74204 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

[NPS–MWR–INDU–10718; PPMWMWROW2/ 

PPMPSAS1Y.YP0000] 

Notice of Availability of the Record of 

Decision for the Final White-Tailed 

Deer Management Plan/Environmental 

Impact Statement, Indiana Dunes 

National Lakeshore, Indiana 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability. 

SUMMARY: The National Park Service 

(NPS) announces the availability of the 

Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final 

White-tailed Deer Management Plan/ 

Environmental Impact Statement (Plan/ 

EIS), Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore 

(Indiana Dunes), Indiana. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are 

available by request by writing to 

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 1100 

North Mineral Springs Road, Porter, 

Indiana 46304; telephone (219) 395– 

1550. 

Copies of the document also may be 

picked up in person at the Indiana 

Dunes Headquarters at the address 

above. The document may be found on 

the internet on the NPS PEPC Web site 

at http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/ 

indu. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Wildlife Biologist Randy Knutson, 

Indiana Dunes, at the address above or 

by telephone at (219) 395–1550. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NPS 

has issued a ROD for the Final Whitetailed Deer Management Plan/EIS for 

Indiana Dunes. On June 22, 2012, the 

Regional Director for the Midwest 

Region approved the ROD for the Final 

EIS. As soon as practicable, the NPS 

will begin to implement the selected 

alternative, Alternative D, which was 

the preferred alternative identified in 

the Final Plan/EIS. 

The EIS described four alternatives for 

the management of deer at Indiana 

Dunes. Action is needed at this time to 

ensure that the local deer population 

does not become a dominant force that 

negatively influences ecosystem 

components within Indiana Dunes, such 

as sensitive vegetation or other wildlife. 

Impacts to these Indiana Dunes 

resources would compromise the 

exceptional biodiversity found within 

its boundaries. The Indiana Dunes staff 

currently implements resource 

management actions to protect other 

resources, but no specific deer 

management plan exists. 

Under Alternative A (no action), 

current deer management actions 

(including limited fencing, limited use 

of repellents, and inventorying and 

monitoring efforts) would have 

continued; no new deer management 

actions would be taken. Alternative B 

would have included all actions 

described under Alternative A, but 

would have also incorporated non-lethal 

actions to possibly reduce deer numbers 

at Indiana Dunes. The additional actions 

would have included the construction 

of additional small-scale and new largescale exclosures, more extensive use of 

repellents in areas where fenced 

exclosures would not be appropriate or 

feasible, and phasing in reproductive 

control of does when there is a federally 

approved fertility-control agent for 

application to free-ranging populations 

that provides multiple year (three to five 

years) efficacy for does. Alternative C 

would have included all actions 

described under Alternative A, but 

would also have incorporated a direct 

reduction of the deer herd size through 

sharpshooting and capture/euthanasia, 

where appropriate. Alternative D, the 

selected alternative, also includes all the 

actions described under Alternative A, 

but will incorporate a combination of 

specific lethal and non-lethal actions 

from Alternatives B and C. These 

actions will include the reduction of the 

deer herd through sharpshooting, in 

combination with capture/euthanasia 

and phasing in reproductive control of 

does (as described in alternative B) for 

longer-term maintenance of lower herd 

numbers. 

Dated: July 31, 2012. 

Patricia S. Trap, 

Deputy Regional Director, Midwest Region. 

[FR Doc. 2012–30037 Filed 12–12–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MA–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

[Docket No. BOEM–2012–0088] 

Commercial Leasing for Wind Power 

on the Outer Continental Shelf 

Offshore North Carolina—Call for 

Information and Nominations (Call) 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management (BOEM), Interior. 

ACTION: Call for Information and 

Nominations for Commercial Leasing for 

Wind Power on the Outer Continental 

Shelf, Offshore North Carolina. 

SUMMARY: BOEM invites the submission 

of nominations for commercial wind 

leases that would allow a lessee to 

propose the construction of a wind 

energy project on the Outer Continental 

Shelf (OCS) offshore North Carolina, 

and to develop the project if approved 

after further environmental review. 

Although this announcement is not 

itself a leasing announcement, the Call 

Areas described herein, or portions 

thereof, may be available for future 

leasing. BOEM will use responses to this 

Call to gauge specific interest in 

acquiring commercial wind leases in 

some or all of the Call Areas, as required 

by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). 

Parties wishing to submit a 

nomination in response to this Call 

should submit detailed and specific 

information in response to the 

requirements described in the section 

entitled, ‘‘Required Nomination 

Information.’’ 

This announcement also requests 

comments and information from 

interested and affected parties about site 

conditions, resources, and multiple uses 

in close proximity to, or within, the Call 

Areas that would be relevant to BOEM’s 

review of any nominations submitted 

and/or to BOEM’s subsequent decision 

to offer all or part of the Call Areas for 

commercial wind leasing. The 

information that BOEM is requesting is 

described in the section of this Call 

entitled, ‘‘Requested Information from 

Interested or Affected Parties.’’ 

This Call 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), as well as the 

implementing regulations at 30 CFR part 

585. 

The Call Areas described in this 

notice are located on the OCS offshore 

North Carolina and are delineated as 

Wilmington-West, Wilmington-East and 

Kitty Hawk (formerly referred to as 

North Carolina Planning Areas 1, 2, and 

5, respectively, during BOEM’s North 

Carolina offshore wind planning 

efforts). The three Call Areas include 

195 whole OCS blocks and 60 partial 

blocks in total and comprise 

approximately 1,441 square nautical 

miles (494,016 hectares). These Call 

Areas were established in consultation 

with the BOEM North Carolina 

Renewable Energy Intergovernmental 

Task Force (Task Force). A detailed 

description of the areas and how they 

were developed is described in the 

section of this Call entitled, 

‘‘Description of the Area.’’ 

DATES: BOEM must receive your 

nomination describing your interest in 

one or more, or any portion of the Call 

Areas, postmarked by January 28, 2013 

for your nomination to be considered. 

BOEM requests comments or 

submissions of information to be 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 74205 

postmarked or delivered by this same 

date. BOEM will consider only those 

nominations received that conform to 

this requirement. 

Submission Procedures: If you are 

submitting a nomination for a lease in 

response to this Call, please submit your 

nomination to the following address: 

BOEM, Office of Renewable Energy 

Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, 

Herndon, Virginia 20170. In addition to 

a paper copy of the nomination, include 

an electronic copy of the nomination on 

a data storage device. BOEM will list the 

parties that submitted nominations and 

the location of the proposed lease areas 

(i.e., OCS blocks nominated) on the 

BOEM Web site after the 45-day 

comment period has closed. 

Comments and other submissions of 

information may be submitted by either 

of the following two methods: 

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. In the entry 

entitled ‘‘Enter Keyword or ID,’’ enter 

BOEM–2012–0088, and then click 

‘‘search.’’ Follow the instructions to 

submit public comments and view 

supporting and related materials 

available for this notice. 

2. U.S. Postal Service or other 

delivery service. Send your comments 

and information to the following 

address: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Office of Renewable 

Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 

1328, Herndon, Virginia 20170. 

All responses will be reported on 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

If you wish to protect the 

confidentiality of your nominations 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 Call 

entitled, ‘‘Protection of Privileged or 

Confidential Information.’’ Information 

that is not labeled as privileged or 

confidential will be regarded by BOEM 

as suitable for public release. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Will 

Waskes, Oceanographer, BOEM, Office 

of Renewable Energy Programs, 381 

Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, 

Virginia 20170, (703) 787–1320 or 

Will.Waskes@boem.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose of the Call for Information and 

Nominations 

The OCS Lands Act requires BOEM to 

award leases competitively, unless 

BOEM makes a determination that there 

is no competitive interest (43 U.S.C. 

1337(p)(3)). BOEM will make this 

determination after reviewing the 

nominations received in response to this 

Call. 

This Call also requests information 

from interested and affected parties on 

issues relevant to BOEM’s review of 

nominations for potential leases in the 

Call Areas. A lease, whether issued 

through a competitive or 

noncompetitive process, gives the lessee 

the exclusive right to subsequently seek 

BOEM approval for the development of 

the leasehold. The lease does not grant 

the lessee the right to construct any 

facilities; rather, the lease grants the 

lessee the right to use the leased area to 

develop its plans, which BOEM must 

approve before the lessee may proceed 

to the next stage of the process (30 CFR 

585.600 and 585.601). The responses to 

this Call could lead to the initiation of 

a competitive leasing process in some 

parts of the Call Areas (i.e., where 

competition exists for certain tracts), 

and a noncompetitive process in other 

parts of the Call Areas (i.e., where no 

competitive interest exists for certain 

tracts). The leasing process is described 

more completely under the 

‘‘Determination of Competitive Interest’’ 

and ‘‘Noncompetitive Leasing Process’’ 

sections of this Call. In any parts of the 

Call Areas where BOEM determines 

there is no competitive interest, BOEM 

may proceed with the noncompetitive 

lease process pursuant to 30 CFR 

585.232. If BOEM determines that there 

is competitive interest in some or all of 

the Call Areas, then BOEM may proceed 

with Area Identification, as set forth in 

30 CFR 585.211(b), and the competitive 

leasing process set forth under 30 CFR 

585.211 through 585.225. Whether the 

leasing process is competitive or 

noncompetitive, it will include 

additional opportunities for the public 

to provide input, and any proposed 

actions will be reviewed thoroughly for 

potential environmental and multiple 

use impacts. The area(s) that may be 

finally offered for lease, if any, has/have 

not yet been determined, and may 

include less than the total areal extent 

of the Call Areas as identified in this 

Call. 

Background 

Energy Policy Act of 2005 

The EPAct amended the OCS Lands 

Act by adding subsection 8(p)(1)(C), 

which authorizes the Secretary of the 

Interior to grant leases, easements, or 

rights-of-way (ROWs) on the OCS for 

activities that are not otherwise 

authorized by law and that produce or 

support production, transportation, or 

transmission of energy from sources 

other than oil or gas, including 

renewable energy sources. The EPAct 

also required the issuance of regulations 

to carry out the new authority 

pertaining to renewable energy on the 

OCS. The Secretary delegated this 

authority to issue leases, easements, and 

ROWs, and to promulgate regulations, to 

the Director of BOEM. On April 29, 

2009, BOEM published the Renewable 

Energy and Alternate Uses (REAU) rule, 

at 30 CFR Part 585, which can be found 

at: http://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/ 

30_CFR_585.pdf. 

Executive Order 13547: Stewardship of 

the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great 

Lakes 

On July 19, 2010, the President signed 

Executive Order 13547 (Order) 

establishing a national ocean policy and 

the National Ocean Council (75 FR 

43023). The Order establishes a 

comprehensive, integrated national 

policy for the stewardship of the ocean, 

our coasts, and the Great Lakes. Where 

BOEM actions affect the ocean or coast, 

the Order requires BOEM to take such 

action as necessary to implement the 

policy, stewardship principles, and 

national priority objectives adopted by 

the Order, with guidance from the 

National Ocean Council. 

BOEM appreciates the importance of 

coordinating its planning endeavors 

with other OCS users, regulators and 

relevant Federal Agencies (e.g., U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, the National 

Park Service, and the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration) and 

intends to follow principles of coastal 

and marine spatial planning, and 

coordinate with the regional planning 

bodies as established by the National 

Ocean Council. BOEM anticipates that 

continued coordination with its Task 

Forces will help inform comprehensive 

coastal and marine spatial planning 

efforts. 

BOEM North Carolina 

Intergovernmental Renewable Energy 

Task Force 

BOEM formed the North Carolina 

Task Force in January 2011, to facilitate 

coordination among relevant Federal 

agencies and affected state, local, and 

tribal governments throughout the 

leasing process. The Task Force meeting 

materials are available on the BOEM 

Web site at: http://www.boem.gov/

Renewable-Energy-Program/StateActivities/North-Carolina.aspx. 

Environmental Review Process 

BOEM intends to prepare an 

environmental assessment (EA), which 

will consider the environmental 


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74206 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 

consequences associated with issuing 

commercial wind leases and approving 

site assessment activities on those leases 

within all or some of the Call Areas. 

BOEM is publishing, concurrently with 

this Call, a Notice of Intent (NOI) to 

prepare an EA, which seeks public 

input in identifying the environmental 

issues and alternatives to be considered 

in the EA. 

The EA will consider the reasonably 

foreseeable environmental 

consequences associated with leasing 

and site characterization scenarios 

within the Call Areas (including 

geophysical, geotechnical, 

archaeological, and biological surveys), 

and site assessment scenarios (including 

the installation and operation of 

meteorological towers and buoys) on the 

potential leaseholds. The NOI solicits 

input on the environmental effects 

associated only with the activities 

described above. The environmental 

effects of the construction or operation 

of any wind energy facility would be 

considered under a separate, projectspecific National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) environmental review 

process. 

Several consultations will be 

conducted concurrently with, and 

integrated into, the current NEPA 

process. These consultations include, 

but are not limited to, those required by 

the Coastal Zone Management Act 

(CZMA), the Endangered Species Act 

(ESA), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act (NHPA), and Executive 

Order 13175—‘‘Consultation and 

Coordination with Tribal 

Governments.’’ The results of these 

consultations will assist BOEM in 

deciding whether and where leases may 

be issued. 

Actions Taken by the State of North 

Carolina in Support of Offshore 

Renewable Energy Development 

BOEM recognizes the importance of 

the steps that the State of North Carolina 

has taken to encourage environmentally 

sound offshore wind energy 

development. While a state may 

promote such development, BOEM has 

the exclusive authority to issue leases, 

easements, and ROWs on the OCS for 

renewable energy purposes. 

The State of North Carolina has been 

engaged in a planning process to 

evaluate and identify areas of the OCS 

that may be suitable for offshore wind 

energy development. This process 

helped inform state recommendations to 

BOEM regarding potentially suitable 

areas for BOEM to consider when 

moving forward with its offshore wind 

energy leasing process. 

In the summer of 2008, the North 

Carolina General Assembly requested 

that the University of North Carolina at 

Chapel Hill conduct a 9-month study to 

assess the feasibility of producing wind 

energy in the Pamlico and Albemarle 

Sounds (S.L. 2008–107). Subsequently, 

the scope of the study was expanded to 

include waters off the North Carolina 

coast. The request specified that the 

assessment include an analysis of the 

spatial distributions of available wind 

power, ecological risks and synergies, 

use conflicts affecting site selection, 

foundation systems and their 

compatibility with sound- and oceanbottom geology and associated geologic 

dynamics, electric transmission 

infrastructure, statutory and regulatory 

barriers associated with utilities, the 

legal context, carbon reduction 

potential, and economics. The study, 

entitled, Coastal Wind, Energy for North 

Carolina’s Future: A Study of the 

Feasibility of Wind Turbines in Pamlico 

and Albemarle Sounds and in Ocean 

Waters Off the North Carolina Coast 

(North Carolina Wind Study), was 

presented to the Task Force for 

consideration and can be found at: 

http://www.climate.unc.edu/coastalwind/Coastal%20Wind%20

Energy%20for%20NC2019s%20

Future.pdf. 

BOEM’s Planning and Leasing Process 

Determination of Competitive Interest 

The first step in the leasing process is 

to determine whether or not there is any 

interest in acquiring a lease within the 

Call Areas. At the same time, BOEM can 

determine whether there is overlapping 

interest in any particular portion of the 

Call Areas that would result in the need 

for a competitive process. At the 

conclusion of the comment period for 

this Call, BOEM will review the 

nominations received, undertake a 

completeness review and a 

qualifications review, and determine 

whether competitive interest exists in 

any specific location within the Call 

Areas. 

If two nominated areas of interest 

fully or partially overlap, BOEM may 

proceed with competitive leasing as 

described in the section of this Call 

entitled, ‘‘Competitive Leasing Process.’’ 

For areas where BOEM determines that 

there is no competitive interest, BOEM 

may proceed with noncompetitive 

leasing described in the section entitled, 

‘‘Non-Competitive Leasing Process.’’ 

BOEM may consult with the Task Force 

throughout the leasing process. 

Situations may arise in which several 

parties nominate areas that do not 

overlap. Under these circumstances, 

BOEM could choose to employ an 

allocation system of leases that involves 

the creation of competition across tracts. 

This system is referred to as intertract 

competition and would also be 

implemented under the competitive 

process outlined in the regulations. 

BOEM may consult with the Task Force 

in determining the need for, and/or use 

of, intertract competition. 

Respondents to this Call and members 

of the public should be aware that no 

lease will be issued, either 

competitively or noncompetitively, 

until the necessary consultations and 

environmental analysis have been 

completed and the public has been 

given an opportunity to comment. As a 

result, it is possible that certain areas 

nominated may not be leased, or that 

the areas nominated may be modified 

from their original, proposed form 

before being offered for lease. 

Competitive Leasing Process 

If, after receiving responses to this 

Call, BOEM proceeds with the 

competitive leasing process for certain 

areas, it would follow the steps required 

by 30 CFR 585.211 through 585.225: 

(1) Area Identification: Based on the 

information submitted in response to 

this Call and the NOI, BOEM would 

determine the level of interest and 

identify the area(s) that would be 

appropriate to move forward with in the 

planning and leasing process. The 

area(s) identified will constitute a Wind 

Energy Area (WEA) under the 

Secretary’s ‘‘Smart from the Start’’ wind 

energy initiative and will be subject to 

environmental analysis, in consultation 

with appropriate Federal agencies, 

states, local governments, tribes and 

other interested parties. 

(2) Proposed Sale Notice (PSN): If 

BOEM decides to proceed with lease 

issuance in the Call Areas, then BOEM 

would first complete the analyses 

necessary to inform the preparation of 

the PSN, including any final NEPA 

documentation, the Consistency 

Determination required by the CZMA 

and its implementing regulations, and 

various analyses of proposed lease sale 

economic terms and conditions. BOEM 

would then publish the PSN in the 

Federal Register with a comment period 

of 60 days and send the PSN to the 

Governor of any affected state, and the 

executive of any affected local 

government. BOEM will also share the 

PSN with the Task Force. The PSN 

would describe the area(s) to be offered 

for leasing, the proposed conditions of 

a lease sale, and the proposed auction 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 74207 

format, lease document, and lease 

provisions/stipulations. Additionally, 

the PSN would describe the criteria and 

process for evaluating bids. 

(3) Final Sale Notice (FSN): If BOEM 

decides to proceed with lease issuance 

after considering comments on the PSN, 

then it would publish the FSN in the 

Federal Register at least 30 days before 

the date of the lease sale. 

(4) Bid Submission and Evaluation: 

Following publication of the FSN in the 

Federal Register, qualified bidders 

would be able to submit their bids to 

BOEM in accordance with procedures 

specified in the FSN. The bids, 

including any required deposits, would 

be reviewed for technical and legal 

adequacy. BOEM would evaluate the 

bids to determine if the bidder had 

complied with all applicable 

regulations. BOEM reserves the right to 

reject any or all bids and the right to 

withdraw an offer to lease an area, even 

after bids have been submitted. 

(5) Issuance of a Lease: Following the 

selection of a winning bid(s) by BOEM, 

the bidder(s) would be notified of the 

decision and provided a set of official 

lease documents for execution. The 

successful bidder(s) would be required 

to execute the lease, pay the remainder 

of the bonus bid, if applicable, and file 

the required financial assurance within 

10 days of receiving the lease 

documents. Upon receipt of the required 

payments, financial assurance, and 

properly executed lease forms, BOEM 

would issue a lease to the successful 

bidder(s). 

Noncompetitive Leasing Process 

If, after evaluating the responses to 

this Call, BOEM determines that there is 

no competitive interest in a proposed 

lease area, it may proceed with the 

noncompetitive lease issuance process 

pursuant to 30 CFR 585.232, as 

amended by the rulemaking which took 

effect on June 15, 2011, (76 FR 28178). 

Should BOEM decide to proceed with 

the noncompetitive leasing process, it 

would ask if the sole respondent who 

nominated a particular area wants to 

proceed with acquiring the lease, and if 

so, the respondent must submit an 

acquisition fee as specified by 30 CFR 

585.502(a). After receiving the 

acquisition fee, BOEM would follow the 

process outlined in 30 CFR 585.231. 

Within 60 days of the date of that 

notice, the respondent would be 

required to submit a Site Assessment 

Plan (SAP), as described in 30 CFR 

585.231(d)(2)(i). BOEM will comply 

with the requirements of NEPA, CZMA, 

ESA, NHPA, and other applicable 

Federal statutes before issuing a lease 

noncompetitively. BOEM would 

coordinate and consult, as appropriate, 

with relevant Federal agencies, affected 

tribes, and affected state and local 

governments prior to issuing a 

noncompetitive lease, and in 

formulating lease terms, conditions, and 

stipulations. 

It is possible that responses to this 

Call may result in a determination that 

there is competitive interest in acquiring 

leases in some areas but not in others. 

BOEM will publicly announce its 

determinations before proceeding with 

any type of leasing process. 

Description of the Area 

The Call Areas offshore North 

Carolina are delineated as WilmingtonWest, Wilmington-East and Kitty Hawk, 

formerly referred to as North Carolina 

Planning Areas 1, 2, and 5 respectively, 

during BOEM’s North Carolina offshore 

wind planning efforts. The three Areas 

include 195 whole OCS blocks and 60 

partial blocks in total and comprise 

approximately 1,441 square nautical 

miles (494,016 hectares). 

Call Area Wilmington-West 

The boundary of Call Area 

Wilmington-West begins 7 nautical 

miles (nmi) from the shore and extends 

roughly 11 nmi seaward. It extends from 

east to west approximately 15 nmi. The 

entire area is approximately 78 square 

nautical miles (26,784 hectares). 

The following 6 full OCS blocks are 

included within Call Area WilmingtonWest: Georgetown NI17–09 Blocks 6231, 

6232, 6281, 6282, 6283, and 6332. In 

addition, parts of the following 9 OCS 

blocks are included within the area of 

interest: Georgetown NI17–09 Blocks 

6230, 6233, 6234, 6235, 6284, 6285, 

6333, 6334, and 6383 as described in the 

table below. 

LIST OF PARTIAL OCS BLOCKS (INCLUDING SUB-BLOCKS) IN CALL AREA WILMINGTON-WEST

Protraction name Protraction No. Block 

No. Sub-block 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6230 C, D, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6233 A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6234 E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6235 E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6284 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6285 A, B, E.

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6333 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6334 A, B, E.

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6383 A, B, E.

Call Area Wilmington-East 

The boundary of Call Area 

Wilmington-East begins 13 nmi from the 

shore and extends roughly 28 nmi 

seaward. It extends from east to west 

approximately 21 nmi. The entire area 

is approximately 327 square nautical 

miles (111,984 hectares). 

The following 51 full OCS blocks are 

included within the Call Area 

Wilmington-East: Georgetown NI17–09 

Blocks 6438, 6389, 6439, 6488, 6489, 

6538, 6539, 6587, 6588, 6589, 6638, 

6639; Cape Fear NI18–07: Blocks 6351, 

6401, 6402, 6403, 6451, 6452, 6453, 

6454, 6501, 6502, 6503, 6504, 6505, 

6551, 6552, 6553, 6554, 6555, 6556, 

6601, 6602, 6603, 6604, 6605, 6606, 

6652, 6653, 6654, 6655, 6656, 6657, 

6703, 6704, 6705, 6706, 6754, 6755, 

6804, 6854. In addition, parts of the 

following 15 OCS blocks are included 

within the area of interest Georgetown 

NI17–09: Blocks 6388, 6437, 6487, 6537; 

Cape Fear NI18–07: Blocks 6352, 6353, 

6404, 6455, 6506, 6507, 6508, 6557, 

6558, 6607, and 6855 as described in the 

table below. 


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74208 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 

LIST OF PARTIAL OCS BLOCKS (INCLUDING SUB-BLOCKS) IN CALL AREA WILMINGTON-EAST

Protraction name Protraction No. Block 

No. Sub-block 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6388 B, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6437 K, L, O, P. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6487 C, D, G, H, K, L, O, P. 

Georgetown .............................................. NI17–09 ................................................... 6537 B, C, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6352 E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6353 E, F, I, J, K, M, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6404 A, E, F, I, J, K, M, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6455 A, E, F, G, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6506 A, B, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6507 L, M, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6508 I, M. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6557 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N, O. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6558 A. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6607 A, B, C, E, F, G, H, J, K, M, N, O, P. 

Cape Fear ................................................ NI18–07 ................................................... 6855 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O. 

Respondents should be aware that 

Georgetown NI17–09 Blocks 6439, 6489, 

6539, 6589, 6639; Cape Fear NI18–07 

Blocks 6351, 6401, 6451, 6501, 6551, 

and 6601 border the edge of Universe 

Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zones 17 

and 18. As a result, while these blocks 

are considered full OCS lease blocks, 

they vary in area and are smaller than 

standard OCS blocks. Official acreages 

for the blocks located within OPD NI18– 

07 can be found at: http:// 

www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-EnergyProgram/Mapping-and-Data/NI18-07- 

01-APR-2008-pdf.aspx . Official 

acreages for the blocks located within 

OPD NI17–09 can be found at: http:// 

www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-EnergyProgram/Mapping-and-Data/NI17-09- 

01-APR-2008.aspx. 

Kitty Hawk 

The boundary of Call Area Kitty Hawk 

begins 6 nmi from the shore and extends 

roughly 34 nmi seaward. It extends from 

north to south approximately 45 nmi. 

The entire area is approximately 1,036 

square nautical miles (355,248 hectares). 

The following 138 full OCS blocks are 

included within the Call Area Kitty 

Hawk: Currituck NJ18–1 Blocks 6608, 

6609, 6610, 6611, 6612, 6613, 6614, 

6615, 6658, 6659, 6660, 6661, 6662, 

6663, 6664, 6665, 6666, 6667, 6668, 

6669, 6708, 6709, 6710, 6711, 6712, 

6713, 6714, 6715, 6716, 6717, 6718, 

6719, 6720, 6759, 6760, 6761, 6762, 

6763, 6764, 6765, 6766, 6767, 6768, 

6769, 6770, 6809, 6810, 6811, 6812, 

6813 6714, 6815, 6816, 6817, 6818, 

6819, 6820, 6859, 6860, 6861, 6862, 

6863, 6864, 6865, 6866, 6867 6868, 

6869, 6870, 6909, 6910, 6911, 6912, 

6913, 6914, 6915, 6916, 6917, 6918, 

6919, 6920, 6960, 6961, 6962, 6963, 

6964, 6965, 6966, 6967, 6968, 6969, 

6970, 7010, 7011, 7012, 7013, 7014, 

7015, 7016, 7017, 7018, 7019, 7020, 

7061, 7062, 7063, 7066, 7067, 7068, 

7069, 7070, 7112, 7116, 7117, 7118, 

7119, 7166, 7167, 7168, 6769; NI18–02 

Blocks 6017, 6018, 6019, 6067, 6068, 

6069, 6117, 6618, 6119, 6165, 6166, 

6167, 6168, 6169, 6216, 6217, 6218, and 

6219. In addition, parts of the following 

36 OCS blocks are included within the 

area of interest: Currituck NJ18–11: 

Blocks 6607, 6657, 6758, 6808, 6858, 

6909, 6959, 7010, 7060, 7064, 7065, 

7111, 7113, 7114, 7115, 7120, 7161 

7162, 7163, 7170; Manteo NI18–02: 

Blocks 6012, 6016, 6020, 6066, 6070, 

6114, 6115, 6116, 6120, 6164, 6215, 

6265, 6266, 6267, 6268, and 6269 as 

described in the table below. 

LIST OF PARTIAL OCS BLOCKS (INCLUDING SUB-BLOCKS) IN CALL AREA KITTY HAWK

Protraction name Protraction No. Block 

No. Sub-block 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 6607 C, D, G, H, K, L, O, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 6657 D, H, L, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 6758 B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 6808 C, D, G, H, K, L, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 6858 D, H. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 6909 A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, O, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 6959 C, D, G, H, L, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7010 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7060 C, D, G, H, L. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7064 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7065 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7111 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, N, O, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7113 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7114 A. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7115 B, C, D, G, H, L, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7120 A, B, C, E, F, G, I, J, K, M, N, O. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7161 C, D, G, H, L, P. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7162 A, B, C, D, E, F, H, I, J, K, M, N. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7163 A. 

Currituck ................................................... NJ18–11 ................................................... 7170 A, B, C, E, F, G, I, J, K, M, N, O. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6012 A. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6016 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, O, P. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6020 A, B, C, E, F, I, J, M, N. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 74209 

LIST OF PARTIAL OCS BLOCKS (INCLUDING SUB-BLOCKS) IN CALL AREA KITTY HAWK—Continued 

Protraction name Protraction No. Block 

No. Sub-block 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6066 C, D, H, L, P. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6070 A, B, E, F, I, J, M, N. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6114 H, J, K, L, N, O, P. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6115 E, I, J, M, N, O, P. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6116 C, D, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6120 A, B, E, F, I, J, M, N. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6164 B, C, D, H, L. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6215 A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, P. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6265 B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6266 A, B, C, D, E, F. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6267 A. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6268 D. 

Manteo ..................................................... NI18–02 ................................................... 6269 A, B, C, D, G, H. 

OCS Blocks (Including Sub-Blocks) In 

the Call Areas Potentially Subject to 

Limitations 

Navigational Safety 

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) advises 

that most of the blocks included in the 

Call Areas would require further study 

to determine risks to navigational safety 

(see the following ‘‘Navigational Issues’’ 

section) if they were selected for leasing 

and development. BOEM may decide 

that certain OCS blocks included in the 

Call Areas will not be made available for 

leasing and/or development for 

navigational safety reasons, or 

stipulations may be developed to 

mitigate navigational concerns. 

If all of the blocks included in Call 

Areas Wilmington-West and 

Wilmington-East were to be made 

available for leasing and development, 

portions of a number of sub-blocks may 

not be available for surface occupancy, 

(i.e. the placement of wind facilities), 

because of proximity to the Traffic 

Separation Scheme (TSS) in the 

approaches to the Cape Fear River. 

These sub-blocks are listed in the table 

below. 

Call area Protraction name Protraction No. Block 

No. Sub-block 

Wilmington-West ................................................... Georgetown .......................................................... NI1709 6235 H, K, L, N, O. 

Wilmington-West ................................................... Georgetown .......................................................... NI1709 6285 A, B, E. 

Wilmington-West ................................................... Georgetown .......................................................... NI1709 6284 H, K, L, N, O. 

Wilmington-West ................................................... Georgetown .......................................................... NI1709 6334 B, E. 

Wilmington-West ................................................... Georgetown .......................................................... NI1709 6333 L, O. 

Wilmington-East .................................................... Georgetown .......................................................... NI1709 6437 K, O. 

Wilmington-West ................................................... Georgetown .......................................................... NI1709 6383 B, E. 

Department of Defense Activities 

The Department of Defense (DOD) 

conducts offshore testing, training, and 

operations in the Call Areas. To avoid 

or minimize potential conflicts with 

existing DOD activities, site-specific 

stipulations may be necessary for all 

OCS blocks within the Call Areas. 

Such stipulations may include, but 

are not limited to, a hold-and-saveharmless agreement where the lessee 

assumes all risks of damage or injury to 

persons or property if such injury or 

damage to such person or property 

occurs by reason of the activities of the 

U.S. Government, and/or a requirement 

that at times requested by the DOD, the 

lessee controls its own electromagnetic 

emissions and those of its agents, 

employees, invitees, independent 

contractors, or subcontractors when 

operating in specified DOD Operating 

Areas (OPAREAs) or warning areas. 

Other examples of stipulations that may 

be required include a stipulation that 

the lessee enter into an agreement with 

the appropriate DOD commander when 

operating vessels or aircraft in a 

designated OPAREA or warning area, 

requiring that these vessel and aircraft 

movements be coordinated with the 

appropriate DOD commander, and/or a 

stipulation that DOD can request 

temporary suspension of operations 

and/or require evacuation on the lease 

in the interest of safety and/or national 

security. 

Map of the Call Areas 

A map of the Call Areas and a table 

of the boundary coordinates in X, Y 

(eastings, northings) UTM Zone 17 or 

UTM Zone 18 (based on the Call Area 

geographic location), NAD83 Datum and 

geographic X, Y (longitude, latitude), 

NAD83 Datum can be found at the 

following URL: http://www.BOEM.gov/ 

offshore/RenewableEnergy/ 

StateActivities-North Carolina.htm. 

A large scale map of the Call Areas 

showing their boundaries with 

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. 

Development of the Call Areas 

The Call Areas were delineated by 

BOEM in consultation with the Task 

Force, and are intended to minimize 

user conflicts while making appropriate 

areas available for potential commercial 

offshore wind energy leasing and 

development. The USCG advises that 

navigational conflicts may exist as 

described in the section entitled, 

‘‘Navigational Issues.’’ Specific 

mitigation, stipulations, or exclusion 

areas may be developed and applied at 

the leasing, site assessment, and/or the 

construction and operations stages as a 

result of environmental reviews and 

associated consultations, and by using 

information gathered through continued 

coordination with the Task Force. The 

following information and issues were 

discussed during consultation with the 

Task Force. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
74210 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 

Results of North Carolina’s Coastal 

Wind Study 

The Call Areas were developed with 

consideration of the boundaries 

recommended by the North Carolina 

Wind Study. The results of the study 

helped to identify areas that may not be 

suitable for wind development, based 

on features ranging from ocean-bottom 

geological and associated geological 

dynamics, electric transmission 

infrastructure, ocean usages and the 

presence and density of biological 

resources including avian populations 

and aquatic habitat. Of additional 

concern, as indicated by the North 

Carolina Study, is the alteration of 

viewscapes from the Cape Hatteras and 

Cape Lookout National Seashores. 

Areas Removed From Further Leasing 

Consideration 

BOEM considered the findings of the 

North Carolina Study, Task Force input, 

and other relevant studies and removed 

the following areas from further leasing 

consideration: 

1. No Build Areas (e.g., TSSs, marine 

sanctuaries, shipwreck clusters, 

explosive zones, areas in close 

proximity to anchorage areas, etc.): 

Leasing and potential development has 

been removed from consideration in 

blocks containing some of these features 

(e.g., TSSs) since it would likely directly 

and adversely affect shipping or be 

impractical to conduct ocean-bottom 

penetrating activities. BOEM may later 

require set-backs from these or other 

features. 

2. Areas of High Avian Densities: 

Areas with high avian densities are 

mostly concentrated along inlet areas (to 

a distance of 5 miles in all directions 

from the center of the inlet), in large 

zones off each of the three major Capes 

(Hatteras, Lookout, and Fear), and in 

areas swept by the Gulf Stream. Adverse 

effects may occur because of the greater 

potential for in-flight mortality from 

collisions with wind turbines, 

avoidance behaviors caused by the 

disturbance/presence of turbines and/or 

disturbance of ocean-bottom features. 

3. Areas with Unique Geological 

Conditions: 

a. The shoreline seaward to the 15- 

meter depth contour, including a fourmile zone around the inlet/outlet 

systems. This area is the active part of 

the barrier island system associated 

with sediment transport, inlet 

dynamics, and storm processes. 

b. Highly dissected outcrops of 

Oligocene Limestone, Miocene Pungo 

River Formation, and thin Quaternary 

carbonate cap rocks. These extensive 

hard-bottoms and firm-bottoms contain 

tremendous relief, biodiversity, and bioproductivity. 

c. Algal reef which occurs at the shelf 

edge and above the steep drop-off of the 

continental slope that is dominated by 

steep clinoform sediment deposits, 

slump blocks, and flow structures. 

d. East of Diamond Shoals where the 

shelf edge is characterized by an 

extremely steep erosional scarp with a 

downstream sediment scour and a 

deposition zone that sweeps off to the 

northeast. These features are probably 

the direct result of erosion and 

deposition by the Gulf Stream as it is 

deflected off the North Carolina 

continental margin at Cape Hatteras. 

e. Shallow and Active Sand Bodies of 

the cross-shelf and the cape shoal 

structures (Frying Pan Shoals, Diamond 

Shoals and Cape Lookout Shoals) are 

critical components of the large-scale 

and long-term sediment dynamics of the 

barrier island system and are 

characterized by active bedforms and 

scour. 

4. Areas within 6 miles from shore: 

The results of the numerous studies 

along the Mid-Atlantic and NorthAtlantic found that birds, certain marine 

mammals and other resources occur in 

higher densities closer to shore. In 

addition, numerous shipwrecks, reefs, 

and shoals tend to occur in this zone, 

typically from the shoreline to 6 miles 

offshore. Therefore, some environmental 

impacts could be reduced with 

increasing distance from the shoreline. 

5. Fish, Fisheries and Marine 

Habitats: The three main Capes in North 

Carolina are regions of high biological 

productivity and high levels of fishing 

activity. Live bottom habitat becomes 

increasingly common on the North 

Carolina OCS from north to south. A 

zone south of Cape Fear and located in 

a band that ranges from about 8 to 20 

miles wide is thought to be such a 

concentration and has been removed 

from consideration. 

6. Military Areas: DOD conducts 

operations readiness activities for both 

hardware and personnel on the OCS. 

The Call Areas were refined based on 

DOD assessments of compatibility 

between potential commercial offshore 

wind development and DOD testing, 

training and operational activities. 

Although OCS blocks determined to be 

incompatible with these activities were 

removed from consideration, site 

specific stipulations may be necessary 

for remaining lease blocks in the Call 

Areas to avoid conflicts with DOD 

activities. BOEM will consult with the 

DOD regarding potential issues 

concerning offshore testing, training and 

operational activities, and will use best 

management practices to develop 

appropriate stipulations to avoid 

conflicts with DOD in the Call Areas. 

Areas Under National Park Service 

(NPS) Jurisdiction 

The mission of the NPS, as set forth 

under the NPS Organic Act, is to protect 

the natural and cultural resources, 

including the scenery, in units of the 

National Park System, and to provide 

for their enjoyment in a manner that 

will leave them unimpaired for future 

generations (http://www.nps.gov/ 

aboutus/mission.htm; also see 16 U.S.C. 

1). The NPS has advised BOEM that 

Congress established the Cape Hatteras 

National Seashore, in part, to conserve 

the scenic values and natural and 

cultural resources of the dynamic 

barrier islands in the area. Cape Hatteras 

National Seashore is home to the 

National Historic Landmark Cape 

Hatteras Light Station and other historic 

properties. 

The NPS has informed BOEM that the 

Cape Hatteras National Seashore is 

important to the local economy and that 

in 2010, the NPS recorded more than 2.1 

million recreational visits to Cape 

Hatteras National Seashore and a 

contribution of $115 million and 

approximately 1,800 jobs to the local 

economy. The NPS shared with BOEM 

a 2002 Outer Banks Group Parks Visitor 

Study conducted by the University of 

Idaho. In this study, visitors were asked 

to rate the importance of selected 

attributes in planning for the 

preservation of Cape Hatteras National 

Seashore for future generations. 

According to the study, 84 percent of 

the respondents identified scenic views 

as extremely or very important. The 

NPS believes these economic and 

recreational values are directly 

dependent on the quality of park 

resources and the visitor experience at 

this popular seashore. 

Units of the National Park System and 

other marine protected areas are 

identified as ‘‘Areas of Special Concern’’ 

in Section 5.2.15 of the October 2007 

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 

Alternative Energy Programmatic 

Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). 

Call Area Kitty Hawk is located offshore 

of properties managed by the NPS. 

The NPS has raised concerns over the 

potential impact that wind energy 

development off the coast of North 

Carolina could have on scenic ocean 

views and night skies of the Cape 

Hatteras National Seashore. At this time, 

BOEM has not modified the Call Area 

Kitty Hawk, portions of which are off 

the coast of the Cape Hatteras National 

Seashore, to address these concerns. 

To help BOEM and NPS better 

evaluate the potential visual impacts of 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 74211 

commercial wind energy development 

on visitors to the Cape Hatteras and 

Cape Lookout National Seashores, the 

two agencies undertook a visual 

simulation study in the interest of 

providing accurate representations of 

offshore wind facilities at various 

distances (i.e., 10, 15 and 20 nmi) from 

shore and under a variety of conditions 

(e.g., daytime and nighttime views, 

multiple array configurations, various 

lighting conditions, etc.). The study was 

completed in August 2012. Based on the 

study results and the dimension of the 

turbines analyzed, from certain 

locations and under certain conditions, 

turbines could be visible during the day 

and at night at 20 nmi (the outer limit 

of the visual simulations 

configurations). Results of the 

visualization study can be found at: 

http://www.boem.gov/RenewableEnergy-Program/State-Activities/NorthCarolina.aspx. 

The NPS is concerned about the 

potential impact to the scenic 

experience of visitors to the Cape 

Hatteras National Seashore. Although 

BOEM is not modifying the Call Area 

Kitty Hawk at this time, BOEM may in 

the future determine that portions of the 

Call Area Kitty Hawk may not be 

appropriate for commercial wind 

development. 

Navigational Issues 

The USCG used a color-coding system 

to designate portions of the three Call 

areas as green, yellow, and red. A 

designation of green indicates that the 

USCG believes that an area, if 

developed, would pose minimal to no 

detrimental impact on navigational 

safety, but that the area should still be 

subject to further study. A designation 

of yellow indicates that the USCG 

believes that development of the area 

could have unacceptable effects on 

navigational safety and that further 

study is required to determine the 

potential effect that development of the 

area would have on navigational safety. 

A designation of red indicates that the 

USCG believes that development of that 

area would have an unacceptable effect 

on navigational safety based on existing 

navigational routes. A map showing the 

OCS blocks (including sub-blocks) and 

their corresponding color coding can be 

found at: http://boem.gov/RenewableEnergy-Program/State-Activities/NorthCarolina.aspx. 

BOEM has analyzed USCG 2009 and 

2010 Automatic Identification System 

(AIS) data, including density plots (by 

1/16th of an OCS Block) for all vessel 

types and various individual vessel 

types (e.g. tankers, cargo vessels, tugs, 

etc.) for the OCS offshore North 

Carolina. Maps of Call Areas 

Wilmington-West, Wilmington-East and 

Kitty Hawk overlaid on these AIS 

analyses can be found at: http://

boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/

State-Activities/North-Carolina.aspx. 

The 2009 and 2010 AIS data used to 

conduct this analysis, in addition to 

other AIS tools, can be downloaded at: 

http://www.marinecadastre.gov/AIS/

default.aspx. 

BOEM encourages respondents and 

interested parties to incorporate this 

information into their decision-making 

and comments and when nominating 

areas. 

In general, placement of obstacles in 

previously open seas may have an 

impact on maritime traffic. The AIS data 

show that portions of the Call Areas are 

trafficked by multiple types of vessels 

traveling along the Atlantic Coast and 

entering and leaving ports located in 

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 

Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and 

North Carolina and South Carolina. 

These vessels include commercial, 

military, and commercial fishing 

vessels. The transit patterns of these 

vessels are influenced by the unique 

coastal geology and oceanographic 

conditions off North Carolina’s coast. 

BOEM will consider potential impacts 

to existing users when conducting 

reviews of any Construction and 

Operations Plans (COP) submitted 

subsequent to a leasing process and may 

require that lessees mitigate these 

impacts. Potential respondents to the 

Call should recognize that the impacts 

on existing users must be evaluated 

before a project can be approved. The 

USCG has generated AIS data plots and 

information for the Call Areas that are 

available on the USCG Atlantic Coast 

Port Access Route study Web site at: 

www.uscg.mil/lantarea/acpars and will 

provide raw data for analysis upon 

request. Potential respondents should 

recognize that portions of the Call Areas 

may not be offered for leasing and 

development by BOEM because of 

existing vessel traffic. 

The USCG has a responsibility to 

ensure the safety of navigation under 

the Ports and Waterways Safety Act 

(PWSA) (33 U.S.C. 1221). The PWSA 

requires the USCG to provide safe 

access routes for the movement of vessel 

traffic proceeding to or from ports or 

places subject to the jurisdiction of the 

United States. The USCG does so by 

designating necessary fairways and 

TSSs for vessels operating in the 

territorial sea of the United States and 

in high sea approaches, outside the 

territorial sea. The USCG may also 

determine that establishment of other 

ships’ routing measures would enhance 

navigational safety, and it works with its 

Federal interagency and International 

Maritime Organization partners to 

establish these voluntary measures as 

necessary. 

The potential for navigational safety 

risk posed by building structures in 

proximity to shipping routes is affected 

by numerous factors including, but not 

limited to: Vessel size, vessel type, 

density of traffic, prevailing weather 

and hydrographic conditions, ocean and 

wind driven currents, cumulative 

impact of multiple obstructions (for 

example, wind assessment or 

development facilities), existence of 

multiple shipping routes (for example, 

crossing or meeting situations), radar/ 

automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA) 

interference, and the existence of 

mitigating factors such as navigational 

aids, vessel traffic services, or pilotage. 

Currently, there is no standard 

recommended separation distance 

between offshore renewable energy 

facilities and shipping routes. The 

USCG has reviewed guidance published 

by other countries, such as the United 

Kingdom’s Maritime Guidance Note 

MGN–371, and consulted with its own 

waterways subject matter experts. 

Currently, the USCG considers that the 

placement of offshore wind assessment 

and generation facilities in any area less 

than 1 nmi from traditional shipping 

routes poses a high risk to navigational 

safety and therefore does not 

recommend placement of offshore 

renewable energy facilities in such 

areas. The USCG considers placement of 

such wind facilities in areas greater than 

5 nmi from existing shipping routes to 

pose minimal risk to navigational safety. 

Areas considered for placement of wind 

facilities between 1 nmi and 5 nmi 

would require additional USCG analysis 

to determine if mitigation factors could 

be applied to bring navigational safety 

risk within USCG acceptable levels. 

Respondents to this Call should note 

that impacts to radar and ARPA may 

still occur outside of 1 nmi and will 

have to be evaluated along with other 

potential impacts. The above are only 

planning guidelines and may be 

changed based on the completion of the 

Atlantic Coast Port Access Route Study 

(ACPARS), which is described herein. 

In addition, these guidelines may be 

further modified upon completion of a 

Navigational Safety Risk Assessment 

(NSRA) that is required before BOEM 

approves construction of any offshore 

renewable energy facilities. The USCG 

is conducting an ACPARS to determine 

how best to route traffic on the Atlantic 

coast. See 76 FR 27288 (May 11, 2011). 

This study will better inform the USCG 

about the navigational safety risks 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
74212 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 

associated with construction of offshore 

renewable energy facilities. The data 

gathered during this ACPARS may 

result in the establishment of new vessel 

routing measures, modification of 

existing routing measures, or removal of 

some existing routing measures off the 

Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida. 

As a parallel effort that is shorter in 

duration, BOEM is working to establish 

a Maritime Working Group (MWG) to 

facilitate consideration of vessel traffic 

and safety concerns when making 

decisions regarding the further 

delineation of North Carolina Call Areas 

for potential leasing and development 

offshore North Carolina. BOEM hopes to 

address these concerns through the 

analysis of vessel movement data, such 

as AIS information, and the integration 

of maritime stakeholder input. The 

MWG would comprise maritime 

stakeholders that use the waters offshore 

North Carolina, regulate their use, or 

have a unique geographic expertise of 

vessel traffic patterns in the area. 

Ideally, this effort would distinguish 

traditional shipping routes, delineate 

appropriate shipping corridor widths 

and buffers, and recommend potential 

modifications to established routing 

measures and new routing measures 

that could be incorporated into the 

USCG ACPARS and assist BOEM in 

decision-making. 

Transmission Issues 

As indicated in Section 5.2.15.3 of the 

OCS Alternative Energy Programmatic 

Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) 

at: http://www.boem.gov/RenewableEnergy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/Index.aspx#Programmatic_

Environmental_Impact_Statement_

(PEIS), transmission facilities would not 

be located on NPS properties. 

Required Nomination Information 

If you intend to submit a nomination 

for a commercial wind energy lease in 

the areas identified in this notice, you 

must provide the following information: 

(1) The BOEM Protraction name, 

number, and specific whole or partial 

OCS blocks within the Call Area(s) that 

are of interest for commercial wind 

leasing, including any required buffer 

area. This information should be 

submitted as a spatial file compatible 

with ArcGIS 10.0 in a geographic 

coordinate system (NAD 83) in addition 

to your hard copy submittal. If your 

proposed lease area(s) includes one or 

more partial blocks, please describe 

those partial blocks in terms of a 

sixteenth (i.e. sub-block) of an OCS 

block. BOEM will not consider any 

areas outside of the Call Areas in this 

process; 

(2) A description of your objectives 

and the facilities that you would use to 

achieve those objectives; 

(3) A preliminary 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(s) that you wish 

to lease, including energy and resource 

data and information used to evaluate 

the Call Areas. Where applicable, spatial 

information should be submitted in a 

format compatible with ArcGIS 10.0 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 BOEM Renewable Energy 

Framework Guide Book available at: 

http://www.BOEM.gov/offshore/

RenewableEnergy/PDFs/REnGuidebook_

03August2009_3_.pdf. 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 

(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 required 

documentation to demonstrate your 

technical and financial qualifications 

can be found at: http://www.BOEM.gov/ 

offshore/RenewableEnergy/PDFs/

QualificationGuidelines.pdf. 

Documentation you submit to 

demonstrate your legal, technical, and 

financial qualifications must be 

provided to BOEM in both paper and 

electronic formats. BOEM considers an 

Adobe PDF file stored on a storage 

media device to be an acceptable format 

for submitting an electronic copy. 

It is critical that you submit a 

complete nomination so that BOEM may 

evaluate your submission in a timely 

manner. If BOEM reviews your 

nomination and determines that it is 

incomplete, BOEM will inform you of 

this determination in writing. This letter 

will describe the information that 

BOEM determined to be missing from 

your nomination, and which you must 

submit in order for BOEM to deem your 

submission complete. You will be given 

15 business days from the date of that 

letter to submit the information that 

BOEM found to be missing from your 

original submission. If you do not meet 

this deadline, or if BOEM determines 

this second submission is insufficient 

and has failed to complete your 

nomination, then BOEM retains the 

right to deem your nomination invalid. 

In such a case, BOEM will not process 

your nomination. 

It is not required that you submit a 

nomination in response to this Call in 

order to submit a bid in a potential lease 

sale offshore North Carolina, should 

BOEM determine that competitive 

interest exists in one or more portions 

of the Call Areas after the close of the 

Call comment period. However, you 

would not be able to participate in such 

a lease sale unless, prior to the sale, you 

had demonstrated that you are legally 

qualified to hold a BOEM renewable 

energy lease, and you had demonstrated 

that you are technically and financially 

capable of constructing, operating, 

maintaining, and decommissioning the 

facilities you would propose to install 

on your lease. To ensure that BOEM has 

sufficient time to process your 

qualifications package, you should 

submit this package during the PSN 60- 

day public comment period. More 

information can be found at: http://

www.BOEM.gov/offshore/Renewable

Energy/PDFs/QualificationGuidelines.

pdf. 

Requested Information From Interested 

or Affected Parties 

BOEM is requesting from the public 

and other interested or affected parties 

specific and detailed comments 

regarding the following: 

1. Geological, geophysical, and 

biological conditions (including bottom 

and shallow hazards and live bottom) in 

the area described in this notice; 

2. Known archaeological and/or 

cultural resource sites on the seabed in 

the areas described in this notice; 

3. Historic properties potentially 

affected by the construction of 

meteorological towers, the installation 

of meteorological buoys, or commercial 

wind development in the areas 

identified in this Call; 

4. Multiple uses of the areas, 

including navigation (commercial and 

recreational vessel use), fishing 

hotspots, and commercial fishing areas; 

5. Information relating to whether or 

not offshore wind turbines located in 

the areas identified in this notice would 

adversely affect the North Carolina 

seascape, and ideas or strategies that 

could be used to help mitigate or 

minimize any adverse visual effects, 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 240 / Thursday, December 13, 2012 / Notices 74213 

such as: how far offshore turbines 

should be placed to minimize the visual 

impact from the coastline, specific 

locations or areas to avoid development 

altogether, or any other strategies to 

help reduce the visual footprint (for 

example, the color of the turbines 

[towers, nacelle, blades], the 

arrangement or pattern of the turbine 

array, the dimension of the turbines 

(e.g., height and blade span), visual 

navigational lighting requirements, the 

maximum number of turbines that 

should be allowed in a specific area, 

etc.); 

6. The type of transmission system 

(e.g., AC, HVDC, etc.) a prospective 

developer would likely utilize for a 

wind facility offshore North Carolina. If 

AC, please state and explain the 

maximum distance you would be 

willing to run an AC transmission 

system to deliver power from an 

offshore wind facility to an onshore 

substation; 

7. General interest by a developer(s) 

in constructing a backbone transmission 

system that would transport electricity 

generated by wind projects located 

offshore North Carolina, including a 

general description of the transmission’s 

proposed path and potential 

interconnection points; 

8. Available and pertinent data and 

information concerning renewable 

energy resources and environmental 

conditions in the area identified in this 

notice. Where applicable, spatial 

information should be submitted in a 

format compatible with ArcGIS 10.0 in 

a geographic coordinate system (NAD 

83); 

9. Habitats that may require special 

attention during siting and construction; 

and 

10. Other relevant socioeconomic, 

biological, and environmental 

information. 

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 list 

of whole or partial blocks that you are 

nominating. 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, to withhold the 

location, character, or ownership of 

historic resources if it determines that 

disclosure may, among other things, risk 

harm to the historic resources or impede 

the use of a traditional religious site by 

practitioners. Tribal entities should 

designate information that falls under 

Section 304 of NHPA as confidential. 

Dated: December 10, 2012. 

Tommy P. Beaudreau, 

Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management. 

[FR Doc. 2012–30093 Filed 12–12–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

Environmental Documents Prepared 

for Oil, Gas, and Mineral Operations by 

the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental 

Shelf (OCS) Region 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management (BOEM), Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of the availability of 

environmental documents prepared for 

OCS mineral proposals by the Gulf of 

Mexico OCS region. 

SUMMARY: BOEM, in accordance with 

Federal regulations that implement the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA), announces the availability of 

NEPA-related Site-Specific 

Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and 

Findings of No Significant Impact 

(FONSIs). These documents were 

prepared during the period July 1, 2012, 

through September 30, 2012, for oil, gas, 

and mineral-related activities that were 

proposed in the Gulf of Mexico, and are 

more specifically described in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

this notice. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Attention: 

Public Information Office (GM 250E), 

1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 

250, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123– 

2394, or by calling 1–800–200–GULF. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BOEM 

prepares SEAs and FONSIs for certain 

proposals that relate to exploration, 

development, production, and transport 

of oil, gas, and mineral resources on the 

Federal OCS. These SEAs examine the 

potential environmental effects of 

proposed activities and present BOEM 

conclusions regarding the significance 

of those effects. The SEAs are used as 

a basis for determining whether or not 

approval of a proposal constitutes a 

major Federal action that significantly 

affects the quality of the human 

environment in accordance with NEPA 

Section 102(2)(C). A FONSI is prepared 

in those instances when BOEM finds 

that approval will not result in 

significant effects on the quality of the 

human environment. The FONSI briefly 

presents the basis for that finding and 

includes a summary or copy of the SEA. 

This notice constitutes the public 

notice of availability of environmental 

documents required under the NEPA 

regulations. 

Activity/Operator Location Date 

Shell Offshore Inc., Geological & Geophysical Survey, SEA 

L12–005.

Located in the Central Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico ...... 7/3/2012 

Cobalt International Energy, L.P., Exploration Plan, SEA R– 

5605.

Located in the Central Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico, 

south of Louisiana.

7/3/2012 

Noble Energy, Inc., Exploration Plan, SEA N–9644 ..................... Located in the Central Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico, 

southeast of Venice, Louisiana.

7/3/2012 

Hunt Oil Company, Structure Removal, SEA ES/SR 12–118 ...... High Island, Block A554, Lease OCS–G 21356, located 87 

miles from the nearest Texas shoreline.

7/5/2012 

Murphy Exploration & Production Company—USA, Exploration 

Plan, SEA R–5399.

Mississippi Canyon, Block 950, Lease OCS–G 27318, located 

71 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline.

7/5/2012 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with