[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 51 (Friday, March 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 16529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06051]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2013-00]
Notice of Determination of No Competitive Interest, Offshore
Virginia
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Determination of No Competitive Interest (DNCI) for a
Proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Research Lease Offshore
Virginia.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides BOEM's determination that there is no
competitive interest in the area requested by the Commonwealth of
Virginia, Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) to acquire an
OCS research lease as described in the Request for Competitive Interest
(RFCI): Research Lease for Renewable Energy on the Outer Continental
Shelf Offshore Virginia, that BOEM published on December 21, 2012, (77
FR 75656-75658). The RFCI described the proposal submitted to BOEM by
the DMME to acquire an OCS lease for wind energy research activities on
the OCS off the coast of Virginia, and provided an opportunity for the
public to submit comments about the proposal.
DATES: Effective March 15, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Casey Reeves, Project Coordinator,
BOEM, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328,
Herndon, Virginia 20170, (703) 787-1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
This DNCI is published pursuant to subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3)), which was added by section 388 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), and the implementing regulations at
30 CFR part 585. 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 [of the Interior]
determines after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or right-
of-way (ROW) that there is no competitive interest.'' The Secretary
delegated the authority to make such determinations to BOEM.
Determination and Next Steps
This DNCI provides notice to the public that BOEM has determined
there is no competitive interest in the proposed research lease area,
as no indications of competitive interest were submitted in response to
the RFCI.
In the December 2012 RFCI, BOEM also solicited public comment on
the proposed lease area and the proposed DMME research project and any
potential impacts that the project may have. In response to the RFCI,
BOEM received public comment submissions from four entities none of
which expressed competitive interest in the proposed research lease
area. However, BOEM will use the comments that it received to inform
its subsequent decisions. After the publication of this DNCI, BOEM will
proceed with the research lease issuance process outlined at 30 CFR
585.238.
Map of the Area
A map of the area proposed for a research lease can be found at the
following URL: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/Virginia.aspx.
Dated: March 4, 2013.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2013-06051 Filed 3-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P