[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 3 (Friday, January 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 760-764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31654]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2012-0083]
Potential Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore New York, Request for Interest
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Public notice of an unsolicited request for a commercial OCS
wind lease, request for interest, and request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this public notice is to: (1) Describe the
proposal submitted to BOEM by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to
acquire an OCS wind lease; (2) solicit public input regarding the
proposal, its potential environmental consequences, and the use of the
area in which the proposed project would be located; and (3) solicit
submissions of indications of competitive interest for a commercial
lease for wind energy development on the OCS offshore New York for the
area identified in this notice.
On September 8, 2011, BOEM received an unsolicited request from
NYPA for a commercial wind lease on the OCS offshore New York. NYPA
submitted its request on behalf of the ``Long Island-New York City
Offshore Wind Collaborative,'' a public-private entity consisting of
NYPA, the Long Island Power Authority, and Consolidated Edison Company
of New York, Inc. The Collaborative's goal is to develop the proposed
project to supply the Long Island and New York City region with
renewable energy, consistent with New York State's and the City of New
York's renewable energy initiatives. NYPA's proposed project, the
``Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project'', is designed to
generate at least 350 megawatts (MW) of electricity from offshore wind
resources, with the ability to expand generation capacity to as much as
700 MW. The project would be located approximately 11 nautical miles
(nmi) south of Long Beach, New York, in water depths ranging from 60 to
120 feet. NYPA's unsolicited lease request, and an amendment filed on
June 20, 2012, can be viewed at: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/New-York.aspx.
This request for interest is published pursuant to subsection
8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act, as amended by section 388 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3)), and the implementing
regulations at 30 CFR 585.231(b). Subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands
Act requires that OCS renewable energy leases, easements, and rights-
of-way be issued ``on a competitive basis unless the Secretary
determines after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or right-
of-way that there is no competitive interest.'' This request for
interest provides such public notice for the proposed lease area
requested by NYPA and invites the submission of indications of
competitive interest. BOEM will consider the responses to this public
notice to determine whether competitive interest exists for the area
requested by NYPA, as required by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). Parties wishing
to obtain a lease for the area requested by NYPA should submit detailed
and specific information as described in the section entitled,
``Required Indication of Interest Information.''
This announcement also requests that interested and affected
parties comment
[[Page 761]]
and provide information about site conditions and multiple uses within
the area identified in this notice that would be relevant to the
proposed project or its impacts. A detailed description of the proposed
lease area can be found in the section of this notice entitled,
``Description of the Area.''
DATES: If you are submitting an indication of interest in acquiring a
lease for the area proposed by NYPA, your submission must be sent by
mail, postmarked no later than March 5, 2013 for your submission to be
considered. If you are providing comments or other submissions of
information, you may send them by mail, postmarked by this same date,
or you may submit them through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, also by this same date.
Submission Procedures: If you are submitting an indication of
competitive interest for a lease, please submit it by mail to the
following address: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia
20170. Submissions must be postmarked by March 5, 2013 to be considered
by BOEM for the purposes of determining competitive interest. In
addition to a paper copy of your submission, include an electronic
copy; BOEM considers an Adobe PDF file stored on a compact disk (CD) to
be an acceptable format for submitting an electronic copy. BOEM will
list the parties that submit indications of competitive interest on the
BOEM Web site after the 60-day comment period has closed.
If you are submitting comments or other information concerning the
proposed lease area, you may use either of the following two methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the
entry titled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2012-0083, and then
click ``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and
view supporting and related materials available for this notice.
2. Alternatively, comments may be submitted by mail to the
following address: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia
20170.
If you wish to protect the confidentiality of your submissions or
comments, clearly mark the relevant sections and request that BOEM
treat them as confidential. Please label privileged or confidential
information ``Contains Confidential Information'' and consider
submitting such information as a separate attachment. Treatment of
confidential information is addressed in the section of this notice
entitled ``Privileged or Confidential Information.'' BOEM will post all
comments on regulations.gov unless labeled as confidential. Information
that is not labeled as privileged or confidential will be regarded by
BOEM as suitable for public release.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Andrew Krueger, Renewable Energy
Program Specialist, BOEM, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 381
Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 20170, (703) 787-1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of the Request for Interest
Responses to this public notice will allow BOEM to determine,
pursuant to 30 CFR 585.231, whether or not there is competitive
interest in acquiring an OCS commercial wind lease in the area
requested by NYPA. In addition, this notice provides an opportunity for
interested stakeholders to comment on the proposed lease area and the
proposed project and any potential impacts the project may have.
If, in response to this notice, BOEM receives one or more
indications of competitive interest for offshore wind energy
development from qualified entities that wish to compete for the
proposed lease area, BOEM may decide to move forward with the lease
issuance process using competitive procedures pursuant to 30 CFR part
585. If BOEM receives no competing indications of interest, BOEM may
decide to move forward with the lease issuance process using the non-
competitive procedures contained in 30 CFR part 585.
If BOEM decides to proceed with issuing a lease in the proposed
lease area, whether competitively or non-competitively, it may provide
the public with additional opportunities to provide input pursuant to
30 CFR part 585 and applicable laws, such as the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA). BOEM's competitive and noncompetitive leasing
processes are described in 30 CFR part 585, subpart B.
Determination of Competitive Interest and Leasing Process
After the publication of this announcement, BOEM will evaluate
indications of competitive interest for the area requested by NYPA for
acquiring a commercial lease on the OCS. At the conclusion of the
comment period for this public notice, BOEM will review the submissions
received and undertake a completeness review for each of those
submissions and a qualifications review for each of the nominating
entities. BOEM will then make a determination as to whether competitive
interest exists.
If BOEM determines that there is no competitive interest in the
proposed lease area, it will publish in the Federal Register a notice
that there is no competitive interest. At that point, BOEM may decide
to proceed with the noncompetitive lease issuance process pursuant to
30 CFR 585.231, and NYPA would be required to submit any required
plan(s). Whether following competitive or non-competitive procedures,
BOEM will consult with the intergovernmental Task Force and will comply
with all applicable requirements before making a decision on whether or
not to issue a lease and approve, disapprove, or approve with
modifications any associated plan(s). BOEM would coordinate and
consult, as appropriate, with relevant Federal agencies, affected
tribes, and affected state and local governments, in issuing a lease
and developing lease terms and conditions.
Description of the Proposed Lease Area
The proposed lease area is located off the coast of Long Island,
New York, beginning approximately 11 nmi south of Long Beach, New York.
From its western edge, the area extends approximately 26 nmi southeast
at its longest portion. The project area consists of 5 full OCS blocks
and 19 partial OCS blocks. The entire area is approximately 127 square
miles; 81,130 acres; or 32,832 hectares. Table 1 describes the OCS
lease sub-blocks included within the area of interest.
The proposed lease area is located between two Traffic Separation
Schemes (TSS) for vessels transiting into and out of the Port of New
York and New Jersey. Because of its close proximity to shipping lanes,
the U.S. Coast Guard recommended that a buffer zone--a minimum 1 nmi
setback line from the adjacent TSS--be applied to the area. BOEM has
adopted this recommendation and, for purposes of this request for
interest, will not consider for leasing those aliquots between an
adjacent TSS and the 1 nmi setback. However, BOEM is including aliquots
that are transected by the setback line. No structures will be
installed above the seabed on portions of those aliquots located within
the setback.
[[Page 762]]
Table 1--List of OCS Blocks Included in the Request for Interest
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Protraction name Protraction No. Block No. Sub block
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New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6655 F,G,H,K,L,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6656 I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6657 M,N,O,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6706 B,C,D,H.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6707 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,J,K,L,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6708 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6709 E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6710 I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6711 M,N,O,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6712 M.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6758 A,B,C,D,G,H.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6759 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,O,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6760 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6761 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6762 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6763 A,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P
.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6764 A,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,M,N.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6810 A,B,C,D,G,H,L.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6811 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,O,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6812 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
,P.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6813 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,M,N.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6814 A.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6862 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,K.
New York.............................. NK 18-12................. 6863 A.
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The boundary of the proposed lease area follows the points listed
in Table 2 in clockwise order. Point numbers 1 and 73 are the same.
Coordinates are provided in X, Y (eastings, northings) UTM Zone 18N,
NAD 83 and geographic (longitude, latitude), NAD83.
Table 2--List of Boundary Points Included in the Request for Interest
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Point No. X (Easting) Y (Northing) Longitude Latitude
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1....................................... -73.628463 40.394074 616400 4472400
2....................................... -73.586057 40.393563 620000 4472400
3....................................... -73.586283 40.382755 620000 4471200
4....................................... -73.529751 40.382050 624800 4471200
5....................................... -73.529986 40.371243 624800 4470000
6....................................... -73.473466 40.370510 629600 4470000
7....................................... -73.473710 40.359703 629600 4468800
8....................................... -73.417200 40.358943 634400 4468800
9....................................... -73.417453 40.348137 634400 4467600
10...................................... -73.360955 40.347350 639200 4467600
11...................................... -73.361217 40.336543 639200 4466400
12...................................... -73.304730 40.335729 644000 4466400
13...................................... -73.305001 40.324922 644000 4465200
14...................................... -73.234407 40.323866 650000 4465200
15...................................... -73.234688 40.313060 650000 4464000
16...................................... -73.178225 40.312184 654800 4464000
17...................................... -73.178515 40.301379 654800 4462800
18...................................... -73.164402 40.301155 656000 4462800
19...................................... -73.164109 40.311961 656000 4464000
20...................................... -73.121764 40.311281 659600 4464000
21...................................... -73.122063 40.300476 659600 4462800
22...................................... -73.079726 40.299780 663200 4462800
23...................................... -73.080032 40.288975 663200 4461600
24...................................... -73.094142 40.289209 662000 4461600
25...................................... -73.094446 40.278403 662000 4460400
26...................................... -73.108554 40.278635 660800 4460400
27...................................... -73.108855 40.267830 660800 4459200
28...................................... -73.122961 40.268059 659600 4459200
29...................................... -73.123259 40.257254 659600 4458000
30...................................... -73.137363 40.257482 658400 4458000
31...................................... -73.137659 40.246676 658400 4456800
32...................................... -73.165863 40.247127 656000 4456800
33...................................... -73.166446 40.225515 656000 4454400
34...................................... -73.180544 40.225738 654800 4454400
35...................................... -73.180833 40.214932 654800 4453200
36...................................... -73.194928 40.215153 653600 4453200
37...................................... -73.195215 40.204347 653600 4452000
[[Page 763]]
38...................................... -73.209308 40.204566 652400 4452000
39...................................... -73.209593 40.193760 652400 4450800
40...................................... -73.223684 40.193977 651200 4450800
41...................................... -73.223402 40.204783 651200 4452000
42...................................... -73.251589 40.205212 648800 4452000
43...................................... -73.251033 40.226825 648800 4454400
44...................................... -73.279230 40.227248 646400 4454400
45...................................... -73.278957 40.238054 646400 4455600
46...................................... -73.321260 40.238676 642800 4455600
47...................................... -73.320993 40.249482 642800 4456800
48...................................... -73.335097 40.249686 641600 4456800
49...................................... -73.334832 40.260493 641600 4458000
50...................................... -73.363044 40.260895 639200 4458000
51...................................... -73.362783 40.271702 639200 4459200
52...................................... -73.391001 40.272098 636800 4459200
53...................................... -73.390744 40.282905 636800 4460400
54...................................... -73.418967 40.283294 634400 4460400
55...................................... -73.418715 40.294101 634400 4461600
56...................................... -73.446942 40.294484 632000 4461600
57...................................... -73.446695 40.305291 632000 4462800
58...................................... -73.474927 40.305667 629600 4462800
59...................................... -73.474684 40.316474 629600 4464000
60...................................... -73.488802 40.316659 628400 4464000
61...................................... -73.488561 40.327467 628400 4465200
62...................................... -73.516803 40.327832 626000 4465200
63...................................... -73.516567 40.338640 626000 4466400
64...................................... -73.544814 40.338999 623600 4466400
65...................................... -73.544582 40.349806 623600 4467600
66...................................... -73.572834 40.350159 621200 4467600
67...................................... -73.572606 40.360966 621200 4468800
68...................................... -73.600863 40.361312 618800 4468800
69...................................... -73.600639 40.372119 618800 4470000
70...................................... -73.614770 40.372290 617600 4470000
71...................................... -73.614549 40.383098 617600 4471200
72...................................... -73.628682 40.383266 616400 4471200
73...................................... -73.628463 40.394074 616400 4472400
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Map of the Area
A map of the area proposed by NYPA and the area included in this
request for interest can be found at the following URL: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/New-York.aspx. A
large scale map of the proposed lease area showing boundaries of the
area with the numbered blocks is available from BOEM at the following
address: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Renewable Energy
Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 20170, Phone:
(703) 787-1320, Fax: (703) 787-1708.
Department of Defense Activities and Stipulations
The Department of Defense (DOD) conducts offshore testing,
training, and operations on the OCS and may request site specific
stipulations in the proposed lease area. BOEM will consult with the DOD
regarding potential issues concerning offshore testing, training, and
operational activities, and will develop appropriate stipulations to
mitigate the effects of wind turbines on these activities in the
proposed lease area.
Required Indication of Interest Information
If you intend to submit an indication of competitive interest for a
lease for the area identified in this notice, you must provide the
following:
(1) A statement that you wish to acquire a commercial wind lease
within the proposed lease area. For BOEM to consider your indication of
interest, it must include a proposal for a commercially viable wind
power project of at least 350 MW nameplate capacity within the proposed
lease area. Any request for a commercial wind lease located outside of
the proposed lease area should be submitted separately pursuant to 30
CFR 585.230;
(2) A general description of your objectives and the facilities
that you would use to achieve those objectives;
(3) A general 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 the area
that you wish to lease, including energy and resource data and
information used to evaluate the area of interest. Where applicable,
spatial information should be submitted in a format compatible with
ArcGIS 9.3 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 107. Examples of the
documentation appropriate for demonstrating your legal qualifications
and related guidance can be found in Chapter 2 and Appendix B of the
Guidelines for the Renewable Energy Framework Guide Book available at:
http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/Index.aspx. 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 ``Protection of Privileged or Confidential
Information Section'', below); and
[[Page 764]]
(6) Documentation demonstrating that you are technically and
financially capable of constructing, operating, maintaining and
decommissioning the facilities described in (2) above. Guidance
regarding the documentation that could be used to demonstrate your
technical and financial qualifications can be found at: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/Index.aspx. If you wish that any part of your technical and financial
qualification documentation be kept confidential, clearly identify what
should be kept confidential, and submit it under separate cover (see
``Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information Section'',
below).
Your complete submission, including the items identified in (1)
through (6) above, must be provided to BOEM in both paper and
electronic formats. BOEM considers an Adobe PDF file stored on a CD to
be an acceptable format for submitting an electronic copy.
It is critical that you provide a complete submission of
competitive interest so that BOEM may consider your submission in a
timely manner. If BOEM reviews your submission and determines that it
is incomplete, BOEM will inform you of this determination in writing
and describe the information that BOEM needs from you in order for BOEM
to deem your submission complete. You will be given 15 business days
from the date of the letter to provide the information that BOEM found
to be missing from your original submission. If you do not meet this
deadline, or if BOEM determines your second submission is also
insufficient, BOEM may deem your submission invalid. In such a case,
BOEM would not consider your submission.
Requested Information From Interested or Affected Parties
BOEM is also requesting from the public and other interested or
affected parties specific and detailed comments regarding the
following:
(1) Geological and geophysical conditions (including bottom and
shallow hazards) in the area described in this notice;
(2) Historic properties potentially affected by the construction of
meteorological towers, the installation of meteorological buoys, or
commercial wind development in the area identified in this notice;
(3) Multiple uses of the area described in this notice, including
but not limited to navigation (commercial and recreational vessel
usage); commercial and recreational fishing; recreational resources
(e.g., dive sites, wildlife viewing areas, and scenic areas); aviation;
other energy related development activities; scientific research; and
utilities and communications infrastructure.
(4) Other relevant environmental information, including but not
limited to fisheries; protected species and habitats; marine mammals;
sea turtles; birds; bats; zooplankton; and archaeological resources.
(5) Socioeconomic information, such as demographics and employment,
or information relevant to environmental justice considerations.
Protection of Privileged or Confidential Information
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 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, subject to the requirements of 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 will not treat as confidential: (1) The
legal title of the nominating entity (for example, the name of your
company); or (2) the geographic location of nominated facilities.
Information that is not labeled as privileged or confidential will be
regarded by BOEM as suitable for public release.
Section 304 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470w-
3(a))
BOEM is required, after consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior, to withhold the location, character, or ownership of historic
resources if it determines that disclosure may, among other things,
cause a significant invasion of privacy, risk harm to the historic
resources, or impede the use of a traditional religious site by
practitioners. Tribal entities and other interested parties should
designate such information that they wish to be held as confidential.
Dated: December 28, 2012.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-31654 Filed 1-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P