[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 19321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7693]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Geological and Geophysical Exploration on the Atlantic Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS)
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: This Notice of Availability (NOA) is published pursuant to the
regulations (40 CFR part 1503 and 43 CFR part 46) implementing the
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (1988)).
BOEM has prepared a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (PEIS) to evaluate potential environmental effects of
multiple Geological and Geophysical (G&G) activities in the Mid- and
South Atlantic Planning Areas of the OCS. These activities include, but
are not limited to, seismic surveys, sidescan-sonar surveys,
electromagnetic surveys, geological and geochemical sampling, and
remote sensing. The Draft PEIS considers G&G activities for the three
program areas managed by BOEM: (1) Oil and gas exploration and
development; (2) renewable energy; and (3) marine minerals.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the PEIS was published in the
Federal Register on January 21, 2009, and scoping comments were
received during a comment period that closed on March 23, 2009. Scoping
was reopened by publication of a Federal Register Notice on April 2,
2010, that announced a 45-day scoping period and meeting locations in
April 2010. The comment period closed on May 17, 2010.
DATES: Comments on this draft PEIS will be accepted until 60 days
following the date of publication in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, you may submit your written comments
by the following methods. Written comments should be enclosed in an
envelope labeled ``Comments on the Draft PEIS for Atlantic G&G
Activities'' and mailed (or hand carried) to Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief,
Regional Assessment Section, Office of Environment (MS 5410), Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. Comments by email should
be sent to: GGEIS@boem.gov. See Supplementary Information section for
information on submitting comments via the internet and the public
disclosure of commenters' names and addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the Draft
PEIS, you may contact Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard (MS
5410), New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. You may also contact Mr.
Goeke by telephone at (504) 736-3233.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To obtain a single printed or CD-ROM copy of
the Draft PEIS, you may contact BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public
Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 250,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF). An electronic copy
of the Draft PEIS is available at the BOEM's Internet Web site at
http://www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-Energy-Program/GOMR/GandG.aspx. Several
libraries in Atlantic coastal states have also been sent copies of the
Draft PEIS (CDs or hard copy; according to their preference and their
selection criteria for receipt of government documents). To find out
which libraries have copies of the Draft PEIS for review, you may
contact BOEM's Public Information Office at the number provided above.
Public hearings will be held on the dates listed below at the
specified times and locations. BOEM will receive statements, both oral
and written. Persons wishing to speak may request to be placed on the
speakers' list by contacting BOEM in advance of a specific public
meeting or may sign up to speak upon arrival. To allow time for all
speakers to participate, speakers should anticipate time limits for
oral testimony.
The following public meetings are scheduled as follows:
April 16, 2012--Jacksonville Marriott, 4760 Salisbury Road,
Jacksonville, Florida, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
April 18, 2012--Coastal Georgia Center, 305 Farm Street, Savannah,
Georgia, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
April 20, 2012--Embassy Suites North Charleston, 5055 International
Boulevard, Charleston, South Carolina, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
April 24, 2012--Hilton Norfolk Airport, 1500 N. Military Highway,
Norfolk, Virginia, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
April 25, 2012--Doubletree Hotel, 210 Holiday Court, Annapolis,
Maryland, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
April 26, 2012--Sheraton Suites, 422 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington,
Delaware, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
April 26, 2012--Hilton Wilmington Riverside, 301 North Water
Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
April 27, 2012--Atlantic City Convention Center, (Room 301
tentative), One Convention Boulevard, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1 p.m.
EDT.
Public Disclosure of Names and Addresses
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that
your entire comment, including your personal identifying information,
may be made publicly available at any time. 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.
Dated: March 26, 2012.
Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2012-7693 Filed 3-29-12; 8:45 am]
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