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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 220 (Thursday, November 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 90051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26424]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2023-0061]

Notice of Availability of the California Offshore Wind Draft 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the 
availability of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement 
(PEIS) for California Offshore Wind. The Proposed Action of the draft 
PEIS is the identification of programmatic mitigation measures to 
lessen the environmental impacts of commercial-scale offshore wind 
energy development in the five lease areas offshore Northern and 
Central California on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). These 
mitigation measures may be required as conditions of approval for 
activities proposed within future construction and operations plans 
(COPs) prepared by leaseholders for approval to begin construction 
within the lease areas. This PEIS, if finalized and approved, will not 
result in the approval of any construction and operation activities.

ADDRESSES: The draft PEIS and associated information are available on 
BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/california-offshore-wind-programmatic-environmental-impact.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Gilbane, Chief, Environmental 
Analysis Section, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Camarillo, 
California Office, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010, 
(805) 384-6387 or [email protected].
    Submission of Public Comments: The 90-day comment period begins on 
February 12, 2025. Public comments can be submitted in two ways: (1) 
Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2023-0061. Select 
the document in the search results on which you want to comment, click 
on the ``Comment'' button, and follow the online instructions for 
submitting your comment. A commenter's checklist is available on the 
comment web page. Enter your information and comment, then click 
``Submit.'' (2) By mail or delivery service: Send comments in an 
envelope labeled, ``CALIFORNIA OSW PEIS'' and addressed to Lisa 
Gilbane, Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment, 
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, 
Camarillo, California 93010.
    BOEM's virtual public meetings will be held on the following date 
at the time (Pacific time) indicated.
    Tuesday January 28, 2025, 5:00 p.m.
    Thursday, January 30, 2025, 12:00 p.m.
    Please go to https://www.boem.gov/caoffshorewindpeis for 
registration links, dates, times and for additional information and 
updates. Meetings are open to the public and free to attend.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This draft PEIS assesses potential 
biological, socioeconomic, physical, and cultural impacts that could 
result from floating offshore wind energy development associated with 
the two leases offshore Humboldt Bay (OCS-P 0561 and 0562) and three 
leases offshore Morro Bay (OCS-P 0563, 0564, and 0565) and considers 
the reduction or avoidance of those impacts that could result from 
adopting mitigation measures. BOEM issued these five leases May 16, 
2023. The leases total approximately 373,000 acres (~583 square miles) 
and are the first wind energy leases offshore California. Water depths 
in the lease areas range from 1,640 to 4,265 feet (500 to 1,300 
meters); the use of floating foundations that anchor to the sea floor 
is anticipated.
    The existing wind leases grant the lessees the exclusive right to 
submit a COP to BOEM proposing the construction, operation, and 
decommissioning of offshore wind energy facilities in the lease area. 
BOEM will conduct site-specific National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) analyses on all COPs submitted and may conclude that the 
inclusion of additional mitigation measures not identified in this 
draft PEIS is required.
    The Proposed Action is BOEM's adoption of a suite of program-level 
mitigation measures that could be applied to activities to reduce or 
avoid potential impacts.
    Alternatives: In addition to the Proposed Action, BOEM considered 
two alternatives: A No Action Alternative, and an alternative that does 
not include the addition of mitigation measures in order to assess the 
effectiveness of mitigation in avoiding or reducing impacts.
    Availability of the Draft PEIS: The draft PEIS and associated 
information are available on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/california-offshore-wind-programmatic-environmental-impact.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq. (National Environmental Policy 
Act, as amended), NEPA implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), and 
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) NEPA regulations (43 CFR part 
46).

Douglas P. Boren,
Pacific Regional Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-26424 Filed 11-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P
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