73122 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 174 / Monday, September 9, 2024 / Notices 

developed within the range of design 

parameters outlined in the Maryland 

Offshore Wind COP, subject to the 

applicable mitigation measures. 

A notice of availability for the final 

EIS was published in the Federal 

Register on August 2, 2024. On August 

22, 2024, BOEM published an errata on 

its website that included certain edits to 

chapter 2, chapter 3, and appendix G. 

None of these edits are substantive or 

affect the analysis or conclusions in the 

final EIS. 

The Project (full build-out) as 

proposed in the COP would include up 

to 121 wind turbine generators (WTGs), 

1 meteorological tower, up to 4 offshore 

substations, and up to 4 offshore export 

cables, distributed across the lease area 

(OCS–A 0490). The lease area is located 

10.1 statute miles (16.2 kilometers) off 

the coast of Maryland. The onshore 

components of the Project would 

include a cable landfall area in Sussex 

County, Delaware. From the landfall, 

onshore cables would continue along an 

inshore cable export route in Indian 

River Bay to connect to onshore 

substations adjacent to the point of 

interconnection in Millsboro, Delaware. 

After carefully considering public 

comments on the draft EIS and the 

alternatives described and analyzed in 

the final EIS, DOI selected Alternative 

B, ‘‘Proposed Action’’. Alternative B 

reduces the total number of WTGs from 

121 to 114. Development of the wind 

energy facility would occur within the 

range of design parameters outlined in 

the COP, subject to applicable 

mitigation measures. The anticipated 

mitigation, monitoring, and reporting 

requirements, which will be included in 

BOEM’s COP approval as terms and 

conditions, are included in the ROD, 

which is available at https://

www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/stateactivities/maryland-offshore-wind. 

NMFS has adopted BOEM’s final EIS 

to support its decision about whether to 

promulgate the requested ITR and issue 

the associated LOA to US Wind. NMFS’ 

final decision will be documented in a 

separate Decision Memorandum 

prepared in accordance with internal 

NMFS policy and procedures. The final 

ITR and a notice of issuance of the LOA, 

if issued, will be published in the 

Federal Register. The LOA would 

authorize US Wind to take small 

numbers of marine mammals incidental 

to Project construction and would set 

forth permissible methods of incidental 

taking; means of affecting the least 

practicable adverse impact on the 

species and their habitat; and 

requirements for monitoring and 

reporting. Pursuant to Section 7 of the 

Endangered Species Act (ESA), NMFS 

issued a final Biological Opinion to 

BOEM on June 18, 2024, evaluating the 

effects of the proposed action on ESAlisted species. The proposed action in 

the Biological Opinion includes the 

associated permits, approvals, and 

authorizations that may be issued. 

The US Army Corps of Engineers 

plans to adopt the final EIS to support 

its decision whether to issue a 

Department of the Army permit under 

sections 10 and 14 of the Rivers and 

Harbors Act of 1899, section 404 of the 

Clean Water Act, and section 103 of the 

Marine Protection, Research, and 

Sanctuaries Act at a later date under an 

independent ROD. 

Authority: National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); 40 CFR 1505.2. 

Karen Baker, 

Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20242 Filed 9–6–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4340–98–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

[Docket No. BOEM–2024–0030] 

Notice of Availability of a Final 

Environmental Assessment for 

Commercial Wind Lease Issuance, Site 

Characterization Activities, and Site 

Assessment Activities on the Atlantic 

Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of 

Maine Offshore the States of Maine 

and New Hampshire and the 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Interior 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management (BOEM) announces the 

availability of the final environmental 

assessment (EA) and its finding that 

possible wind energy-related leasing, 

site assessment, and site 

characterization activities on the U.S. 

Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 

(the Proposed Action) will not 

significantly impact the human 

environment. The draft EA analyzes the 

potential impacts of the Proposed 

Action and a No Action Alternative. The 

EA will inform BOEM’s decision about 

whether it will issue commercial wind 

energy leases in the Gulf of Maine 

offshore the States of Maine and New 

Hampshire and the Commonwealth of 

Massachusetts and its subsequent 

review of site assessment plans in the 

lease areas. 

ADDRESSES: The final EA and detailed 

information about proposed commercial 

leases can be found on BOEM’s website 

at: https://www.boem.gov/renewableenergy/state-activities/maine/gulfmaine. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brandi Sangunett, BOEM, Environment 

Branch for Renewable Energy, 45600 

Woodland Road, Mail Stop VAM–OREP, 

Sterling, VA 20166, (703) 787–1015 or 

brandi.sangunett@boem.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Action: The final EA 

analyzes the Proposed Action, which is 

to issue commercial wind energy leases 

in the Gulf of Maine wind energy area 

(WEA) and grant rights-of-way (ROWs) 

and rights-of-use and easement (RUEs). 

A BOEM-issued lease provides lessees 

the exclusive right to submit plans to 

BOEM for possible approval. The EA 

considers the reasonably foreseeable 

environmental consequences associated 

with site characterization activities 

(geophysical, geotechnical, 

archaeological, and biological surveys) 

and site assessment activities (including 

the installation and operation of 

meteorological buoys). BOEM prepared 

an EA for this proposed action to inform 

its planning and decision-making (40 

CFR 1501.5(b)). 

Alternative: In addition to the 

Proposed Action, BOEM considered a 

No Action Alternative. Under the No 

Action Alternative, BOEM would 

neither issue commercial wind energy 

leases nor grant ROWs and RUEs in the 

Gulf of Maine WEA. BOEM’s preferred 

alternative is the Proposed Action. 

Finding of no significant impact: After 

carefully considering the alternatives 

and comments from the public and 

cooperating and consulting agencies on 

the draft EA, BOEM finds that issuing 

commercial wind energy leases and 

granting ROWs and RUEs in the Gulf of 

Maine WEA would not significantly 

impact the environment. 

Availability of the final EA: The final 

EA and associated information are 

available on BOEM’s website at: https:// 

www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/stateactivities/maine/gulf-maine. 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq. 

(NEPA, as amended) and 40 CFR 1506.6. 

Karen Baker, 

Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20225 Filed 9–6–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4340–98–P 


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