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[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54406-54408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18281]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska Region, Chukchi Sea Oil and Gas 
Lease Sale 193 for Year 2007

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: A Call for Information and Nominations was published in the

[[Page 54407]]

Federal Register on February 9, 2005. The Call area was identical to 
the program area chosen by the Secretary for leasing consideration in 
the 5-Year Program for 2002-2007--approximately 34 million acres 
located offshore the coast of Alaska at a distance from shore ranging 
from 8 nautical miles to 200 nautical miles. Water depths range from 32 
feet to 230 feet; a small portion of the northeast corner of the 
Chukchi Sea area drops to approximately 3,000 feet. Scoping meetings 
will then be held as needed in appropriate locations.
    The response to the February 2005 Call for Information for the 
Chukchi Sea Planning Area indicated a broader industry interest than 
envisioned in the ``special'' sale process outlined in the Federal 
Register notice. Instead of nominating a small ``focused'' area, 
industry commenters proposed consideration of a substantial portion of 
the planning area. MMS has concluded that consideration of such a large 
area has merit in light of the significant resource potential and the 
Administration's goal to expedite exploration of domestic energy 
resources. However, consideration of such a proposal warrants a more 
extensive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review than 
contemplated under the ``special'' sale process that MMS initially 
considered. Therefore, MMS will initiate a process to prepare a 
comprehensive ``areawide'' Chukchi Sea EIS. As a result, however, it 
may not be possible to complete such an EIS in time to allow a sale 
during the current program. Nonetheless, MMS will initiate the process 
at this time to preserve the Secretary's options. Commencement of the 
consultative process in the near future will allow the Secretary to 
consider a Chukchi lease sale either at the end of the 2002-2007 
Program or early in the schedule for the next 5-Year Program for 2007-
2012, but only if such a proposed sale is adopted in the next 5-year 
program. The decision whether to include such a sale will be made 
during the process of developing the 5-Year Program for 2007-2012.
    Our first action to initiate the NEPA review is to issue this NOI. 
Scoping meetings will then be held as needed in appropriate locations.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than October 31, 2005 in 
envelopes labeled ``Comments on the Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS 
for Proposed Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193 included in the 5-Year Program 
2002-2007.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please call David Johnston at (907) 
334-5273 in MMS's Alaska OCS Region regarding questions on the NOI.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

1. Authority

    The NOI is published pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) 
implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (1988)) (NEPA).

2. Purpose of Notice of Intent

    Pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) implementing the 
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), MMS is announcing its intent to prepare an 
EIS for the Chukchi Sea Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, which is identified 
in the 5-Year Program (July 2002 through June 2007). The EIS analysis 
will focus on the potential environmental effects of the sale, 
exploration, development and production in the areas selected to be 
considered for leasing. This NOI also serves to announce the initiation 
of the scoping process for this EIS. Throughout the scoping process, 
Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments and other interested 
parties aid MMS in determining the significant issues, potential 
alternatives, mitigating measures and alternatives to be analyzed in 
the EIS and the possible need for additional information. Alternatives 
to the proposals that may be considered are to delay the sale; modify 
the size, area, or terms of the sale; or cancel the sale. These and any 
additional alternatives developed through the scoping and analytical 
process will be considered in the sale-specific decision process. 
Scoping is intended to solicit input on the scope of the EIS--
specifically the issues, alternatives, and mitigation measures. Scoping 
meetings will be held, as needed, in appropriate locations that MMS 
will announce at a later date.

3. Instructions on Notice of Intent

    Federal, state, tribal, and local governments and other interested 
parties are requested to send their written comments on the scope of 
the EIS, significant issues that should be addressed, and potential 
alternatives and mitigating measures that should be considered to the 
Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment, Alaska OCS Region. 
Comments should be enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Comments on the 
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS on Proposed Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 
193 included in the 5-Year Program, 2002-2007.'' Comments are due no 
later than October 31, 2005.
    If you wish to comment on this decision or provide scoping comments 
on the EIS, you may submit your comments by any one the following 
methods:
     You may mail comments to: Alaska OCS Region, Minerals 
Management Service, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, 
Alaska, 99503-5823, http://www.mms.gov/alaska.
     You may also comment via e-mail to 
[email protected]. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII 
file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Please also include ``Attn: Sale 193 EIS'', in the subject line, and 
your name and return address in your Internet message. If you do not 
receive a confirmation from the system that we have received your 
Internet message, contact us directly at (907) 334-5207.
     Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to the address 
above.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and addresses of 
respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. 
Individual respondents may request that we withhold their address from 
the rulemaking record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by 
law. There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a 
respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold 
your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comment. However, we will not consider anonymous 
comments. We will make all submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available 
for public inspection in their entirety.

4. Cooperating Agency

    The Department of the Interior invites other Federal, state, 
tribal, and local governments to consider becoming cooperating agencies 
in the preparation of the EIS. We invite qualified government entities 
to inquire about cooperating agency status for this lease sale EIS. Per 
guidelines from the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ), qualified 
agencies and governments are those with ``jurisdiction by law or 
special expertise.'' Potential cooperating agencies should consider 
their authority and capacity to assume the responsibilities of a 
cooperating agency and to remember that your role in the environmental 
analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes the final decision

[[Page 54408]]

making authority of any other agency involved in the NEPA process. Upon 
request, MMS will provide potential cooperating agencies with a written 
summary of ground rules for cooperating agencies, including time 
schedules and critical action dates, milestones, responsibilities, 
scope and detail of cooperating agencies' contributions, and 
availability of pre-decisional information. MMS anticipates this 
summary will form the basis for a Memorandum of Understanding between 
the MMS and each cooperating agency. You should also consider the 
``Factors for Determining Cooperating Agency Status'' in Attachment 1 
to CEQ's January 30, 2002, Memorandum for the Heads of Federal Agencies 
on Cooperating Agencies in Implementing the Procedural Requirements of 
The National Environmental Policy Act. A copy of this document is 
available at: (http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/cooperating/cooperatingagenciesmemorandum.html) and (http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/cooperating/cooperatingagencymemofactors.html).
    The MMS, as the lead agency, will not be providing financial 
assistance to cooperating agencies. Even if your organization is not a 
cooperating agency, you will continue to have opportunities to provide 
information and comments to MMS during the normal public input phases 
of the NEPA/EIS process. MMS will also consult with Tribal governments 
on a Government-to-Government basis. If you would like further 
information about cooperating agencies, please contact Mr. Paul Stang, 
Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment, at the address noted 
above or by phone at (907) 334-5230.

5. Existing Information

    The MMS has acquired a substantial amount of information, including 
that gained through the use of traditional knowledge, on the issues and 
concerns related to oil and gas leasing in the Chukchi Sea. Much of 
this information has been developed as a result of past lease sales and 
Environmental Impact Statements in the Chukchi Sea. In addition, an 
extensive environmental, social, and economic studies program has been 
underway in this area since 1975 in Alaska. The emphasis has been on 
geologic mapping, environmental characterization of biologically-
sensitive habitats, endangered whales and marine mammals, physical 
oceanography, ocean-circulation modeling, and ecological and socio-
cultural effects of oil and gas activities.
    Information on the studies program, completed studies, and a 
program status report for continuing studies in this area may be 
obtained from the Chief, Environmental Studies Section, Alaska OCS 
Region, by telephone request at (907) 334-5280, or by written request 
at the address stated under NOI comments above. A request may also be 
made via the Alaska Region Web site at http://www.mms.gov/alaska/ref/pubindex/pubsindex.htm.

    Dated: August 30, 2005.
Francis Hodsoll,
Acting Director, Minerals Management Service.
[FR Doc. 05-18281 Filed 9-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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