[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 34 (Friday, February 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9280-9281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03373]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2014-0078; MMAA104000]
Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska OCS Region, Chukchi Sea Planning
Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Final Second Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: BOEM is announcing the availability of a Final Second
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Chukchi Sea
Planning Area, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193
(Lease Sale 193). The Final Second SEIS (OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2014-669)
provides new analysis in accordance with the United States District
Court for the District of Alaska (District Court) Order remanding Lease
Sale 193 to BOEM. The District Court's order instructs BOEM to address
the deficiency in the 2007 Final EIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-026)
identified by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth
Circuit). The Ninth Circuit held that the EIS supporting the decision
to hold Lease Sale 193 arbitrarily relied on a one billion barrel oil
production estimate. The Final Second SEIS provides a revised
exploration and development scenario and an accompanying analysis of
potential impacts of the proposed action alternatives. The Final Second
SEIS identifies Alternative IV (Corridor II Deferral) as BOEM's
preferred alternative.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Chukchi Sea OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193
was held in February 2008. The Minerals Management Service (MMS)
(predecessor to BOEM) received high bids totaling approximately $2.7
billion and issued 487 leases. The lease sale decision was challenged
in the District Court. In 2010, the District Court remanded the case to
the agency to remedy deficiencies pertaining to the agency's compliance
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). BOEM released a
Final SEIS in August 2011 and the Secretary of the Interior reaffirmed
the lease sale in October 2011. In February 2012, the District Court
ruled the Department of the Interior had met its NEPA obligations on
remand. In April 2012, the plaintiffs appealed the District Court's
decision to the Ninth Circuit.
In a January 22, 2014, opinion, the Ninth Circuit found MMS'
``reliance in
[[Page 9281]]
the [2007 Final Environmental Impact Statement] on a one billion barrel
estimate of total economically recoverable oil was arbitrary and
capricious.'' The Ninth Circuit remanded the case to the District
Court, which further remanded the matter to BOEM on April 24, 2014.
BOEM has prepared a Final Second SEIS for Lease Sale 193 in
accordance with the April 24, 2014, remand order of the District Court.
The Final Second SEIS addresses the deficiencies identified in the
Ninth Circuit opinion by analyzing the reasonably foreseeable
environmental effects of the full range of likely production if oil
production were to occur.
The Final Second SEIS is available on BOEM's Web site at http://www.boem.gov/ak193/. In keeping with the Department of the Interior's
mission to protect natural resources and to limit costs, while ensuring
availability of the document to the public, BOEM will primarily
distribute digital copies of the Final Second SEIS on compact discs.
BOEM has printed and will be distributing a limited number of paper
copies. If requested, BOEM will provide a paper copy if copies are
still available. You may request a paper copy by calling (907) 334-5200
or the toll free number at 800-764-2627. BOEM has distributed the Final
Second SEIS for viewing at the following libraries in Alaska: Alaska
Resources Library and Information Service (Anchorage); University of
Alaska Anchorage, Consortium Library; Alaska Pacific University,
Academic Support Center Library; University of Alaska Fairbanks,
Institute of Arctic Biology; University of Alaska Fairbanks, Elmer E.
Rasmuson Library; Nellie Weyiouanna Ilisaavik Library, Shishmaref;
Katie Tokienna Memorial Library, Wales; Noel Wien Library, Fairbanks;
Kaveolook School Library, Kaktovik; Koyuk City Library; Tikigaq
Library, Point Hope; Trapper School Community Library, Nuiqsut;
downtown Juneau Public Library; University of Alaska Southeast Library,
Juneau; Alaska State Library, Juneau; and Kegoyah Kozga Public Library,
Nome.
Authority: This Notice of Availability of the Final Second SEIS
is in compliance with NEPA, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.), and
is published pursuant to 43 CFR 46.415.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Routhier, Program Analysis
Officer and Project Manager, BOEM, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 Centerpoint
Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5823 or by telephone at (907)
334-5200.
Dated: February 6, 2015.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-03373 Filed 2-19-15; 8:45 am]
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