, States, 
local governments, and other interested parties.
    (2) Proposed Sale Notice (PSN): If BOEM decides to proceed with a 
competitive lease sale within a WEA after its environmental analysis, 
BOEM will publish a PSN in the Federal Register with a comment period 
of 60 days. The PSN will describe each lease area BOEM intends to 
offer, the proposed conditions of a lease auction, the proposed lease 
auction format, and the lease document, including lease addenda. 
Additionally, the PSN will describe the criteria and process for 
evaluating bids in the lease sale.
    (3) Final Sale Notice (FSN): After considering the comments on the 
PSN, if BOEM decides to proceed with a competitive lease sale, BOEM 
will publish the FSN in the Federal Register at least 30 days before 
the date of the lease sale.
    (4) Bid Submission and Evaluation: Following publication of the 
FSN, BOEM will offer each lease area through a competitive sale 
process, using procedures specified in the FSN. BOEM will ensure that 
bidders have complied with all applicable regulations. BOEM reserves 
the right to reject any or all bids or to withdraw an offer to lease an 
area, even after bids have been submitted.
    (5) Issuance of a Lease: Following BOEM's selection of the winning 
bid on a lease area, BOEM will notify the successful bidder and provide 
that bidder with a set of official lease documents for signature. The 
successful bidder will be required to sign and return the lease 
documents, pay the remainder of the bid, if applicable, and file the 
required financial assurance within 10-business days of receiving the 
lease documents. Upon receipt of the required payments, financial 
assurance, and properly signed lease documents, BOEM may execute a 
lease with the successful bidder.

4 Development of the Call Area Extensions

    In coordination with the State of California, BOEM held multiple 
stakeholder outreach meetings in central California to obtain input 
into the development of additional areas in and around the Morro Bay 
Call Area identified in 2018 and to gather data and information to use 
in BOEM's decision-making process. BOEM, the State of California, State 
elected officials, ONMS, and DoD conducted additional outreach and 
engagement to determine if any additional areas in and around the Morro 
Bay Call Area should be considered for potential leasing. More 
information on these meetings and outreach can be viewed at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/public-information-meetings-and-outreach-efforts. The DoD expressed concerns regarding 
military activities and compatibility with offshore wind energy 
development during these meetings and outreach.
    The DoD conducts offshore testing, training, and operations on the 
OCS offshore the central coast of California. Because the DoD testing, 
training, and operations off the coast of California are essential to 
national security, DoD played a critical role in identifying these new 
areas for offshore wind development. The Department of the Interior, in 
close coordination with the DoD, identified the Call Area Extensions to 
advance the planning for wind energy development offshore Morro Bay 
(https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-advances-offshore-wind-pacific). Through this Call, BOEM requests 
information and nominations regarding the Call Area Extensions so that 
potential use conflicts can be analyzed and considered in the Area ID 
stage of the leasing process.
    BOEM's subsequent analysis during Area ID will evaluate the Call 
Area Extensions and the Morro Bay Call Area for appropriateness for 
offshore wind energy development, balanced against potential ocean user 
conflicts. After conducting environmental reviews and associated 
consultations, analyzing public comments, and coordinating with other 
government agencies through the Task Force, BOEM anticipates developing 
and incorporating terms and conditions--including any measures 
necessary to mitigate impacts--at the leasing and site assessment and 
characterization phases. This Call allows additional stakeholders to 
provide input on the Call Area Extensions prior to further modification 
during the Area ID process.

5 Description of the Area

    The Call Area Extensions are described geographically in this 
section. A map of the Call Area Extensions, the Morro Bay Call Area, 
and associated GIS files, which are located in UTM Zone 10N, NAD 83 
Datum, can be found at the following URL: https://www.boem.gov/California/.

Morro Bay Call Area East Extension

    The boundary of Morro Bay Call Area East Extension begins 21 mi 
offshore Cambria, California. The area is about 7 mi in length from 
north to south and about 3 mi in width from east to west. The entire 
area is approximately 23 square mi (14,589 acres) and is described in 
the table below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Official
               Area                  Official protraction    protraction    Block number         Sub-block
                                         diagram name        diagram No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6457  G, H, K, L, P.
East Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6458  E, F, I, J, M, N, O.

[[Page 40872]]

 
East Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6508  A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
                                                                                            H, J, K, L, O, P.
East Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6509  E, I, J, M, N, O.
East Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6558  D.
East Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6559  A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
                                                                                            H.
East Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6560  E.
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Morro Bay Call Area West Extension

    The boundary of Morro Bay Call Area West Extension begins 35 mi 
offshore Cambria, California. The area is about 23 mi in length from 
north to south and about 11 mi in width from east to west. The entire 
area is approximately 118 square mi (75,436 acres) and is described in 
the table below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Official
               Area                  Official protraction    protraction      Block No.          Sub-block
                                         diagram name        diagram No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6251  A, E, F, G, I, J, M,
                                                                                            N.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6301  A, B, E, F, I, J, N.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6451  M.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6501  A, E, F, I, J, K, L,
                                                                                            N, O, P.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6502  M, N, O, P.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6503  J, M, N, O, P.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6551  C, D, H.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6552  A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
                                                                                            H, I, J, K, L.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6553  A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
                                                                                            H, I, J, K, L.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6554  A, B, C, E, F, G, H,
                                                                                            I, J, K, L.
West Extension....................  San Luis Obispo......         NI10-03            6555  E, F, I, J, K.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6237  C, D, H, L, P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6238  A, B, C, E, F, G, H,
                                                                                            I, J, K, L, M, N, O,
                                                                                            P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6239  E, F, I, J, K, L, M,
                                                                                            N, O, P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6240  M, N, O.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6288  B, C, D, F, G, H, J,
                                                                                            K, L, P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6289  All.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6290  All.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6339  D, H, L, P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6340  A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
                                                                                            H, I, J, K, L, M, N.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6389  B, C, D, F, G, H, J,
                                                                                            K, L, N, O, P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6390  A, E, I.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6439  B, C, D, G, H, K, L,
                                                                                            P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6440  E, I, M.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6489  D.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6490  A, B, E, F, G, J, K,
                                                                                            L, N, O, P.
West Extension....................  Sur Canyon...........         NI10-02            6540  C, D, H.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6 Requested Information From Interested or Affected Parties

    BOEM requests specific and detailed comments from the public and 
interested or affected parties regarding the following:
    1. Geological, geophysical, and biological conditions (including 
bottom and shallow hazards and live bottoms) in the Call Area 
Extensions.
    2. Known archaeological or cultural resource sites on the seabed in 
the Call Area Extensions.
    3. Historic properties potentially affected by site 
characterization and assessment or commercial wind energy development 
in the Call Area Extensions. This information will inform BOEM's review 
of future undertakings under section 106 of NHPA and under NEPA.
    4. Other uses of the Call Area Extensions, including navigation (in 
particular, commercial and recreational vessel use), recreation, and 
fisheries (commercial and recreational).
    5. Additional information regarding recreational and commercial 
fisheries that operate within the Call Area Extensions, including, but 
not limited to, the use of the area, the fishing gear types used, 
seasonal use, and suggestions for reducing use conflicts.
    6. Available and pertinent data and information concerning 
renewable energy resources and environmental conditions in and around 
the Call Area Extensions. Where applicable, spatial information should 
be submitted in a format compatible with ArcGIS 10.5 in a geographic 
coordinate system (NAD 83).
    7. Information relating to the visual resources and aesthetics of 
the Call Area Extensions, the potential impacts of wind turbines 
located within the Call Area Extensions to those resources, and 
potential strategies to help mitigate or minimize any visual effects.
    8. Relevant socioeconomic, biological, and environmental 
information.
    9. Any other relevant information BOEM should consider during its 
planning and decision-making process for the purpose of issuing leases 
in the Call Area Extensions.

7 Required Nomination Information

    All interested entities should submit their nomination for any 
possible commercial wind energy lease area

[[Page 40873]]

within the Call Area Extensions in response to this Call. If you intend 
to submit one or more nominations, you must provide the following 
information for each nomination:
    1. The BOEM Protraction Diagram name and number, and the specific 
whole or partial OCS blocks within the Call Area Extensions that you 
are interested in leasing, inclusive of any potential buffers with 
adjacent leases. This information should be submitted as a spatial file 
compatible with ArcGIS 10.5 in a geographic coordinate system (NAD 83) 
in addition to your hard copy submittal. If a proposed lease area 
includes one or more partial blocks, please describe those partial 
blocks in terms of a sixteenth (i.e., sub-block) of an OCS block.
    2. A description of your objectives and the facilities that you 
would use to achieve those objectives.
    3. A preliminary schedule of proposed activities, including those 
leading to commercial operations.
    4. Available and pertinent data and information concerning 
renewable energy resources and environmental conditions in any area 
that you nominate, including energy and resource data and information 
used to evaluate the area. Where applicable, spatial information should 
be submitted in a format compatible with ArcGIS 10.5 in a geographic 
coordinate system (NAD 83).
    5. Documentation demonstrating that you are legally qualified to 
hold a lease, as set forth in 30 CFR 585.106 and 585.107(c). Examples 
of the documentation appropriate for demonstrating your legal 
qualifications and related guidance can be found in Chapter 2 and 
Appendix B of the BOEM Renewable Energy Framework Guide Book available 
at https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/about-boem/Qualification%20Guidelines.pdf. Legal qualification documents will be 
placed in an official file that may be made available for public 
review. If you wish that any part of your legal qualification 
documentation be kept confidential, clearly identify what should be 
kept confidential, and submit it under separate cover (see section 8, 
``Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information''). Entities who 
submitted nominations of interest for the Morro Bay Call Area in 
response to the 2018 Call do not need to submit this information again.
    6. Documentation demonstrating that you are technically and 
financially capable of constructing, operating, maintaining, and 
decommissioning the facilities described in 7(2) above, as set forth in 
30 CFR 585.107(a). Guidance regarding the required documentation to 
demonstrate your technical and financial qualifications can be found 
at: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/QualificationGuidelines-pdf.aspx. Entities who submitted 
nominations of interest for the Morro Bay Call Area in response to the 
2018 Call do not need to submit this information again.
    7. Any documentation you submit to demonstrate your legal, 
technical, and financial qualifications must be provided to BOEM in 
both paper and electronic formats. BOEM considers an Adobe PDF file on 
a storage media device to be an acceptable format for an electronic 
copy.
    You are not required to submit a nomination in response to this 
Call to participate in a potential future competitive lease sale 
offshore California. However, you will be required to demonstrate to 
BOEM that you are legally, technically, and financially qualified to 
hold a BOEM-issued renewable energy lease before you will be allowed to 
participate in a competitive lease sale. To ensure that BOEM has 
sufficient time to process your qualifications package, you should 
submit this package before or during the PSN 60-day public comment 
period. More information can be found at: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/QualificationGuidelines-pdf.aspx.
    BOEM will list the parties that submitted nominations and the 
locations of the proposed lease areas (i.e., OCS blocks nominated) on 
the BOEM website after the comment period has closed.

8 Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information

8.1 Freedom of Information Act

    Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), BOEM will protect the 
privileged or confidential information that you submit. 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 if it qualifies for exemption from disclosure under FOIA. 
Please label privileged or confidential information ``Contains 
Confidential Information'' and consider submitting such information as 
a separate attachment.
    BOEM will not treat as confidential any aggregate summaries of such 
information or comments not containing such information. Additionally, 
BOEM will not treat as confidential (1) the legal title of the 
nominating entity (for example, the name of your company), or (2) the 
list of whole or partial blocks that you are nominating. Information 
that is not labeled as privileged or confidential will be regarded by 
BOEM as suitable for public release.

8.2 Personally Identifiable Information

    BOEM does not consider anonymous comments; please include your name 
and address as part of your comment. You should be aware that your 
entire comment, including your name, address, and any other personally 
identifiable information that you submit, may be made publicly 
available at any time. All submissions from identified individuals, 
businesses, and organizations will be available for public viewing on 
regulations.gov.
    In order for BOEM to withhold from disclosure your personally 
identifiable information, you must identify any information contained 
in 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.

8.3 Section 304 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 
307103)

    BOEM is required, after consultation with the Secretary, to 
withhold the location, character, or ownership of historic resources if 
it determines that disclosure may, among other things, risk harm to the 
historic resources or impede the use of a traditional religious site by 
practitioners. Tribal entities should designate information that falls 
under section 304 of NHPA as confidential.

Amanda Lefton,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2021-16134 Filed 7-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P