[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35220-35221]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09360]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2023-0065]


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment for 
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf, 
Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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[[Page 35221]]

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the 
availability of a draft environmental assessment (EA) to consider the 
potential environmental impacts associated with possible wind energy-
related leasing and grant issuance, site assessment, and site 
characterization activities on the U.S. Pacific Outer Continental Shelf 
(OCS) offshore Oregon. This notice of availability (NOA) announces the 
start of the public review and comment period, as well as the dates and 
times for public meetings on the draft EA. After BOEM holds a public 
meeting and addresses public comments submitted during the review 
period, BOEM will publish a final EA. The EA will inform BOEM's 
decision on whether to issue wind energy leases and grants in the 
Pacific wind energy areas (WEAs) offshore Oregon.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than 30 days after 
publication date.
    BOEM's virtual public meeting will be held on the following date at 
the time (Pacific time) indicated.
     Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 1 p.m.
    Please go to https://www.boem.gov/oregon for meeting link, dates, 
times and for additional information and updates. Meetings are open to 
the public and free to attend. Pre-registration is not required to 
attend.

ADDRESSES: The draft EA and detailed information about BOEM's actions 
related to offshore wind energy planning in Oregon can be found on 
BOEM's website at https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/oregon. Comments can be submitted in any of the following 
ways:
     Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to 
https://www.regulations.gov and search for docket no. BOEM-2023-0065. 
Click on the ``Comment'' button below the document link and follow 
online instructions. Enter your information and comment, then click 
``Submit Comment.'' A commenter's checklist is available on the comment 
web page;
     Orally during the public meetings identified in this 
announcement; or
     In written form by mail or any other delivery service, 
enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Oregon Wind Leasing EA'' and 
addressed to Chief, Environmental Analysis Section, Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Camarillo, California Office, 760 Paseo Camarillo, 
Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010.
    For more information about submitting comments, please see 
``Information on Submitting Comments'' under the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION heading below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Gilbane, Chief, Environmental 
Analysis Section, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Camarillo, 
California Office, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010, 
(805) 384-6387 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft EA analyzes the proposed action, 
which is the issuance of wind energy leases within the Oregon WEAs, and 
the no action alternative. The lease sale itself would not authorize 
any activities on the OCS. Therefore, the EA considers the reasonably 
foreseeable environmental consequences of site characterization surveys 
(i.e., biological, archeological, geological and geophysical surveys, 
and core samples) and site assessment activities (i.e., installation of 
meteorological buoys), which are expected to take place following lease 
issuance. Under the National Environmental Policy Act and its 
implementing regulations, BOEM is preparing an EA for this proposed 
action to assist the agency's planning and decision-making (40 CFR 
1501.5(b)).
    Availability of the Draft EA: The draft EA and associated 
information are available on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/oregon.
    Information on Submitting Comments: All interested parties are 
requested to comment on the EA document and appendices. For information 
on how to submit comments, see the ADDRESSES section above.
    Freedom of Information Act: 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 is privileged or 
confidential. If you wish to protect the confidentiality of such 
information, clearly label it and request that BOEM treat it as 
confidential. BOEM will not disclose such information if BOEM 
determines under 30 CFR 585.114(b) that 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 
information or any comments not containing privileged or confidential 
information. Information that is not labeled as privileged or 
confidential may be regarded by BOEM as suitable for public release.
    Personally Identifiable Information: BOEM encourages you not to 
submit 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 personally identifiable 
information (PII) included in your comment, may be made publicly 
available. All submissions from identified individuals, businesses, and 
organizations will be available for public viewing at https://www.regulations.gov.
    For BOEM to consider withholding your PII from disclosure, 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.
    Even if BOEM withholds your information in the context of this 
notice, your submission is subject to FOIA. If your submission is 
requested under FOIA, your information will only be withheld if a 
determination is made that one of FOIA's exemptions to disclosure 
applies. Such a determination will be made in accordance with the 
Department of the Interior's FOIA regulations and applicable law.
    Except for clearly identified privileged and confidential 
information, BOEM will make available for public inspection all 
comments, in their entirety, submitted by organizations and businesses, 
or by individuals identifying themselves as representatives of 
organizations or businesses.
    Section 304 of the NHPA (54 U.S.C. 307103(a)): After consultation 
with the Secretary, BOEM is required 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.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq. (NEPA, as amended) and 40 CFR 
1506.6.

Richard Yarde,
Pacific Regional Supervisor, Office of Environment, Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-09360 Filed 4-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P