Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 149 / Friday, August 1, 2008 / Notices 45065 

Capital and startup costs include, 

among other items, computers and 

software you purchase to prepare for 

collecting information; monitoring, 

sampling, and testing equipment; and 

record storage facilities. Generally, your 

estimates should not include equipment 

or services purchased: (i) Before October 

1, 1995; (ii) to comply with 

requirements not associated with the 

information collection; (iii) for reasons 

other than to provide information or 

keep records for the Government; or (iv) 

as part of customary and usual business 

or private practices. 

We will summarize written responses 

to this notice and address them in our 

ICR submission for OMB approval, 

including appropriate adjustments to 

the estimated burden. We will provide 

a copy of the ICR to you without charge 

upon request. The ICR also will be 

posted at http://www.mrm.mms.gov/ 

Laws_R_D/FRNotices/FRInfColl.htm. 

Public Comment Policy: We will post 

all comments in response to this notice 

at http://www.mrm.mms.gov/Laws_R_D/ 

FRNotices/FRInfColl.htm. We also will 

make copies of the comments available 

for public view, including names and 

addresses of respondents, during regular 

business hours at our offices in 

Lakewood, Colorado. Before including 

your address, phone number, e-mail 

address, or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, be 

advised that your entire comment—

including your personal identifying 

information—may be made publicly 

available at any time. While you can ask 

us in your comment to withhold from 

public view your personal identifying 

information, we cannot guarantee that 

we will be able to do so. 

MMS Information Collection 

Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202) 

208–7744. 

Dated: July 21, 2008. 

Richard J. Adamski, 

Acting Associate Director for Minerals 

Revenue Management. 

[FR Doc. E8–17730 Filed 7–31–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Minerals Management Service 

Request for Comments on the 

Preparation of a 5-Year Outer 

Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas 

Leasing Program 

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service 

(MMS), Interior. 

ACTION: Request for Comments. 

SUMMARY: Section 18 of the OCS Lands 

Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) requires the 

Department of the Interior to solicit 

information from interested and affected 

parties during the preparation of a 5- 

year OCS oil and gas leasing program. 

The current 5-year program covers the 

period July 2007 to June 30, 2012. The 

Department’s MMS is soliciting 

information on whether to begin a new 

Program for mid-2010 to mid-2015 

(approximate dates) to succeed the 

current one. 

Section 18 requires completion of a 

multi-step process of public 

consultation and analysis before the 

Secretary of the Interior may approve a 

new 5-Year Program. The section 18 

process includes the following required 

steps: This initial solicitation of 

comments; development of a draft 

proposed program, a proposed program, 

a proposed final program; and 

Secretarial approval. If the decision is 

made to prepare a new 5-Year Program, 

the MMS will also prepare appropriate 

NEPA analysis documents. The public 

will have opportunities to comment on 

the draft proposed program, the draft 

EIS or other NEPA documents, and the 

proposed program. This Notice in 

particular requests comments on areas 

that are restricted from leasing by 

Congressional Moratoria but were 

removed from Presidential Withdrawal 

on July 14, 2008. 

DATES: The MMS must receive all 

comments and information by 

September 15, 2008. 

Public Comment Procedure 

The MMS will accept comments in 

one of two formats: By mail or our 

Internet commenting system. Please 

submit your comments using only one 

of these formats, and include full names 

and addresses. Comments submitted by 

other means may not be considered. We 

will not consider anonymous 

comments, and we will make available 

for inspection in their entirety all 

comments submitted by organizations 

and businesses, or by individuals 

identifying themselves as 

representatives of organizations and 

businesses. 

Our practice is to make comments, 

including the names and home 

addresses of respondents, available for 

public review. An individual 

commenter may ask that we withhold 

from the public record, his or her name, 

home address, or both, and we will 

honor such a request to the extent 

allowable by law. If you submit 

comments and desire that we withhold 

such information, you must so state 

prominently at the beginning of your 

submission. 

ADDRESSES: Mail comments and 

information on the program to: Ms. 

Renee Orr, 5-Year Program Manager, 

Minerals Management Service (MS–

4010), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, 

Virginia 20170. Environmental 

comments and information relevant to 

oil and gas development on the OCS 

should be sent to: Mr. James F. Bennett, 

Chief, Branch of Environmental 

Assessment, Minerals Management 

Service (MS–4042), 381 Elden Street, 

Herndon, Virginia 20170. If you submit 

any privileged or proprietary 

information to be treated as 

confidential, please mark the envelope, 

‘‘Contains Confidential Information’’. 

Internet: The MMS will accept 

comments submitted to our electronic 

public comment system. (Public 

Connect). This system can be accessed 

at http://www.mms.gov. We also will 

provide access to information 

concerning the 5-Year Program at the 

MMS Internet Web site (http:// 

www.mms.gov) and copies or summaries 

of comments we receive in response to 

this notice will be available in the MMS 

Public Connect database. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Renee Orr, 5-Year Program Manager, at 

(703) 787–1215. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS 

requests comments from states; local 

and tribal governments; American 

Indian and Native Alaskan 

organizations; Federal agencies; 

environmental and fish and wildlife 

organizations; the oil and gas industry; 

other interested organizations; and other 

parties on whether to begin the 

preparation of a new 5-Year Program. 

MMS is seeking a wide range of 

information, including marine 

productivity, environmental sensitivity 

and resource assessment. The 5-Year 

Program enables the Federal 

Government, states, industry, and other 

interested parties to plan for steps 

proposed to lead to OCS oil and gas 

lease sales. The Department will make 

a decision on whether to proceed with 

a specific lease sale on the schedule, 

only after meeting all of the applicable 

requirements of the OCS Lands Act, the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA), and other statutes. 

The OCS is a significant source of oil 

and gas for the Nation’s energy supply. 

On a per day basis, the OCS currently 

produces about 1.35 million barrels of 

oil and almost 8 billion cubic feet of 

natural gas. This represents 

approximately 27 percent of domestic 

oil production and 15 percent of natural 

gas production. 

The MMS’s oversight and regulatory 

frameworks ensure production and 

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45066 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 149 / Friday, August 1, 2008 / Notices 

drilling are conducted in a safe and 

environmentally responsible manner. 

The offshore areas of the United 

States are estimated to contain 

significant quantities of resources in yetto-be-discovered fields. MMS estimates 

that the Undiscovered Technically 

Recoverable oil and gas resources in the 

U.S. OCS consist of 86 billion barrels of 

oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural 

gas. Significant areas of the OCS have 

been under congressional and/or 

executive restrictions starting in the 

early 1980’s. Currently, approximately 

574 million acres, i.e., 85 percent of the 

OCS offshore the lower-48 states are 

unavailable for leasing consideration, 

due to congressional moratoria, 

something no other country in the world 

has done to this extent. MMS estimates 

that these restricted areas—in the 

Pacific, the Atlantic, and parts of the 

central and eastern Gulf of Mexico—

contain about 30 percent of the potential 

undiscovered oil and 27 percent of the 

undiscovered natural gas resources 

offshore the lower-48 states. (This is a 

mean estimate based on MMS’s 2006 

assessment.) 

Neighboring countries are expanding 

offshore oil and gas exploration due to 

oil and gas price increases as well as 

other environmental and economic 

factors. A moratorium imposed by the 

Canadian government on offshore 

drilling in Georges Bank, a rich fishing 

ground off southwest Nova Scotia in the 

North Atlantic, is in place until 2012. 

The Canadian government is 

considering lifting that moratorium. 

Canada also has issued leases and 

exploration rights in the eastern 

Beaufort Sea adjacent to the U.S. 

Beaufort Sea. Another example is Cuba, 

which has entered into licenses with 

private energy companies to develop its 

offshore resources. Cuba appears to be 

exploring aggressively its oil and gas 

resources since the late 1990’s, with 

offshore activity less than 50 miles from 

the coast of Florida. 

The vast majority of OCS production 

comes from the Central and Western 

Planning Areas of the Gulf of Mexico. 

Given the recent effects of hurricanes on 

Gulf production in the short and long 

terms, it is clear that the country has 

concentrated most of its offshore 

domestic energy production activity in 

one area. To address this, MMS is 

calling for a broadened approach to 

address other areas of the OCS as well. 

In testimony before Congress in May 

2008, Energy Secretary Bodman 

emphasized the need to expand 

conventional energy supplies and 

diversify their sources. He proposed 

greater access to areas, including the 

OCS, that contain substantial amounts 

of oil and natural gas. New development 

technologies and methods will provide 

the opportunity for this development to 

proceed with proper protection for the 

environment. 

The MMS is initiating the section 18 

5-year program development at this 

time, approximately 2 years ahead of 

schedule, as part of the Federal 

Government’s actions to address the 

existing domestic energy situation. 

Currently, each American uses an 

average of 3 gallons of oil per day. 

About two-thirds of that oil is used in 

transportation. In fact, oil is expected to 

remain, by far, the primary fuel for 

transportation for decades to come, even 

with aggressive efforts and government 

policies to encourage the development 

of alternative fuels, more efficient 

engines, and increasingly effective 

conservation measures. 

The MMS is developing a program to 

produce electricity from alternative 

energy resources on the OCS. Under the 

Energy Policy Act of 2005, the 

Secretary, acting through MMS, has 

established a program to develop 

renewable energy resources on the OCS. 

On July 9, 2008, MMS issued a 

Proposed Rule for alternative energy on 

the OCS. As a first step, under an 

interim policy announced in late 2007, 

MMS is working toward issuance of 

several leases for data gathering and 

technology testing. These leases will 

look at varied renewable energy sources 

in different portions of the OCS. The 

Energy Information Administration 

(EIA) reported in 2007 that wind and 

other renewables are the fastest growing 

energy sources in the U.S., projecting 

that renewables will account for over 10 

percent of domestic energy production 

by 2030. In the long term, development 

of a wide array of renewable energy 

sources is critical. However, in the short 

and mid-term, both nationally and 

globally, we will continue to rely on 

fossil fuels. 

On June 18, 2008, the President 

issued a statement on energy, 

particularly focusing on the rising price 

of gasoline. High gasoline prices stem 

from high oil prices which result from 

basic ‘‘supply and demand’’ factors in 

the current market. The dramatic 

increase in oil and natural gas prices has 

resulted from growing U.S. and global 

demand for these products that has not 

been matched by an equivalent increase 

in available supplies. The President 

stated that much of the oil consumed in 

the U.S. comes from abroad and some of 

that is from ‘‘unstable regions and 

unfriendly regimes. This makes us more 

vulnerable to supply shocks and price 

spikes beyond our control—and that 

puts both our economy and our security 

at risk.’’ The Department of Commerce 

reported in April that the U.S. trade 

deficit grew to its largest level in over 

a year to $60.9 billion. Even with 

exports rising, increases in oil prices 

continued to drive up the deficit. The 

deficit of petroleum products has grown 

to $34.5 billion, up from $23.5 billion 

last year. It is expected that continued 

importing of oil will widen the trade 

deficit even more sending billions of 

dollars to other countries. 

Gasoline prices may be a more visible 

consequence of the energy situation, but 

there are other consequences that affect 

various sectors of the economy. 

According to the EIA, while gasoline 

prices in the U.S. have increased about 

$1.15 per gallon over the past year, 

diesel fuel has increased almost $1.90 

per gallon. (Source: Gasoline and Diesel 

Fuel Update. Energy Information 

Administration. 14 July 2008. http:// 

tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/wohdp/ 

diesel.asp?featureclicked=1&) Since 

much of the Nation’s consumer goods 

are transported by truck, the prices of 

such goods to the consumer also reflect 

the increase in energy costs and may 

affect consumer buying patterns. 

Energy is also one of the greatest 

input costs for manufacturers. This 

sector is dependent upon globally 

competitive energy to compete in the 

marketplace both domestically and 

globally. According to the Industrial 

Energy Consumers of America (IECA), a 

cross-industry trade association, the 

high price of natural gas in particular 

has contributed to the loss of about 3.3 

million, or about 19 percent, of U.S. 

manufacturing jobs since 2000 (Source: 

Cicio, Paul. Industrial Energy 

Consumers of America. ‘‘A Natural-Gas 

High.’’ Forbes.com. 4 June 2008. 

http://www.ieca-us.com/documents/ 

06.04.08_Forbes.comArticleMagazineArticle.pdf). 

Furthermore, as the use of natural gas 

to generate electricity has grown in this 

country, the increase in natural gas 

prices causes an increase in electricity 

costs to manufacturers as well as to the 

general public. The EIA projects 

residential electricity prices will 

increase by an annual average of about 

5.2 percent in 2008 and 9.8 percent in 

2009, compared with an increase of 2.2 

percent in 2007. (Source: Short-Term 

Energy Outlook. Energy Information 

Administration. 8 July 2008. http:// 

www.eia.doe.gov/steo) Unlike oil that is 

priced globally, natural gas is a more 

regional product that is priced 

domestically. Over 80 percent of natural 

gas consumed in the U.S. is 

domestically produced. While supply 

and demand have remained fairly 

stable, the price of natural gas has 

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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 149 / Friday, August 1, 2008 / Notices 45067 

shown an increase of almost 130 percent 

over the past year. 

In his June 18 statement, the President 

asked Congress to pass legislation as 

soon as possible to lift the congressional 

restrictions in order to give states the 

option to recommend the opening of the 

OCS off their coasts to environmentallyresponsible exploration for and 

development of hydrocarbon resources 

and sharing of revenues. On July 14, the 

President removed the executive 

prohibition in those areas and again 

asked Congress to lift the congressional 

restrictions and to allow increased 

domestic oil exploration and 

production. Similar legislation has been 

introduced in the recent past, but not 

enacted. The current economic and 

energy situation may argue for 

reconsideration of these matters. The 

dramatic increase in energy prices has 

affected all aspects of the American 

economy, and while not all coastal 

states have considered exploration and 

development activity off their coasts, 

some states have already addressed the 

potential of the OCS. For example, in 

2006 the Commonwealth of Virginia 

adopted an energy policy that includes 

interest in developing natural gas 

resources more than 50 miles off its 

coast. Similar legislation has been 

introduced in other states. 

Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act 

requires that the Secretary consider 

national energy needs in formulating a 

leasing program. In April 2007 when 

MMS announced the Proposed Final 

Program for 2007–2012, oil was priced 

at $64.21 per barrel. As of the end of 

June 2008, prices were at $134.60 per 

barrel, representing an increase of over 

100 percent. Gasoline prices have 

doubled over the same period from just 

over $2 to over $4 per gallon. 

OCS Planning Areas To Be Considered 

and Analyzed 

Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act 

requires that the 5-year schedule of 

lease sales be based upon a comparative 

analysis of the oil and gas-bearing 

regions of the OCS. MMS has created 26 

planning areas, which are depicted in 

Figures 1 and 2. The boundaries 

between planning areas were 

administratively created and are not 

specified in law or regulation. Note that 

precise marine boundaries between the 

United States and nearby or adjacent 

nations have not been determined in all 

cases. The depicted maritime 

boundaries and limits, as well as 

divisions between planning areas, 

where shown, are for planning and 

administrative purposes only. These 

limits do not affect or prejudice in any 

manner the position of the United 

States, or its individual States, with 

respect to the nature or extent of 

internal waters or of sovereign rights or 

jurisdiction. 

Many planning areas were subject to 

a recently modified presidential 

withdrawal from leasing under the 

authority of section 12 of the OCS Lands 

Act (43 U.S.C. 1341). On July 14, 2008 

a Modification of the Presidential 

Withdrawal of areas of the United States 

Outer Continental Shelf from leasing 

disposition was announced by President 

Bush in the following statement, ‘‘Under 

the authority vested in me as President 

of the United States, including section 

12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf 

Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1341(a), I hereby 

modify the prior memoranda of 

withdrawals from disposition by leasing 

of the United States Outer Continental 

Shelf issued on August 4, 1992, and 

June 12, 1998, as modified on January 

9, 2007, to read only as follows:’’

Under the authority vested in me as 

President of the United States, including 

section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf 

Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1341(a), I hereby 

withdraw from disposition by leasing, for a 

time period without specific expiration, 

those areas of the Outer Continental Shelf 

designated as of July 14, 2008, as Marine 

Sanctuaries under the Marine Protection, 

Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, 16 

U.S.C. 1431–1434, 33 U.S.C. 1401 et seq. 

This modification affects the 

following planning areas: WashingtonOregon; Northern, Central, and 

Southern California; South, Mid-, and 

North Atlantic; and Central and Eastern 

Gulf of Mexico. Portions of these 

planning areas have been closed to 

leasing pursuant to congressional 

moratoria in annual appropriations 

statutes from the 1980’s to the present. 

Also pursuant to the Gulf of Mexico 

Energy Security Act of 2006, Congress 

placed off limits until 2022 the Eastern 

Gulf within 125 miles of Florida, all of 

the Eastern Gulf east of 86 degrees, 41 

minutes West longitude, and a portion 

of the Central Gulf within 100 miles of 

Florida. See Figure 2. The President’s 

June 16 and July 14 statements continue 

to recognize that deference should be 

paid to the coastal states, but calls for 

discontinuing the restrictions so the 

states have the option to decide whether 

to support offshore activity. As with the 

RFI issued in August 2005 (70 FR 

49669) for the current program, we are 

asking for input from the states, local 

governments, and other interested 

parties as to whether and how their 

interest in offshore resources has 

changed. Based upon expressions of 

such interest in the initiation of the 

current program, areas under restriction 

were included in the program proposals 

and the approved program includes 

three areas that had not been considered 

for leasing for many years—the North 

Aleutian Basin, Alaska; a portion of the 

Gulf of Mexico; and an area in the MidAtlantic off the coast of Virginia. Only 

the area off Virginia remains under a 

congressional ban. Had these areas not 

been included in the Draft Proposed 

Program, they could not have been in 

the approved program. 

As set forth in more detail later in this 

notice, the information requested is 

wide-ranging, including other uses of 

the sea, marine productivity, and 

environmental sensitivity. Accordingly, 

this notice provides an opportunity for 

a governor or anyone else to comment 

on any area of the OCS. Such 

information is therefore solicited and 

will be considered in light of the factors 

specified by section 18 of the OCS 

Lands Act, discussed later in this notice, 

and in light of existing moratoria. Based 

upon the analysis of these factors, the 

Secretary will decide which areas to 

include in the draft proposed program. 

Pursuant to section 18, included areas 

will be subject to further analysis as 

well as review and analysis under 

NEPA. The Secretary also seeks 

comments on whether the Congressional 

restrictions should be eliminated or 

modified. 

Section 18 

As previously noted, the program 

preparation process will follow all the 

procedural steps required by section 18 

of the OCS Lands Act. This notice 

solicits comments early in the 

preparation process pursuant to section 

18(c)(1) of that Act. The MMS will 

prepare a draft proposed program based 

upon consideration of the comments we 

receive and analysis of the principles 

and factors specified in section 18. The 

draft proposed program will present for 

review and comment a preliminary 

schedule of lease sales and potential 

alternatives. 

Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act lists 

the factors to be considered—the 

economic, social, and environmental 

values of all of the resources of the OCS 

and the potential impact of oil and gas 

exploration and development on the 

environment. Specific factors that must 

be analyzed and considered in deciding 

where and when to lease include the 

following: (1) Existing information on 

the geographical, geological, and 

ecological characteristics of such 

regions; (2) equitable sharing of 

developmental benefits and 

environmental risks among the various 

regions; (3) location of such regions and 

regional and national energy markets; 

(4) location with respect to other current 

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45068 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 149 / Friday, August 1, 2008 / Notices 

and anticipated uses of the sea and 

seabed; (5) expressed industry interest; 

(6) laws, goals, and policies of affected 

states specifically identified by 

governors; (7) relative environmental 

sensitivity and marine productivity of 

different areas of the OCS; and (8) 

environmental and predictive 

information for different areas of the 

OCS. The OCS Lands Act requires the 

Secretary to obtain a proper balance 

among the potential for environmental 

damage, the discovery of oil and gas, 

and adverse impact on the coastal zone, 

for which DOI uses cost-benefit 

analysis. 

Types of Information Requested 

The MMS invites comments from 

anyone who would like to submit 

information for us to consider in 

determining the appropriate size, 

timing, and location of OCS oil and gas 

leasing for the new 5-year period. The 

types of information we seek are 

described below, using general and 

specific headings. Regardless of these 

headings, all respondents are welcome 

to comment on any aspect of program 

preparation and to submit any type of 

pertinent information. 

General 

The MMS would like to receive 

comments and suggestions of national 

or regional application that would be 

useful in formulating the program. The 

types of information that would be most 

useful to us in conducting the analysis 

pursuant to section 18 of the OCS Lands 

Act relate to the following factors: 

(1) National energy needs for the 

period relevant to the new program (in 

particular for this program, the role of 

OCS oil and gas leasing in achieving 

national energy policy goals, including 

its potential for contributing to 

increased domestic natural gas 

supplies); the economic, social, and 

environmental values of the renewable 

and nonrenewable resources contained 

in the OCS; and the potential impact of 

oil and gas exploration and 

development on other resource values of 

the OCS and the marine, coastal, and 

human environments; 

(2) Geographical, geological, and 

ecological characteristics of the 

planning areas of the OCS and near 

shore and coastal environments; 

(3) Equitable sharing of 

developmental benefits and 

environmental risks among the various 

planning areas; 

(4) Location of planning areas with 

respect to, and the relative needs of, 

regional and national energy markets; 

(5) Other uses of the sea and seabed, 

including fisheries, navigation, military 

activities, existing or proposed sea 

lanes, potential sites of deepwater ports 

(including liquefied natural gas 

facilities), potential offshore wind, 

wave, current or other alternative energy 

sites, and other anticipated uses of OCS 

resources and locations; 

(6) Relative environmental sensitivity 

and marine productivity of the different 

planning areas and/or a specific section 

of a given planning area of the OCS; 

(7) Environmental and predictive 

information pertaining to offshore and 

coastal areas potentially affected by OCS 

oil and gas development (including, but 

not limited to, socio-cultural and 

archaeological information); and 

(8) Methods and procedures for 

assuring the receipt of fair market value 

for lands leased. 

The MMS also invites commenters to 

respond to the following questions: 

(i) What do you think is the proper 

role of OCS oil and gas leasing as part 

of a comprehensive national energy 

policy? How should the 5-year program 

be structured to fulfill this role? 

(ii) Since recent studies have 

projected shortfalls in meeting energy 

needs, particularly natural gas, how 

could such needs be balanced with the 

laws, goals, and policies influencing the 

management of the OCS? How should 

long-term planning address the current 

energy supply situation? 

(iii) Should areas under Congressional 

moratoria be included in the new 5-Year 

Program? What areas? With Sales 

proposed in what time-frame? 

(iv) Although OCS oil and gas leasing 

is typically conducted through an 

extensive, long-established process, are 

there alternative ways to ensure 

appropriate consultation and to 

streamline our leasing procedures? 

Should the OCS Lands Act be amended 

to allow changes in the 5-year plan 

without starting the process all over 

again in cases of acute supply or 

demand shift affecting national 

security? How might we best meet the 

purpose of the OCS Lands Act ‘‘to 

insure that the extent of oil and gas 

resources of the outer Continental Shelf 

is assessed at the earliest practicable 

time’’? 

(v) If new areas are leased for 

exploration and potential development, 

what short-term and long-term impacts 

do you foresee for the economies of 

coastal communities? 

(vi) How should ecological 

considerations be weighed against 

national and local economic benefits, if 

new areas are considered for oil and gas 

leasing? 

(vii) If new areas are not leased for 

exploration and potential development, 

what environmental impacts do you 

foresee from imports of oil and gas? 

(viii) Is there a strategic advantage to 

considering sources of oil and gas in 

areas currently under congressional 

moratoria to potentially diversify OCS 

energy development? 

Specific 

States 

As every state is feeling the effects of 

increased oil and gas prices and thereby 

is potentially impacted by the 

possibilities of enhanced domestic 

energy production, a letter soliciting 

such information has been sent to the 

governors of all 50 states. For coastal 

states, pursuant to section 18(f)(5) of the 

OCS Lands Act and implementing 

regulations at 30 CFR 256.20, MMS 

requests information concerning the 

relationship between OCS oil and gas 

activity and the states’ coastal zone 

management programs that are being 

developed or administered under the 

Coastal Zone Management Act. We also 

request states to submit information 

concerning environmental risk and 

potential for damage to coastal and 

marine resources associated with 

development of the OCS, information 

related to other uses of the sea, and any 

information that is relevant to equitable 

sharing of developmental benefits and 

environmental risks associated with 

OCS oil and gas activity. In addition, for 

non-coastal and coastal states we 

request information on the impacts of 

rising prices and potential shortages on 

your economies and citizens and their 

roles in the national economy. 

Oil and Gas Industry 

As specified in section 18(a)(2)(E) of 

the OCS Lands Act, MMS requests that 

oil and gas industry respondents 

provide information indicating interest 

in the opportunity to lease and develop 

additional OCS oil and gas resources. 

Respondents should base this 

information upon their expectations as 

of 2010. For each area in which a 

company is interested, please submit 

information concerning unleased 

hydrocarbon potential, future oil and 

gas price expectations, and other 

relevant information that the company 

uses in making OCS oil and gas leasing 

decisions. The MMS requests that 

industry respondents provide additional 

information as specified below. Upon 

request, such information will be treated 

confidentially, as explained further 

below: 

(1) Indicate the OCS planning area(s) 

where the company would be interested 

in acquiring oil and gas leases regardless 

of whether the area is currently under 

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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 149 / Friday, August 1, 2008 / Notices 45069 

Congressional moratoria. If more than 

one planning area is of interest, rank the 

areas in order of preference. 

(2) Indicate the number and timing of 

lease sales in the period 2010–2015 that 

would be appropriate for each planning 

area. If only one lease sale in a planning 

area is appropriate, indicate whether 

that area should be considered for 

leasing early or late in the 5-year 

program schedule. If more than one 

lease sale in a planning area is 

suggested, indicate the preferred 

interval between lease sales. 

(3) The MMS estimated resource 

potential in moratoria areas is based on 

a limited number of wells, and very old 

(25 years) seismic data. How might 

seismic data be acquired in these areas? 

(4) Indicate the lead time to 

production (should new leasing be 

allowed to occur in previously restricted 

areas) in areas that are not part of the 

current program, relative to lead-times 

to new production in previously leased 

areas like the Central and Western Gulf 

of Mexico. 

Section 18(g) of the OCS Lands Act 

authorizes confidential treatment of 

privileged or proprietary information. In 

order to protect the confidentiality of 

privileged or proprietary information, 

include such information as an 

attachment to other comments 

submitted so that there is no ambiguity 

about what portions of the comments 

are confidential or proprietary. Upon 

request, MMS will treat the privileged 

or proprietary information that is 

attached to a response as confidential 

from the time of its receipt until 5 years 

after approval of the 2010–2015 leasing 

program, subject to the standards of the 

Freedom of Information Act. However, 

MMS will not treat as confidential any 

aggregate summaries of privileged or 

proprietary information, the names of 

respondents, or comments not 

containing such information. As noted 

above, respondents should affix the 

label ‘‘Contains Confidential 

Information’’ on any envelope 

containing privileged or proprietary 

information. 

Department of Commerce 

Pursuant to section 18(f)(5) of the OCS 

Lands Act and implementing 

regulations at 30 CFR 256.20, MMS 

requests information concerning 

relationships between affected states’

coastal zone management programs and 

OCS oil and gas activities. We have sent 

a letter to the Secretary of Commerce 

soliciting such information. 

Department of Energy 

Pursuant to implementing regulations 

at 30 CFR 256.16, MMS requests 

information concerning regional and 

national energy markets, OCS oil and 

gas production goals, and oil and gas 

transportation networks. We have sent a 

letter to the Secretary of Energy 

soliciting such information. 

Dated: July 29, 2008. 

Randall B. Luthi, 

Director, Minerals Management Service. 


mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICESEN01AU08.001</GPH>
45070 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 149 / Friday, August 1, 2008 / Notices 

[FR Doc. E8–17708 Filed 7–31–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Reclamation 

Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive 

Management Work Group 

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of charter renewal. 

SUMMARY: This notice is published in 

accordance with section 9(a)(2) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act of 

1972 (Pub. L. 92–463, as amended). 

Following consultation with the General 

Services Administration, notice is 

hereby given that the Secretary of the 

Interior (Secretary) is renewing the 

charter for the Glen Canyon Dam 

Adaptive Management Work Group. The 

purpose of the Adaptive Management 

Work Group is to advise and to provide 

recommendations to the Secretary with 

respect to the operation of Glen Canyon 

Dam and the exercise of other 

authorities pursuant to applicable 

Federal law. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Linda Whetton, 801–524–3880. 

The certification of renewal is 

published below. 

Certification 

I hereby certify that Charter renewal 

of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive 

Management Work Group is in the 

public interest in connection with the 

performance of duties imposed on the 

Department of the Interior. 

Dirk Kempthorne, 

Secretary of the Interior. 

[FR Doc. E8–17587 Filed 7–31–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MN–M 

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND 

WATER COMMISSION, UNITED 

STATES AND MEXICO 

United States Section; Notice of 

Availability of a Draft Environmental 

Assessment and Finding of No 

Significant Impact for Improvements to 

the Rio Grande Rectification Project in 

El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, TX 

AGENCY: United States Section, 

International Boundary and Water 

Commission, United States and Mexico 

(USIBWC). 

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft 

Environmental Assessment (EA) and 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI). 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council on 

Environmental Quality Final 

Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 

1508), and the United States Section’s 

Operational Procedures for 

Implementing Section 102 of NEPA, 

published in the Federal Register 

September 2, 1981, (46 FR 44083); the 

USIBWC hereby gives notice of 

availability of the Draft Environmental 

Assessment and FONSI for 

Improvements to the Rio Grande 

Rectification Project (RGRP) located in 

El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, Texas 

are available. An environmental impact 

statement will not be prepared unless 

additional information which may affect 

this decision is brought to our attention 

within 30 days from the date of this 

Notice. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa 

Santana, Environmental Protection 

Specialist, Environmental Management 

Division, United States Section, 

International Boundary and Water 

Commission; 4171 N. Mesa, C–100; El 

Paso, Texas 79902. Telephone: (915) 

832–4707; e-mail: 

lisasantana@ibwc.gov. 

DATES: Comments on the Draft EA and 

Draft FONSI will be accepted through 

September 2, 2008 

Availability: Single hard copies of the 

Draft Environmental Assessment and 

Finding of No Significant Impact are 

available by request at the above 

address. Electronic copies are available 

from the USIBWC homepage at http:// 

www.ibwc.gov/Organization/ 

Environmental/ 

EIS_EA_Public_Comment.html. 

Dated: July 28, 2008. 

Susan Daniel, 

General Counsel. 

[FR Doc. E8–17514 Filed 7–31–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7010–01–P 


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