Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 102 / Wednesday, May 28, 2014 / Notices 30645 

environment, BOEM will issue a 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI). After either a FONSI is issued 

or the EIS process is completed, BOEM 

may issue one or more renewable energy 

leases within the Call Area. In the event 

that a particular lease is issued, and the 

lessee submits a SAP, BOEM will 

determine whether the EA adequately 

considers the environmental impacts of 

the activities proposed in the lessee’s 

SAP. If the analysis in the EA 

adequately addresses these impacts, 

then no further NEPA analysis will be 

required before the SAP is approved. If 

the EA requires supplementation, 

additional NEPA analysis would be 

conducted before the SAP could be 

approved. 

3. Information That Will Be 

Incorporated Into the EA 

On November 6, 2007, BOEM 

published a Notice of Availability 

(NOA) in the Federal Register (72 FR 

62,672) of the Programmatic EIS for 

Alternative Energy Development and 

Production and Alternate Use of 

Facilities on the Outer Continental 

Shelf, Final EIS (OCS Report MMS 

2007–046). BOEM has prepared several 

EAs for areas in the North Atlantic and 

Mid-Atlantic OCS that evaluated 

activities similar to those to be 

addressed in the EA for which this 

Notice is being published (http://

www.boem.gov/Renewable-EnergyProgram/Smart-from-the-Start/

Index.aspx). Additionally, BOEM has 

published a Final Programmatic EIS for 

proposed geological and geophysical 

activities in the Mid-Atlantic and South 

Atlantic OCS Planning Areas (OCS EIS/ 

EA BOEM 2014–001). 

BOEM will incorporate the 

environmental and socioeconomic 

analyses of site characterization and 

assessment activities from previous 

NEPA documents and other public 

information to help inform its analysis 

in the EA. 

4. Description of the Call Area 

A detailed description of the Call 

Area can be found in the Call that is 

being published concurrently with this 

Notice. 

A map of the Call Area can be found 

at the following URL: http://boem.gov/

Renewable-Energy-Program/StateActivities/New York.aspx. 

A large-scale map of the Call Area 

showing its boundaries and 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 

20170–4817, Phone: (703) 787–1320. 

5. Cooperating Agencies 

BOEM invites Federal, state, and local 

government agencies, as well as tribal 

governments, to consider becoming 

cooperating agencies in the preparation 

of this EA. 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 

decisionmaking authority of any other 

agency involved in the NEPA process. 

Upon request, BOEM will provide 

potential cooperating agencies with a 

draft memorandum of agreement that 

includes a schedule with critical action 

dates and milestones, mutual 

responsibilities, designated points of 

contact, and expectations for handling 

pre-decisional information. Agencies 

should also consider the ’’Factors for 

Determining Cooperating Agency 

Status’’ in Attachment 1 to CEQ’s 

January 30, 2002, Memorandum for the 

Heads of Federal Agencies: Cooperating 

Agencies in Implementing the 

Procedural Requirements of the NEPA. 

A copy of this document is available at: 

http://ceg.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/

cooperating/

cooperatingagenciesmemorandum.html 

and at: http://ceg.hss.doe.gov/nepa/

regs/cooperating/

cooperatingagencymemofactors.html. 

BOEM, as the lead agency, will not 

provide financial assistance to 

cooperating agencies. If an agency is not 

a cooperating agency, it may provide 

information to BOEM during the public 

comment period for the EA. 

6. Comments 

Federal, state, local government 

agencies; tribal governments; and other 

interested parties are requested to send 

their written comments regarding 

environmental issues and potential 

alternatives to the proposed action 

described in this Notice in one of the 

following ways: 

1. Electronically: http://

www.regulations.gov. In the entry 

entitled ‘‘Enter Keyword or ID,’’ enter 

BOEM–2014–0003, then click ‘‘search.’’ 

Follow the instructions to submit public 

comments and view supporting and 

related materials available for this 

document. 

2. In written form, delivered by hand 

or by mail, enclosed in an envelope 

labeled ‘‘Comments on New York EA’’ 

to Program Manager, Office of 

Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of 

Ocean Energy Management, 381 Elden 

Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 

20170–4817. Comments should be 

submitted no later than July 14, 2014. 

Dated: April 21, 2014. 

Tommy P. Beaudreau, 

Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management. 

[FR Doc. 2014–12067 Filed 5–27–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

[Docket No. BOEM–2013–0087; 

MMAA104000] 

Commercial Leasing for Wind Power 

Development on the Outer Continental 

Shelf (OCS) Offshore New York—Call 

for Information and Nominations (Call) 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management (BOEM), Interior. 

ACTION: Call for Information and 

Nominations for Commercial Leases for 

Wind Power Development on the Outer 

Continental Shelf Offshore New York. 

SUMMARY: BOEM invites submissions of 

nominations from parties interested in 

obtaining one or more commercial 

leases that would allow a lessee to 

propose the construction of a wind 

energy project(s) on the OCS offshore 

New York. Although the publication of 

this notice is not itself a leasing 

announcement, the area described 

herein may be subject to future leasing. 

Parties wishing to submit a nomination 

in response to this Call should submit 

detailed and specific information as 

described in the section entitled, 

‘‘Required Nomination Information.’’ 

Parties that have previously submitted a 

nomination in response to the Request 

for Interest (RFI) (78 FR 760, published 

on January 4, 2013) do not need to 

resubmit their proposals unless they 

wish to modify or update them. 

BOEM also requests comments from 

interested and affected parties regarding 

site conditions, resources, and multiple 

uses of the identified area that would be 

relevant to BOEM’s review of the 

nominations and/or to any subsequent 

decision concerning whether to offer all 

or part of the area for commercial wind 

leasing. Information that BOEM is 

requesting is described in the section 

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 


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30646 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 102 / Wednesday, May 28, 2014 / Notices 

implementing regulations at 30 CFR Part 

585. 

The Call Area described in this notice 

is located on the OCS off the coast of 

Long Island, New York, beginning 

approximately 11 nautical miles (nmi) 

south of Long Beach, New York. From 

its western edge, the area extends 

approximately 26 nmi southeast at its 

longest portion. The project area 

consists of 5 full OCS blocks and 148 

sub-blocks. The entire area is 

approximately 127 square miles, 81,130 

acres, or 32,832 hectares. Table 1 

describes the OCS lease blocks and subblocks included within the area of 

interest. A detailed description of the 

area is presented later in this notice. 

DATES: BOEM will only consider 

nominations describing interest in this 

Call Area that are postmarked by July 

14, 2014. BOEM requests that comments 

and any other information are submitted 

by this date. 

Submission Procedures: If you are 

submitting a nomination for a 

commercial lease in response to this 

Call, please submit your nomination by 

mail to the following address: Bureau of 

Ocean Energy Management, Office of 

Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden 

Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 

20170–4817. In addition to a paper copy 

of the nomination, include an electronic 

copy of the nomination on a compact 

disc (CD) or flash drive. Nominations 

must be postmarked by July 14, 2014. 

BOEM will list the parties that 

submitted nominations and the location 

of the proposed lease areas (OCS blocks 

they nominated) on the BOEM Web site 

after the 45-day comment period closes. 

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 

titled ‘‘Enter Keyword or ID,’’ enter 

BOEM–2013–0087, 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, Office of Renewable 

Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 

1328, Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817. 

All responses will be reported on 

http://www.regulations.gov. If you wish 

to protect the confidentiality of your 

nomination or comment, 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: Dr. 

Andrew Krueger, Project Coordinator, 

BOEM, Office of Renewable Energy 

Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, 

Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817, (703) 

787–1320, or andrew.krueger@

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)). The purpose of this notice 

is to inform the public that BOEM has 

determined that competitive interest 

exists in the area identified, solicit any 

additional expressions of interest in 

obtaining a lease in the area identified, 

and request information from interested 

and affected parties on issues relevant to 

BOEM’s review of nominations for 

potential leases in the area identified. 

Background 

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) 

The EPAct amended the OCS Lands 

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

which authorizes the Secretary of the 

Interior (Secretary) 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 the production, 

transportation, or transmission of energy 

from sources other than oil or gas. 

Subsection 8(p) requires the Secretary to 

issue regulations to carry out the new 

energy development authority on the 

OCS. The Secretary delegated the 

authority to issue leases, easements, and 

ROWs, and to promulgate regulations to 

the Director of BOEM. On April 29, 

2009, BOEM promulgated the 

Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses 

rule, 30 CFR Part 585, which can be 

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

Renewable-Energy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/Index.aspx#Rules_

Development. 

Executive Order 13547: Stewardship of 

the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great 

Lakes 

On July 19, 2010, the President signed 

an Executive 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, the Order requires 

BOEM to take such action as necessary 

to implement this policy, to adhere to 

the stewardship principles and national 

priority objectives adopted by the Order, 

and follow guidance from the National 

Ocean Council. 

BOEM appreciates the importance of 

coordinating its planning endeavors 

with other OCS users and regulators. It 

intends to follow principles of coastal 

and marine spatial planning, and 

coordinate with the regional planning 

bodies established by the National 

Ocean Council, to inform its leasing 

processes. BOEM anticipates that 

continued coordination with its 

Intergovernmental Renewable Energy 

Task Forces will help inform 

comprehensive coastal and marine 

spatial planning efforts. 

Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body 

The National Ocean Policy also calls 

for the creation of Regional Planning 

Bodies (RPBs) to coordinate and 

implement regional ocean planning 

with state, Federal, tribal, and Fishery 

Management Council representatives. 

The intergovernmental Mid-Atlantic 

RPB (MidA RPB) was formally 

established in April 2013 to leverage 

existing state and regional ocean 

planning efforts and to engage 

stakeholders and technical experts at 

every key step. 

The MidA RPB is composed of 

representatives from New York, New 

Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, 

Maryland, and Virginia. Representatives 

from New York are actively engaged in 

the regional planning body. See the 

MidA RPB Web site for additional 

information: http://www.boem.gov/MidAtlantic-Regional-Planning-Body/. 

Actions Taken by the State of New York 

in Support of Renewable Energy 

Development 

The State of New York has taken 

important steps to study offshore wind 

energy development as well as other 

forms of renewable energy production. 

New York State coordinates renewable 

energy policies to strategically harness 

the many resources that the State can 

provide to solar, wind (offshore and 

land-based), bioenergy, geothermal, 

hydrokinetic, storage, and other power 

supply options. New York has 

developed strategies that take into 

account the opportunities provided by 

the diverse renewable resources 


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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 102 / Wednesday, May 28, 2014 / Notices 30647 

available in different regions of the 

State. These strategies are documented 

in the 2014 Draft New York State Energy 

Plan, available at: http://

energyplan.ny.gov/Plans/2014.aspx. 

BOEM New York Renewable Energy 

Task Force 

In December 2009, the Governor of 

New York requested that BOEM form a 

task force to facilitate intergovernmental 

communications regarding OCS 

renewable energy activities and 

development offshore New York. The 

BOEM New York Renewable Energy 

Task Force first met in November 2010 

to facilitate coordination among relevant 

Federal agencies and affected state, 

local, and tribal governments 

throughout the leasing process. Two 

subsequent meetings were held in April 

2012 and September 2013. Task Force 

meeting materials are available on the 

BOEM Web site at: http://

www.boem.gov/Renewable-EnergyProgram/State-Activities/NewYork.aspx. 

New York Call Area 

The Call Area is the same as the area 

described in the Request for Interest 

(RFI) (78 FR 760), which was published 

in the Federal Register on January 4, 

2013, and is discussed in further detail 

in the ‘‘Publication of RFI and 

Responses Received’’ section below. 

BOEM may adjust this potential leasing 

area in response to comment 

submissions and information received 

from this notice and the associated 

Notice of Intent to Prepare an 

Environmental Assessment (NOI–EA), 

described below in the section entitled, 

‘‘Environmental Review.’’ 

Publication of RFI and Responses 

Received 

On September 8, 2011, BOEM 

received an unsolicited request from the 

New York Power Authority (NYPA) for 

a commercial wind lease on the OCS 

offshore New York. NYPA submitted its 

request on behalf of the ‘‘Long IslandNew York City Offshore Wind 

Collaborative,’’ a public-private entity 

consisting of NYPA, the Long Island 

Power Authority, and Consolidated 

Edison Company of New York, Inc. The 

Collaborative’s goal is to develop the 

proposed project to supply Long Island 

and New York City with renewable 

energy, consistent with New York 

State’s and the City of New York’s 

renewable energy initiatives. NYPA’s 

proposed project, the ‘‘Long Island-New 

York City Offshore Wind Project,’’ is 

designed to generate at least 350 

megawatts (MW) of electricity from 

offshore wind resources, with the ability 

to expand generation capacity to as 

much as 700 MW. The project would be 

located approximately 11 nmi south of 

Long Beach, New York, in water depths 

ranging from 60 to 120 feet. 

In subsequent discussions, the U.S. 

Coast Guard (USCG) recommended a 

minimum one nautical mile separation 

distance from designated navigation 

lanes. NYPA incorporated this guidance 

in their lease request by an amendment 

filed on June 20, 2012, requesting 

additional lease area to compensate for 

the area lost by the increased setback 

distance. NYPA’s unsolicited lease 

request and the amendment can be 

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

Renewable-Energy-Program/StateActivities/New-York.aspx. 

In response to the unsolicited 

proposal, as amended, BOEM issued an 

RFI on January 4, 2013, to determine 

whether any parties in addition to 

NYPA are interested in developing 

commercial wind facilities in the same 

area. BOEM received two indications of 

interest in response to that notice, 

which can be viewed at: http://

www.boem.gov/Renewable-EnergyProgram/State-Activities/NewYork.aspx. Two companies 

(Fishermen’s Energy, LLC and Energy 

Management, Inc.) responded to the RFI 

with indications that they were 

interested in developing the same area. 

BOEM reviewed the information 

submitted by those companies and 

determined that they demonstrated the 

technical and financial capability to 

hold an OCS lease for commercial wind 

energy development offshore New York. 

Therefore, BOEM has since determined 

that there is competitive interest in 

obtaining commercial wind leases in the 

Call Area, and is proceeding with the 

competitive renewable energy leasing 

process. 

In addition to indications of interest, 

BOEM received 33 public comment 

submissions from individuals, trade 

associations, environmental groups, 

local and state governments, and federal 

agencies in response to the RFI. The 

majority of comment submissions 

indicated strong support for the 

development of an offshore wind 

facility for a variety of reasons. The City 

of New York stated support for the 

development of an offshore wind 

facility in order to diversify the 

electricity supply, reduce electric 

constraints, and help to achieve a more 

reliable electric system. Numerous 

environmental groups and their 

members noted their support for an 

offshore wind facility as a means to 

reduce the need for additional fossil 

fuel-based power plants, reduce the 

impacts of climate change, and improve 

air quality. Additionally, multiple labor 

and environmental groups as well as 

state agencies endorsed the 

development of an offshore wind 

facility near New York as a means to 

increase economic growth in the region 

through sales and wages over the course 

of a wind facility’s construction and 

operation. 

Some comment submissions 

highlighted concerns for BOEM to 

consider throughout the leasing process. 

Multiple commenters, including the 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), the National 

Park Service (NPS), and the National 

Wildlife Federation, urged BOEM to 

investigate mitigation strategies to 

ensure that North Atlantic right whales 

are protected during the development of 

offshore wind resources in the area. 

Commenters highlighted that other 

endangered or threatened species may 

be found near the Call Area as well, 

including (in no particular order of 

conservation priority/concern): The fin 

whale, humpback whale, piping plover, 

roseate tern, Atlantic sturgeon, seabeach 

amaranth, loggerhead sea turtle, green 

sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, and 

Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. Commenters 

noted that several species protected 

under the Marine Mammal Protection 

Act may be found in the Call Area as 

well. 

Other commenters highlighted 

possible negative impacts to valuable 

sea scallop fishing activities in the Call 

Area and requested that the majority of 

the Call Area be excluded from further 

consideration. Although BOEM is 

retaining this fishing area in the Call 

Area at this time, BOEM will consider 

this comment and other relevant fishery 

information as we move forward with 

area identification. 

Other agencies highlighted the need 

for ongoing consultation throughout the 

leasing process. For example, the NPS 

highlighted its concern that a 

commercial wind facility in the Call 

Area would impact Fire Island National 

Seashore and Gateway National 

Recreation Area as well as a number of 

National Historic Landmarks along the 

New Jersey coastline. The NPS has 

requested that it be consulted on these 

matters and given the opportunity to 

comment on future environmental 

documents, site assessment plans, and 

construction and operations plans 

regarding protected areas as well as 

viewsheds, threatened and endangered 

species, sediment transport, and other 

resources. BOEM will continue to work 

with NPS as we move forward. 

Additionally, NOAA noted that the 

Call Area is designated as essential fish 

habitat for several federally managed 


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species that may be impacted by the 

development of an offshore wind 

facility. The use of the area as a fishery 

is supported by fishing data previously 

supplied to BOEM by NOAA. NOAA 

highlighted the need to investigate these 

possible impacts, including cumulative 

effects and whether fishing activity may 

continue within a developed wind 

facility. BOEM will consult with NOAA 

on these issues through statutory 

consultation requirements and informal 

collaboration. 

Last, the USCG Sector New York 

identified a portion of the Call Area that 

is currently used as a weapons training 

area (WTA) for maintaining law 

enforcement proficiency. USCG 

requested in its comment submission 

that this WTA be given consideration as 

an existing use, as BOEM proceeds with 

the competitive leasing process offshore 

New York. It is important to note that 

the WTA is not an officially designated 

weapons training range. USCG has 

clarified to BOEM that if BOEM 

ultimately issues a wind energy lease in 

the Call Area, USCG has an alternate 

WTA within the Sector New York area 

that could be utilized instead. 

For additional detail, all comment 

submissions are available at: http://

www.boem.gov/Renewable-EnergyProgram/State-Activities/NewYork.aspx. 

BOEM appreciates the submission of 

these comments and will give proper 

consideration to them throughout its 

planning and decision-making process. 

Competitive Leasing Process 

The following are the next steps in the 

competitive leasing process after this 

Call: 

(1) Area Identification: BOEM will 

identify areas for environmental 

analysis and consideration for leasing in 

consultation with appropriate Federal 

agencies, states, local governments, 

affected Indian Tribes, and other 

interested parties. BOEM will also 

consider comments and nominations 

made in response to this Call with 

respect to areas that should receive 

special consideration and analysis, 

including but not limited to areas with 

geological conditions, archeological 

sites, multiple uses, and other 

socioeconomic, biological, and 

environmental information. The 

environmental analysis and 

consideration will detail the potential 

effect of leasing on the human, marine, 

and coastal environments, and BOEM 

will develop measures to mitigate 

adverse impacts, including lease 

stipulations and conditions. BOEM will 

comply with the requirements of the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA), the Coastal Zone Management 

Act (CZMA), and any other applicable 

Federal statutes for the purpose of 

issuing a lease in the Call Area. 

(2) Proposed Sale Notice: After the 

completion of the necessary 

environmental reviews, BOEM will 

publish a Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) in 

the Federal Register and send the PSN 

to the Governor of any affected state, 

any affected tribes, and the executive of 

any local government that might be 

affected. The PSN will describe the 

areas that BOEM has decided to offer for 

leasing and the proposed terms and 

conditions of a lease sale, including the 

proposed auction format, lease form and 

lease provisions. Additionally, the PSN 

will describe the criteria and process for 

evaluating bids. The PSN would be 

issued after preparation of various 

analyses of proposed lease sale 

economic terms and conditions. The 

comment period following issuance of a 

PSN is 60 days. 

(3) Final Sale Notice: If BOEM decides 

to proceed with lease issuance after 

considering comment submissions on 

the PSN, it will publish the Final Sale 

Notice (FSN) in the Federal Register at 

least 30 days before the date of the sale. 

BOEM will publish the criteria for 

winning bid determinations in the FSN. 

(4) Bid Submission and Evaluation: 

Following publication of the FSN in the 

Federal Register, qualified bidders may 

submit their bids to BOEM in 

accordance with procedures specified in 

the FSN. The bids, including the bid 

deposits, if applicable, would be 

reviewed for technical and legal 

adequacy. BOEM will evaluate each bid 

to determine if the bidder has complied 

with all applicable regulations and the 

terms of the FSN. BOEM reserves the 

right to reject any or all bids as well as 

the right to withdraw an offer to lease 

an area from the sale. 

(5) Issuance of a Lease: Following the 

selection of a winning bid or bids by 

BOEM, the submitter(s) is/are notified of 

the decision and provided a set of 

official lease documents for execution. 

The successful bidder(s) will 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 will issue 

a lease to the successful bidder(s). 

Pursuant to 30 CFR 585.212, BOEM 

may decide to end the competitive 

leasing process prior to the publication 

of a FSN if it believes that competitors 

have withdrawn and competitive 

interest no longer exists. A termination 

of the competitive process would 

require BOEM to publish an additional 

notice in the Federal Register to 

confirm that competitive interest no 

longer exists in the area. BOEM would 

use the information received in 

response to this additional notice to 

determine whether it would continue 

with the competitive lease sale process 

or initiate the noncompetitive lease 

negotiation process. 

Environmental Review 

BOEM is publishing concurrently 

with this Call a Notice of Intent to 

prepare an Environmental Assessment 

(NOI–EA) to consider the environmental 

impacts and socioeconomic effects of 

issuing one or more renewable energy 

leases in the Call Area. The EA will 

investigate reasonably foreseeable site 

characterization activities, such as 

geophysical, geotechnical, 

archaeological, and biological surveys. 

The EA will also consider the 

reasonably foreseeable environmental 

impacts and socioeconomic effects 

associated with the approval of site 

assessment activities (including the 

installation and operation of 

meteorological towers and buoys) on 

any lease that may be issued. The New 

York NOI–EA can be found at: http://

www.boem.gov/Renewable-EnergyProgram/State-Activities/NewYork.aspx. 

In the event that a lease is issued, and 

the lessee subsequently submits a Site 

Assessment Plan (SAP), pursuant to 30 

CFR 585.605–618, BOEM would then 

determine whether the EA adequately 

considers the environmental 

consequences of the activities proposed 

in the lessee’s SAP. If BOEM determines 

that the analysis in the EA adequately 

considers these consequences, then no 

further NEPA analysis would be 

required before BOEM makes a decision 

on the SAP. If, on the other hand, BOEM 

determines that the analysis in the EA 

is inadequate for that purpose, BOEM 

would conduct additional NEPA 

analysis before it makes a decision on 

the SAP. In either event, BOEM would 

then make a decision to approve, 

approve with modifications, or 

disapprove the SAP. 

If a lessee is prepared to propose a 

wind energy generation facility on its 

lease, it would submit a Construction 

and Operations Plan (COP). BOEM then 

would prepare a separate site- and 

project-specific NEPA analysis of the 

proposed project. This analysis would 

likely take the form of an Environmental 

Impact Statement and would provide 

the public and Federal officials with 

comprehensive information regarding 

the reasonably foreseeable 


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environmental impacts of the proposed 

project. At this stage, BOEM would 

evaluate the potential environmental 

and socioeconomic consequences of the 

proposed project. This analysis would 

inform BOEM’s decision to approve, 

approve with modification, or 

disapprove a lessee’s COP pursuant to 

30 CFR 585.628. This NEPA process 

also would provide additional 

opportunities for public involvement 

pursuant to NEPA and the White House 

Council on Environmental Quality’s 

regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500–1508. 

Description of the Call Area 

The Call Area is the same as the area 

described in the RFI, which was 

published in the Federal Register on 

January 4, 2013. The Call Area offshore 

New York contains 5 whole OCS blocks 

and 148 sub-blocks. The area begins 

approximately 11 nmi south of Long 

Beach, New York. From its western 

edge, the area extends approximately 26 

nmi southeast at its longest portion. The 

entire area is approximately 127 square 

miles, 81,130 acres, or 32,832 hectares. 

Table 1 below describes the OCS lease 

blocks and sub-blocks included within 

the Call Area. 

TABLE 1—LIST OF OCS BLOCKS AND SUB-BLOCKS INCLUDED IN THE CALL AREA

Protraction 

name 

Protraction 

No. 

Block 

No. Sub block 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6655 F,G,H,K,L,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6656 I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6657 M,N,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6706 B,C,D,H. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6707 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,J,K,L,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6708 Entire block. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6709 E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6710 I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6711 M,N,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6712 M. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6758 A,B,C,D,G,H. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6759 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6760 Entire block. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6761 Entire block. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6762 Entire block. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6763 A,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6764 A,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,M,N. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6810 A,B,C,D,G,H,L. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6811 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,O,P. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6812 Entire block. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6813 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,M,N. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6814 A. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6862 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,K. 

New York .................................................... NK 18–12 ................................................... 6863 A. 

Map of the Call Area 

A map of the Call Area can be found 

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

A large-scale map of the Call Area 

showing 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 

20170–4817. Phone: (703) 787–1320, 

Fax: (703) 787–1708. 

List of OCS Blocks and Sub-Blocks in 

the Call Area Potentially Subject to 

Limitations 

The Call Area includes areas that 

BOEM wishes to highlight as areas of 

special interest or concern based on 

responses to the RFI. These areas are 

described below. 

Traffic Separation Schemes 

The Call Area is located between two 

Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS) for 

vessels transiting into and out of the 

Port of New York and New Jersey. The 

USCG has generally recommended that 

lease areas be located with a minimum 

setback of 1 nmi from any adjacent TSS. 

BOEM has adopted this 

recommendation and NYPA filed an 

amendment to their nomination adding 

area to compensate for the wider setback 

distance. The Call Area includes the 

additional area requested in NYPA’s 

amendment. For purposes of this Call, 

BOEM will not consider leasing those 

sub-blocks between an adjacent TSS and 

the 1 nmi setback. However, BOEM is 

including sub-blocks that are transected 

by the setback line. BOEM reserves the 

right to prohibit the installation of any 

structures on the portions of those subblocks located within the recommended 

setback. 

Department of Defense (DOD) Activities 

The Call Area includes OCS blocks 

where site-specific conditions and 

stipulations may need to be developed 

and applied to any leases issued and/or 

plans approved to help ensure that 

projects are compatible with DOD 

activities. Such stipulations may 

include, but are not limited to: 

1. A hold-and-save-harmless 

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; 

2. A requirement that, at times 

requested by DOD, the lessee control 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; 

3. 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; 

4. A requirement that at times 

requested by DOD, the lessee 

temporarily suspends operations and/or 


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30650 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 102 / Wednesday, May 28, 2014 / Notices 

evacuates the lease in the interest of 

safety and/or national security. 

Port Ambrose Liquefied Natural Gas 

Project 

Potentially interested parties should 

be aware that Liberty Natural Gas, LLC 

(Liberty) has submitted an application 

to the USCG and the Maritime 

Administration for the construction and 

operation of an offshore liquefied 

natural gas (LNG) facility, called the 

Port Ambrose LNG Project. The 

proposed facility would be located 

within the Call Area, (OCS blocks 6708, 

6709, and 6758), roughly 19 miles off 

Jones Beach, New York, and 

approximately 31 miles from the 

entrance to New York Harbor. The 

USCG is in the process of reviewing 

Liberty’s application and determining 

guidance for setbacks and other 

measures that will ultimately determine 

the footprint of the Port Ambrose LNG 

Project. 

BOEM provided scoping comments to 

the USCG on July 19, 2013, in relation 

to the USCG’s development of an 

Environmental Impact Statement for the 

proposed Port Ambrose LNG project. 

BOEM’s primary concern was to 

ascertain the compatibility of a 

commercial wind facility with the LNG 

project. Although Liberty noted their 

belief that the LNG facility would be 

compatible with a large wind energy 

facility in their application, BOEM 

highlighted concerns about navigational 

challenges resulting from large LNG 

vessels operating within close proximity 

to offshore wind turbines. BOEM 

recommended that the USCG require a 

more thorough analysis of the proposed 

LNG facility’s compatibility with large 

scale wind development as well as an 

investigation of strategies to minimize 

potential conflicts. 

Additional information on the Liberty 

Natural Gas Deepwater Port License 

Application is available at: https://

federalregister.gov/a/2013-15008. 

Protected Species 

As mentioned in the ‘‘Publication of 

RFI and Responses Received’’ section 

above, BOEM received multiple 

comment submissions in response to the 

RFI highlighting concerns that offshore 

wind development in the Call Area may 

affect threatened or endangered species 

that occur within the Call Area. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(FWS) recommends that project area 

data be collected to fill data gaps and 

provide information on protected 

species within the Call Area and that 

study plans should be coordinated with 

the FWS. This recommendation is 

consistent with the BOEM ‘‘Guidelines 

for Providing Avian Survey Information 

for Renewable Development on the 

Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf,’’ 

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

Regulatory-Development-Policy-andGuidelines. NOAA’s National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NMFS) recommended 

that BOEM refer to maps of certain 

environmental and ecological 

parameters generated by the NMFS 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, as 

well as data from the New York 

Department of State’s Offshore Atlantic 

Ocean Study and the Mid-Atlantic 

Regional Council on the Ocean’s data 

portal during the leasing area 

identification process to identify areas 

that serve critical ecosystem functions. 

Additional information on protected 

species will be gathered by BOEM 

during the NOI–EA comment period. 

Any interested parties are encouraged to 

provide comments in response to this 

notice and the associated NOI–EA. 

Call for Nominations: Required 

Information for Responses 

A nomination for a commercial wind 

energy lease in the area identified in 

this notice must include the following: 

(1) The BOEM Protraction name, 

number, and specific whole or partial 

OCS blocks within the Call Area 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 10.1 

in a geographic coordinate system (NAD 

83) in addition to a hard copy submittal. 

If the proposed project area 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 Area in this 

process; 

(2) A description of your objectives 

and the facilities that you would use to 

achieve those objectives, including your 

intended project size and turbine array 

configuration (i.e., conceptual turbine 

spacing, number of turbines, turbine 

nameplate capacity); 

(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 that you wish to 

lease, including energy and resource 

data and information used to evaluate 

the Call Area. Where applicable, spatial 

information should be submitted in a 

format compatible with ArcGIS 10.1 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/RenewableEnergy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/Index.aspx#Notices_to_

Lessees,_Operators_and_Applicants. 

Legal qualification documents will be 

placed in an official file that may be 

made available for public review; 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/ 

Renewable-Energy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/Index.aspx#Notices_to_

Lessees,_Operators_and_Applicants. 

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 CD or flash 

drive 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 notify you of 

this determination in writing. The 

notice 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 the 

notice 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 submittal is insufficient and 

has failed to complete your nomination, 

then BOEM retains the right to deem 

your nomination invalid. In that case, 

BOEM would not process your 

nomination. 

If you have already submitted this 

information in response to the RFI or as 

part of an unsolicited application, there 

is no need to re-submit these materials 

in response to this Call. If you wish to 

include additional information or 

modify any information already 

submitted in response to the RFI, 

including the area described in your 

submission, you may do so in response 

to this Call. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 102 / Wednesday, May 28, 2014 / Notices 30651 

Applicants who submit a nomination 

in response to this Call, or who already 

submitted a nomination in response to 

the RFI, are invited (but not required) to 

respond to this Call with a description 

of the compatibility of their proposed 

project with the proposed Port Ambrose 

LNG Project and with commercial 

fishing activity occurring, or expected to 

occur, within and/or near the Call Area. 

Please state whether you would 

consider such activities to be 

compatible with the commercial wind 

activities you ultimately plan to 

undertake on the lease. If you believe 

that specific project design measures 

would promote greater compatibility, 

please specify which measures (e.g., 

notices to mariners, spacing between 

individual turbines, array 

configurations, cable burial depths, 

routing measures, inspection protocols, 

cable configurations or consolidations). 

Call for Information: Requested 

Information From Interested or 

Affected Parties 

BOEM is requesting from the public 

and other interested or affected parties 

specific and detailed data, or other 

information regarding the following: 

(1) Geological and geophysical 

conditions (including bottom and 

shallow hazards) in the area described 

in this notice; 

(2) Known archaeological and/or 

cultural resource sites on the seabed in 

the area 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 area identified 

in this Call; 

(4) Other uses of the area, including 

navigation (in particular, commercial 

and recreational vessel use), recreation, 

and fisheries (commercial and 

recreational); 

(5) Other relevant socioeconomic, 

biological, and environmental 

information; 

(6) Any potential conflicts or 

compatibilities between the proposed 

commercial wind activities and existing 

fishing practices. If you believe that 

specific wind project design measures 

would promote greater compatibility 

between these two uses, please specify 

which measures (e.g., notices to 

mariners, spacing between individual 

turbines, array configurations, cable 

burial depths, routing measures, 

inspection protocols, cable 

configurations or consolidations); 

(7) Any potential conflicts or 

compatibilities between the proposed 

Port Ambrose LNG Project and proposed 

commercial wind activities. If you 

believe that specific wind project design 

measures would promote greater 

compatibility between these two uses, 

please specify which measures (e.g., 

notices to mariners, spacing between 

individual turbines, array 

configurations, cable burial depths, 

routing measures, inspection protocols, 

cable configurations or consolidations); 

and 

(8) Any other relevant information 

BOEM should consider during its 

planning and decision-making process 

for the purpose of issuing a lease in the 

Call Area. 

Protection of Privileged or Confidential 

Information 

Freedom of Information Act: BOEM 

will protect privileged or confidential 

information submitted 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. Finally, information that is 

not labeled as privileged or confidential 

would be regarded by BOEM as suitable 

for public release. 

Section 304 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 

470w–3(a)): BOEM is required, after 

consultation with the Secretary of the 

Interior, 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: May 19, 2014. 

Walter D. Cruickshank, 

Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management. 

[FR Doc. 2014–12065 Filed 5–27–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of Natural Resources Revenue 

[Docket No. ONRR–2011–0009; DS63610300 

DR2PS0000.CH7000 134D0102R2] 

Information Collection Request 

Renewal; Collection of Monies Due the 

Federal Government; Agency 

Information Collection Activities: 

Submitted for Office of Management 

and Budget Review; Comment Request 

AGENCY: Office of Natural Resources 

Revenue, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of an extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection (OMB Control Number 1012– 

0008). 

SUMMARY: To comply with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), the Office of Natural Resources 

Revenue (ONRR) is inviting comments 

on the renewal of a collection of 

information that we will submit to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and approval. This 

Information Collection Request (ICR) 

covers the paperwork requirements in 

the regulations under 30 CFR part 1218. 

DATES: Submit written comments on or 

before July 28, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this ICR to ONRR by using one of the 

following three methods (please 

reference ICR 1012–0008 in your 

comments): 

• Electronically go to http://

www.regulations.gov. In the entry titled 

‘‘Enter Keyword or ID,’’ enter ONRR– 

2011–0009, and then click search. 

Follow the instructions to submit public 

comments. We will post all comments. 

• Mail comments to Luis Aguilar, 

Regulatory Specialist, Office of Natural 

Resources Revenue, P.O. Box 25165, MS 

61013A, Denver, Colorado 80225. 

• Hand-carry comments or use an 

overnight courier service. Our courier 

address is Building 85, Room A–614, 

Denver Federal Center, West 6th Ave. 

and Kipling St., Denver, Colorado 

80225. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

questions on technical issues, contact 

Ms. Lee-Ann Martin, Reporting and 

Solid Mineral Services, ONRR, 

telephone (303) 231–3313, or email at 

LeeAnn.Martin@onrr.gov. For other 

questions, contact Mr. Luis Aguilar, 

telephone (303) 231–3418, or email at 

Luis.Aguilar@onrr.gov. You may also 

contact Mr. Aguilar to obtain copies 

(free of charge) of (1) the ICR, (2) any 

associated forms, and (3) the regulations 

that require the subject collection of 

information. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES