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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 51 (Friday, March 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 16529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06051]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2013-00]

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) 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 Request for Competitive Interest 
(RFCI): Research Lease for Renewable Energy on the Outer Continental 
Shelf Offshore Virginia, that BOEM published on December 21, 2012, (77 
FR 75656-75658). The RFCI described the proposal submitted to BOEM by 
the DMME to acquire an OCS lease for wind energy research activities on 
the OCS off the coast of Virginia, and provided an opportunity for the 
public to submit comments about the proposal.

DATES: Effective March 15, 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 
OCS renewable energy leases, easements, and rights-of-way be issued 
``on a competitive basis unless the Secretary [of the Interior] 
determines after public notice of a proposed lease, easement, or right-
of-way (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 December 2012 RFCI, BOEM also solicited public comment on 
the proposed lease area and the proposed DMME research project and any 
potential impacts that the project may have. In response to the RFCI, 
BOEM received public comment submissions from four entities none of 
which expressed competitive interest in the proposed research lease 
area. However, BOEM will use the comments that it received to inform 
its subsequent decisions. After the publication of this DNCI, BOEM will 
proceed with the research lease issuance process outlined at 30 CFR 
585.238.

Map of the Area

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

    Dated: March 4, 2013.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2013-06051 Filed 3-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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