[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30876-30877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12066]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2014-0050; MMAA104000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for
Proposed Wind Energy-Related Development Activities on the Pacific
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Oregon and Notice of Public
Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.), BOEM intends to
prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to consider the reasonably
foreseeable environmental consequences associated with the issuance of
a lease and approval of plans proposed by Principle Power, Inc.
(Principle Power) for wind energy-related development activities
offshore Oregon. We are seeking public input regarding important
environmental issues and the identification of alternatives that should
be considered in the EA.
In addition to the request for written comments, we are holding two
public scoping meetings to provide information and solicit comments on
the scope of the EA. The meetings will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00
p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at the
Coos Bay Public Library, 525 Anderson Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420.
Authority: The Notice of Intent to prepare an EA is published
pursuant to 43 CFR 46.305.
DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than July 28, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Sanders, BOEM Pacific OCS Region,
770 Paseo Camarillo, 2nd Floor, Camarillo, California 93010; (805) 389-
7863 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background
On May 15, 2013, BOEM received an unsolicited request from
Principle Power for a commercial wind energy lease on the OCS offshore
Coos Bay, Oregon. Principle Power's proposal, the WindFloat Pacific
Project, is to install a floating wind energy demonstration facility
approximately 16 nautical miles from shore in a water depth of
approximately 1,400 feet. The total area being considered in the EA
encompasses approximately 15 square miles. However, the lease will
include only the portion of the 15-square-mile area necessary for
project facilities. The project is designed to generate up to 30
megawatts (MW) of electricity from five
[[Page 30877]]
floating WindFloat units, each equipped with a 6-MW offshore wind
turbine. Each unit would be moored with multiple anchors to the
seafloor, and be connected to a single transmission cable running along
the seafloor to shore. Additional information on Principle Power's
unsolicited lease request and maps of the proposed lease site can be
viewed at http://www.boem.gov/State-Activities-Oregon/.
On September 30, 2013, we published a notice of the unsolicited
lease request and a Request for Interest (RFI) to determine whether
anyone had an interest in acquiring a commercial wind lease in the area
identified by Principle Power (78 FR 59969). The notice also provided
the opportunity for interested stakeholders to comment on the proposed
lease area, the proposed project and potential impacts wind energy
development may have on the area.
No indications of competitive interest were received in response to
the notice, and BOEM published a Determination of No Competitive
Interest on February 6, 2014 (79 FR 7225). Stakeholder comments
received in response to the RFI are being considered during our scoping
process.
2. Purpose and Need for Agency Action
BOEM will process Principle Power's unsolicited lease request under
the provisions at 30 CFR Part 585, Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses
of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf. These
regulations provide for lease issuance and approval of plans for
construction and operation of renewable energy facilities.
3. Proposed Action and Scope of Analysis
BOEM's proposed action is the issuance of a commercial lease and
the approval of a construction and operation plan for the WindFloat
Pacific Project. The EA will consider the reasonably foreseeable
environmental consequences associated with the proposed action,
including the impacts of the construction, operation, maintenance and
decommissioning of wind turbines and cables.
This notice is intended to further engage the public in the scoping
process for this EA. We are soliciting information regarding important
environmental issues and alternatives that should be considered in the
EA. Alternatives currently under consideration include the proposal
submitted by Principle Power and a no-action alternative. Environmental
resources we expect to evaluate in the EA include benthic
invertebrates, fish, birds, bats and marine mammals. We will also
consider other human uses in the vicinity of the proposed project,
including commercial and sport fishing, recreation and vessel traffic.
If at any time during preparation of the EA we determine that an
environmental impact statement (EIS) is needed, we will issue a Notice
of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS in the Federal Register. In that
case, scoping comments you submit now will be considered for the
development of an EIS.
4. Other Environmental Review and Consultation Processes
BOEM will also use responses to this notice and the EA public
involvement process to satisfy the public involvement requirements of
the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f), as provided in
36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). We are seeking information from the public on the
identification of historic properties that may be affected by the
WindFloat Pacific Project. The analyses contained within the EA also
will support compliance with other environmental statutes (e.g.,
Endangered Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Marine Mammal Protection
Act).
5. Cooperating Agencies
It is BOEM's intent to prepare an EA that will inform all Federal
decisions related to Principle Power's proposal, and we invite Federal,
state and local government agencies to consider becoming cooperating
agencies in the preparation of this EA. Council on Environmental
Quality regulations implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA
define cooperating agencies as those with ``jurisdiction by law or
special expertise'' (40 CFR 1508.5). Potential cooperating agencies
should consider their authority and capacity to assume the
responsibilities of a cooperating agency and remember that an agency's
role in the environmental analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes the
final decision-making authority of any other agency involved in the
NEPA process.
Even if an organization is not a cooperating agency, opportunities
will exist to provide information and comments to BOEM during the
normal public involvement phases of the NEPA process.
6. Comments
Federal, state, local government agencies, tribal governments and
other interested parties are requested to send written comments on the
important issues to be considered in the EA by any of the following
methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the
field entitled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2014-0050, and then
click ``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and
view supporting and related materials available for this notice;
2. By U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service, send your
comments and information to the following address: Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, Pacific OCS Region, Attention: Greg Sanders, Office
of Environment, 770 Paseo Camarillo, 2nd Floor, Camarillo, California
93010; or
3. In person at one of the EA public scoping meetings.
Before including your address, phone number, email address or other
personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware
that your entire comment, including your personal identifying
information may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comments to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: May 14, 2014.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-12066 Filed 5-23-14; 8:45 am]
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