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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 73882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29242]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2013-0065] [MMAA104000]

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) Wind Energy 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 Public Notice of an Unsolicited 
Request for an OCS Research Lease; Request for Competitive Interest 
(RFCI); and Request for Public Comment, that BOEM published on July 30, 
2013, (78 FR 45965-45968). The RFCI described the proposal submitted to 
BOEM by the DMME to acquire an OCS lease for renewable energy research 
activities, including wind turbine installation and operational testing 
and installation of metocean monitoring equipment on the OCS off the 
coast of Virginia, and provided an opportunity for the public to submit 
comments about the proposal.

DATES: Effective December 9, 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 an OCS renewable energy lease, easement, or right-of-way (ROW) be 
issued ``on a competitive basis unless the Secretary [of the Interior] 
determines after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or 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 RFCI, BOEM also solicited public comment from interested 
stakeholders about the proposed lease area and the proposed DMME 
research project and any potential impacts from the project. In 
response to the RFCI, BOEM received public comment submissions from 
five entities. BOEM will use the comments received to inform subsequent 
decisions. After the publication of this DNCI, BOEM may proceed with 
the research leasing process using the procedures described in 30 CFR 
Sec.  585.238.

Map of the Area

    A map of the area proposed for a research lease can be found at the 
following site: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/Virginia.aspx

    Dated: November 27, 2013.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2013-29242 Filed 12-6-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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