[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18438-18439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07860]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management


Alaska, Outer Continental Shelf, Chukchi Sea Planning Area, Oil 
and Gas Lease Sale 193; MMAA 104000

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for Chukchi 
Sea Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193.

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SUMMARY: BOEM announces the availability of the Record of Decision 
(ROD) for remanded Chukchi Sea Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and 
Gas Lease Sale 193 (Lease Sale 193), originally held on February 6, 
2008. BOEM prepared the Chukchi Sea Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193 Final 
Second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to address a 
deficiency identified by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth 
Circuit (Court of Appeals) in its opinion of January 22, 2014. The 
Final Second SEIS considers the potential impacts of oil and gas 
activities that could result from leases issued in Lease Sale 193, 
including the full range of likely production if oil production were to 
occur (80 FR 9266, Feb. 20, 2015).
    In making her decision, the Assistant Secretary for Land and 
Minerals Management (ASLM) considered four alternatives for Lease Sale 
193, the

[[Page 18439]]

potential impacts for each alternative as presented in the Final Second 
SEIS, and all comments received throughout the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) process. After careful consideration, the ASLM 
selected BOEM's preferred alternative, to affirm Lease Sale 193 and 
leases previously issued. This selection meets the purpose and need for 
the proposed action, promotes orderly resource development with 
protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments, and ensures 
that the public receives an equitable return for these resources and 
that free-market competition is maintained.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the ROD, you 
may contact Mr. Michael Routhier, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 
Alaska OCS Region, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Ste. 500, Anchorage, Alaska 
99503. You may also contact Mr. Routhier by telephone at 907-334-5265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Lease Sale 193 Final Second SEIS, 
BOEM evaluated four alternatives summarized below:
    Alternative I--The Proposed Action: This alternative entails 
offering the entire Chukchi Sea Program Area for leasing. The area 
available for leasing under this alternative consists of approximately 
34 million acres within the Chukchi Sea. Specifically excluded from 
this alternative was the 25 mile (40 kilometer (km)) buffer implemented 
by then-Secretary Kempthorne in the Final OCS Oil and Gas Leasing 
Program for 2007-2012.
    Alternative I was not selected for the original sale in 2008. Since 
Lease Sale 193 has already occurred, all of the leases originally 
issued are contained in an area smaller than, but covered by, 
Alternative I. Accordingly, selecting Alternative I would result in 
affirming Lease Sale 193 and all of the leases issued as a result of 
the sale.
    Alternative II--No Lease Sale: This alternative, which is the ``No 
Action Alternative,'' entails offering no areas in the Chukchi Sea for 
leasing. The opportunity to develop oil and gas resources that could 
have resulted from the lease sale would be precluded or postponed. This 
``no action'' alternative would avoid any potential environmental 
impacts associated with the other alternatives. Since Lease Sale 193 
has already occurred, selecting Alternative II would result in not 
affirming the lease sale and voiding or vacating the remaining 460 
leases issued in 2008 as a result of Lease Sale 193.
    Alternative III--Corridor I Deferral: This alternative entails 
offering the entire Chukchi Sea Program Area for leasing, minus a 
corridor (referred to as Corridor I) extending 60 miles (97 km) 
offshore along the coastward edge of the Program Area to protect 
important bowhead whale habitat. The area available for leasing under 
this alternative consists of approximately 24 million acres in the 
Chukchi Sea.
    Five leases issued as a result of Lease Sale 193 are contained 
within Corridor I. Accordingly, selecting Alternative III would result 
in affirming the lease sale and all leases, except the Corridor I area, 
and those five leases, which would be vacated.
    Alternative IV--Corridor II Deferral: Alternative IV was the 
alternative originally selected for Lease Sale 193 and BOEM's preferred 
alternative in the Final Second SEIS. This alternative entails offering 
the entire Chukchi Sea Program Area available for leasing, minus a 
corridor (referred to as Corridor II) along the coastward edge of the 
Program Area. The area covered by Corridor II is a subset of the area 
covered by Corridor I. The area for leasing under this Alternative 
consists of 29.4 million acres. Selecting Alternative IV would result 
in affirming Lease Sale 193 and all existing leases. Alternative IV was 
BOEM's preferred alternative because it represented a reasonable 
balance between environmental, economic, and technical considerations 
mandated by the OCS Lands Act.
    After careful consideration, the ASLM has decided to select 
Alternative IV and affirm Lease Sale 193 and the leases issued as a 
result of the sale. As described in the ROD, the ASLM fully considered 
the potential impacts of this action as described in the Final Second 
SEIS, considered potential mitigation of potential impacts through 
deferral of sensitive OCS areas and implementation of lease 
stipulations, and articulated factors considered in selecting the 
agency's preferred alternative. In making her decision, the ASLM 
confirmed the previously adopted lease stipulations as being the most 
practicable means of reducing or avoiding impacts to the environment, 
while also noting that the OCS Lands Act provides BOEM and BSEE broad 
discretion to require additional mitigations on postlease activities.
    In affirming Lease Sale 193 and preserving the opportunity to 
explore and possibly develop all the leases issued in Chukchi Sea Lease 
Sale 193, the ASLM's decision balances the national policies mandated 
by Congress to expeditiously and safely develop the natural resources 
of the OCS, subject to environmental safeguards, in a manner that is 
consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national 
needs. The ASLM's selection of Alternative IV, and adoption of all 
practicable mitigation measures at the lease sale stage, balances the 
goal of orderly resource development with protection of the human, 
marine, and coastal environments, while also ensuring that the public 
receives an equitable return for these resources and that free-market 
competition is maintained.
    Record of Decision Availability: To obtain a single printed or CD 
copy of the ROD for Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193, you may contact BOEM, 
Alaska OCS Region, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 
500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 or by telephone at 1-907-334-5200. An 
electronic copy of the ROD is available on BOEM's Internet Web site at 
http://www.boem.gov/About-BOEM/BOEM-Regions/Alaska-Region/Leasing-and-Plans/Leasing/Lease-Sales/Sale-193/Index.aspx.

    Authority:  This NOA is published pursuant to the regulations 
(40 CFR part 1506) implementing the provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.).

     Dated: March 31, 2015.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-07860 Filed 4-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P