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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 3 (Friday, January 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 760-764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31654]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2012-0083]

Potential Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer 
Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore New York, Request for Interest

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Public notice of an unsolicited request for a commercial OCS 
wind lease, request for interest, and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this public notice is to: (1) Describe the 
proposal submitted to BOEM by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to 
acquire an OCS wind lease; (2) solicit public input regarding the 
proposal, its potential environmental consequences, and the use of the 
area in which the proposed project would be located; and (3) solicit 
submissions of indications of competitive interest for a commercial 
lease for wind energy development on the OCS offshore New York for the 
area identified in this notice.
    On September 8, 2011, BOEM received an unsolicited request from 
NYPA for a commercial wind lease on the OCS offshore New York. NYPA 
submitted its request on behalf of the ``Long Island-New 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 the Long Island and New York City region 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 nautical miles 
(nmi) south of Long Beach, New York, in water depths ranging from 60 to 
120 feet. NYPA's unsolicited lease request, and an amendment filed on 
June 20, 2012, can be viewed at: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/New-York.aspx.
    This request for interest is published pursuant to subsection 
8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act, as amended by section 388 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3)), and the implementing 
regulations at 30 CFR 585.231(b). Subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands 
Act requires that OCS renewable energy leases, easements, and rights-
of-way be issued ``on a competitive basis unless the Secretary 
determines after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or right-
of-way that there is no competitive interest.'' This request for 
interest provides such public notice for the proposed lease area 
requested by NYPA and invites the submission of indications of 
competitive interest. BOEM will consider the responses to this public 
notice to determine whether competitive interest exists for the area 
requested by NYPA, as required by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). Parties wishing 
to obtain a lease for the area requested by NYPA should submit detailed 
and specific information as described in the section entitled, 
``Required Indication of Interest Information.''
    This announcement also requests that interested and affected 
parties comment

[[Page 761]]

and provide information about site conditions and multiple uses within 
the area identified in this notice that would be relevant to the 
proposed project or its impacts. A detailed description of the proposed 
lease area can be found in the section of this notice entitled, 
``Description of the Area.''

DATES: If you are submitting an indication of interest in acquiring a 
lease for the area proposed by NYPA, your submission must be sent by 
mail, postmarked no later than March 5, 2013 for your submission to be 
considered. If you are providing comments or other submissions of 
information, you may send them by mail, postmarked by this same date, 
or you may submit them through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, also by this same date.
    Submission Procedures: If you are submitting an indication of 
competitive interest for a lease, please submit it by mail to the 
following address: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of 
Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 
20170. Submissions must be postmarked by March 5, 2013 to be considered 
by BOEM for the purposes of determining competitive interest. In 
addition to a paper copy of your submission, include an electronic 
copy; BOEM considers an Adobe PDF file stored on a compact disk (CD) to 
be an acceptable format for submitting an electronic copy. BOEM will 
list the parties that submit indications of competitive interest on the 
BOEM Web site after the 60-day comment period has closed.
    If you are submitting comments or other information concerning the 
proposed lease area, you may use either of the following two methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
entry titled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2012-0083, and then 
click ``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and 
view supporting and related materials available for this notice.
    2. Alternatively, comments may be submitted by mail to the 
following address: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of 
Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 
20170.
    If you wish to protect the confidentiality of your submissions 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 notice 
entitled ``Privileged or Confidential Information.'' BOEM will post all 
comments on regulations.gov unless labeled as confidential. 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, Renewable Energy 
Program Specialist, BOEM, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 381 
Elden Street, HM 1328, Herndon, Virginia 20170, (703) 787-1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of the Request for Interest

    Responses to this public notice will allow BOEM to determine, 
pursuant to 30 CFR 585.231, whether or not there is competitive 
interest in acquiring an OCS commercial wind lease in the area 
requested by NYPA. In addition, this notice provides an opportunity for 
interested stakeholders to comment on the proposed lease area and the 
proposed project and any potential impacts the project may have.
    If, in response to this notice, BOEM receives one or more 
indications of competitive interest for offshore wind energy 
development from qualified entities that wish to compete for the 
proposed lease area, BOEM may decide to move forward with the lease 
issuance process using competitive procedures pursuant to 30 CFR part 
585. If BOEM receives no competing indications of interest, BOEM may 
decide to move forward with the lease issuance process using the non-
competitive procedures contained in 30 CFR part 585.
    If BOEM decides to proceed with issuing a lease in the proposed 
lease area, whether competitively or non-competitively, it may provide 
the public with additional opportunities to provide input pursuant to 
30 CFR part 585 and applicable laws, such as the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA). BOEM's competitive and noncompetitive leasing 
processes are described in 30 CFR part 585, subpart B.

Determination of Competitive Interest and Leasing Process

    After the publication of this announcement, BOEM will evaluate 
indications of competitive interest for the area requested by NYPA for 
acquiring a commercial lease on the OCS. At the conclusion of the 
comment period for this public notice, BOEM will review the submissions 
received and undertake a completeness review for each of those 
submissions and a qualifications review for each of the nominating 
entities. BOEM will then make a determination as to whether competitive 
interest exists.
    If BOEM determines that there is no competitive interest in the 
proposed lease area, it will publish in the Federal Register a notice 
that there is no competitive interest. At that point, BOEM may decide 
to proceed with the noncompetitive lease issuance process pursuant to 
30 CFR 585.231, and NYPA would be required to submit any required 
plan(s). Whether following competitive or non-competitive procedures, 
BOEM will consult with the intergovernmental Task Force and will comply 
with all applicable requirements before making a decision on whether or 
not to issue a lease and approve, disapprove, or approve with 
modifications any associated plan(s). BOEM would coordinate and 
consult, as appropriate, with relevant Federal agencies, affected 
tribes, and affected state and local governments, in issuing a lease 
and developing lease terms and conditions.

Description of the Proposed Lease Area

    The proposed lease area is located off the coast of Long Island, 
New York, beginning 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 project area consists of 5 full OCS blocks 
and 19 partial OCS blocks. The entire area is approximately 127 square 
miles; 81,130 acres; or 32,832 hectares. Table 1 describes the OCS 
lease sub-blocks included within the area of interest.
    The proposed lease area is located between two Traffic Separation 
Schemes (TSS) for vessels transiting into and out of the Port of New 
York and New Jersey. Because of its close proximity to shipping lanes, 
the U.S. Coast Guard recommended that a buffer zone--a minimum 1 nmi 
setback line from the adjacent TSS--be applied to the area. BOEM has 
adopted this recommendation and, for purposes of this request for 
interest, will not consider for leasing those aliquots between an 
adjacent TSS and the 1 nmi setback. However, BOEM is including aliquots 
that are transected by the setback line. No structures will be 
installed above the seabed on portions of those aliquots located within 
the setback.

[[Page 762]]

                        Table 1--List of OCS Blocks Included in the Request for Interest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           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  A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
                                                                                    ,P.
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  A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
                                                                                    ,P.
New York..............................  NK 18-12.................            6761  A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
                                                                                    ,P.
New York..............................  NK 18-12.................            6762  A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
                                                                                    ,P.
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  A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O
                                                                                    ,P.
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The boundary of the proposed lease area follows the points listed 
in Table 2 in clockwise order. Point numbers 1 and 73 are the same. 
Coordinates are provided in X, Y (eastings, northings) UTM Zone 18N, 
NAD 83 and geographic (longitude, latitude), NAD83.

                      Table 2--List of Boundary Points Included in the Request for Interest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Point No.                    X (Easting)      Y (Northing)        Longitude         Latitude
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.......................................        -73.628463         40.394074            616400           4472400
2.......................................        -73.586057         40.393563            620000           4472400
3.......................................        -73.586283         40.382755            620000           4471200
4.......................................        -73.529751         40.382050            624800           4471200
5.......................................        -73.529986         40.371243            624800           4470000
6.......................................        -73.473466         40.370510            629600           4470000
7.......................................        -73.473710         40.359703            629600           4468800
8.......................................        -73.417200         40.358943            634400           4468800
9.......................................        -73.417453         40.348137            634400           4467600
10......................................        -73.360955         40.347350            639200           4467600
11......................................        -73.361217         40.336543            639200           4466400
12......................................        -73.304730         40.335729            644000           4466400
13......................................        -73.305001         40.324922            644000           4465200
14......................................        -73.234407         40.323866            650000           4465200
15......................................        -73.234688         40.313060            650000           4464000
16......................................        -73.178225         40.312184            654800           4464000
17......................................        -73.178515         40.301379            654800           4462800
18......................................        -73.164402         40.301155            656000           4462800
19......................................        -73.164109         40.311961            656000           4464000
20......................................        -73.121764         40.311281            659600           4464000
21......................................        -73.122063         40.300476            659600           4462800
22......................................        -73.079726         40.299780            663200           4462800
23......................................        -73.080032         40.288975            663200           4461600
24......................................        -73.094142         40.289209            662000           4461600
25......................................        -73.094446         40.278403            662000           4460400
26......................................        -73.108554         40.278635            660800           4460400
27......................................        -73.108855         40.267830            660800           4459200
28......................................        -73.122961         40.268059            659600           4459200
29......................................        -73.123259         40.257254            659600           4458000
30......................................        -73.137363         40.257482            658400           4458000
31......................................        -73.137659         40.246676            658400           4456800
32......................................        -73.165863         40.247127            656000           4456800
33......................................        -73.166446         40.225515            656000           4454400
34......................................        -73.180544         40.225738            654800           4454400
35......................................        -73.180833         40.214932            654800           4453200
36......................................        -73.194928         40.215153            653600           4453200
37......................................        -73.195215         40.204347            653600           4452000

[[Page 763]]

 
38......................................        -73.209308         40.204566            652400           4452000
39......................................        -73.209593         40.193760            652400           4450800
40......................................        -73.223684         40.193977            651200           4450800
41......................................        -73.223402         40.204783            651200           4452000
42......................................        -73.251589         40.205212            648800           4452000
43......................................        -73.251033         40.226825            648800           4454400
44......................................        -73.279230         40.227248            646400           4454400
45......................................        -73.278957         40.238054            646400           4455600
46......................................        -73.321260         40.238676            642800           4455600
47......................................        -73.320993         40.249482            642800           4456800
48......................................        -73.335097         40.249686            641600           4456800
49......................................        -73.334832         40.260493            641600           4458000
50......................................        -73.363044         40.260895            639200           4458000
51......................................        -73.362783         40.271702            639200           4459200
52......................................        -73.391001         40.272098            636800           4459200
53......................................        -73.390744         40.282905            636800           4460400
54......................................        -73.418967         40.283294            634400           4460400
55......................................        -73.418715         40.294101            634400           4461600
56......................................        -73.446942         40.294484            632000           4461600
57......................................        -73.446695         40.305291            632000           4462800
58......................................        -73.474927         40.305667            629600           4462800
59......................................        -73.474684         40.316474            629600           4464000
60......................................        -73.488802         40.316659            628400           4464000
61......................................        -73.488561         40.327467            628400           4465200
62......................................        -73.516803         40.327832            626000           4465200
63......................................        -73.516567         40.338640            626000           4466400
64......................................        -73.544814         40.338999            623600           4466400
65......................................        -73.544582         40.349806            623600           4467600
66......................................        -73.572834         40.350159            621200           4467600
67......................................        -73.572606         40.360966            621200           4468800
68......................................        -73.600863         40.361312            618800           4468800
69......................................        -73.600639         40.372119            618800           4470000
70......................................        -73.614770         40.372290            617600           4470000
71......................................        -73.614549         40.383098            617600           4471200
72......................................        -73.628682         40.383266            616400           4471200
73......................................        -73.628463         40.394074            616400           4472400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Map of the Area

    A map of the area proposed by NYPA and the area included in this 
request for interest can be found at the following URL: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/New-York.aspx. A 
large scale map of the proposed lease area showing boundaries of the 
area with the 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.

Department of Defense Activities and Stipulations

    The Department of Defense (DOD) conducts offshore testing, 
training, and operations on the OCS and may request site specific 
stipulations in the proposed lease area. BOEM will consult with the DOD 
regarding potential issues concerning offshore testing, training, and 
operational activities, and will develop appropriate stipulations to 
mitigate the effects of wind turbines on these activities in the 
proposed lease area.

Required Indication of Interest Information

    If you intend to submit an indication of competitive interest for a 
lease for the area identified in this notice, you must provide the 
following:
    (1) A statement that you wish to acquire a commercial wind lease 
within the proposed lease area. For BOEM to consider your indication of 
interest, it must include a proposal for a commercially viable wind 
power project of at least 350 MW nameplate capacity within the proposed 
lease area. Any request for a commercial wind lease located outside of 
the proposed lease area should be submitted separately pursuant to 30 
CFR 585.230;
    (2) A general description of your objectives and the facilities 
that you would use to achieve those objectives;
    (3) A general 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 area of interest. Where applicable, 
spatial information should be submitted in a format compatible with 
ArcGIS 9.3 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 
Guidelines for the Renewable Energy Framework Guide Book available at: 
http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/Index.aspx. 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

[[Page 764]]

    (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 documentation that could be used to demonstrate your 
technical and financial qualifications can be found at: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Regulatory-Information/Index.aspx. If you wish that any part of your technical and financial 
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).
    Your complete submission, including the items identified in (1) 
through (6) above, must be provided to BOEM in both paper and 
electronic formats. BOEM considers an Adobe PDF file stored on a CD to 
be an acceptable format for submitting an electronic copy.
    It is critical that you provide a complete submission of 
competitive interest so that BOEM may consider your submission in a 
timely manner. If BOEM reviews your submission and determines that it 
is incomplete, BOEM will inform you of this determination in writing 
and describe the information that BOEM needs from you in order for BOEM 
to deem your submission complete. You will be given 15 business days 
from the date of the letter to provide the information that BOEM found 
to be missing from your original submission. If you do not meet this 
deadline, or if BOEM determines your second submission is also 
insufficient, BOEM may deem your submission invalid. In such a case, 
BOEM would not consider your submission.

Requested Information From Interested or Affected Parties

    BOEM is also requesting from the public and other interested or 
affected parties specific and detailed comments regarding the 
following:
    (1) Geological and geophysical conditions (including bottom and 
shallow hazards) in the area described in this notice;
    (2) 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 notice;
    (3) Multiple uses of the area described in this notice, including 
but not limited to navigation (commercial and recreational vessel 
usage); commercial and recreational fishing; recreational resources 
(e.g., dive sites, wildlife viewing areas, and scenic areas); aviation; 
other energy related development activities; scientific research; and 
utilities and communications infrastructure.
    (4) Other relevant environmental information, including but not 
limited to fisheries; protected species and habitats; marine mammals; 
sea turtles; birds; bats; zooplankton; and archaeological resources.
    (5) Socioeconomic information, such as demographics and employment, 
or information relevant to environmental justice considerations.

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 geographic location of nominated facilities. 
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 of the 
Interior, to withhold the location, character, or ownership of historic 
resources if it determines that disclosure may, among other things, 
cause a significant invasion of privacy, risk harm to the historic 
resources, or impede the use of a traditional religious site by 
practitioners. Tribal entities and other interested parties should 
designate such information that they wish to be held as confidential.

     Dated: December 28, 2012.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-31654 Filed 1-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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