67542 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 250 / Monday, December 31, 2001 / Notices

entering into a Cooperative Research

and Development Agreement (CRADA)

with Devon Energy Corporation to

develop information on coal bed

methane resources in North Central

Louisiana.

Inquiries: If any other parties are

interested in similar activities with the

USGS, please contact Peter Warwick,

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 956,

Reston, VA 21092, phone: (703) 648–

6469.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is submitted to meet the USGS

policy requirements stipulated in

Survey Manual Chapter 500.20.

December 5, 2001.

P. Patrick Leahy,

Associate Director for Geology.

[FR Doc. 01–32067 Filed 12–28–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–Y7–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

Technology Transfer Act of 1986;

Notice

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey.

ACTION: Notice of proposed Cooperative

Research & Development Agreement

(CRADA) Negotiations.

SUMMARY: The United States Geological

Survey (USGS) is contemplating

entering into a Cooperative Research

and Development Agreement (CRADA)

with OptiQuest Technologies, LLC to

develop a water quality model and

automated systems for quality control

and visualization.

Inquiries: If any other parties are

interested in similar activities with the

USGS, please contact: Paul A. Conrads,

USGS South Carolina District,

Stephenson Center Suite, 129 720

Gracern Road, Columbia, SC 29210

phone: (803) 750–6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is submitted to meet the USGS

policy requirements stipulated in

Survey Manual Chapter 500.20.

Dated: December 7, 2001.

Robert M. Hirsch,

Associate Director for Water.

[FR Doc. 01–32065 Filed 12–28–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–Y7–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

Technology Transfer Act of 1986;

Notice

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of proposed Cooperative

Research & Development Agreement

(CRADA) Negotiations.

SUMMARY: The United States Geological

Survey (USGS) is contemplating

entering into a Cooperative Research

and Development Agreement (CRADA)

with Sequoia Scientific, Inc. for

development of a laser sensor system for

collecting fluvial sediment data in

rivers.

Inquiries: If any other parties are

interested in similar activities with the

USGS, please contact: John R. Gray,

USGS Office of Surface Water, 415

National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley

Drive, Reston, VA 20192; phone (703)

648–5318.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is submitted to meet the USGS

policy requirements stipulated in survey

Manual Chapter 500.20.

Dated: December 7, 2001.

Robert M. Hirsch,

Associate Director for Water.

[FR Doc. 01–32066 Filed 12–28–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–Y7–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Record of Decision (ROD) for the

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

on the Proposed Use of Floating,

Production, Storage, and Offloading

(FPSO) Systems on the Gulf of Mexico

Outer Continental Shelf, Western and

Central Planning Areas

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service,

Interior.

ACTION: ROD on the use of FPSO

systems.

SUMMARY: The MMS has completed a

ROD for the EIS on the proposed use of

FPSO systems in the deepwater areas

(generally beyond 650 feet or 200 meters

water depth) of the Western and Central

Planning Areas of the Gulf of Mexico

Outer Continental Shelf.

ADDRESSES: The ROD has been posted

on the MMS website http://

www.mms.gov. Copies of the ROD are

available upon request from the Public

Information Office (MS 5034), Minerals

Management Service, Gulf of Mexico

OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park

Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana

70123–2394.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions regarding the ROD should be

directed to Ms. Deborah Cranswick,

Leasing and Environment, at (504) 736–

2744. The mailing address is Minerals

Management Service, Gulf of Mexico

OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park

Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana

70123–2394.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS

has examined the concept of allowing

the use of FPSOs in the Central and

Western GOM Planning Areas and

found no compelling environmental

reason why development and

production plans proposing to use this

method of production should not be

submitted by the oil and gas industry for

evaluation by the agency. The EIS

prepared for MMS under contract found

that FPSO systems do not pose a greater

threat to the environment than do

currently accepted development and

production systems, given that proper

mitigation measures, keyed to the

specific proposed operations and

location, be applied. Further technical

and environmental evaluation will be

required for specific FPSO proposals.

The MMS will evaluate the potential

emissions and impacts of any proposed

use of an FPSO within 100 km of the

Breton NWA, and will impose emission

restrictions and mitigation requirements

to ensure that no significant air quality

impacts to the Class I area occurs from

any proposed FPSO operations. Any

proposed FPSO operations that are not

within the range of operations evaluated

in the programmatic EIS will require

more extensive technical and

environmental review to demonstrate

equivalence to what was investigated by

the EIS.

The MMS will defer to U.S. Coast

Guard (USCG) jurisdiction and will not

accept proposals for the use of FPSOs

within the Lightering Prohibited Areas

established by USCG (33 CFR Part 156

Subpart C) for 2 years. The 2-year period

will allow additional discussions with

USCG on the potential use and impacts

of FPSO operations within the

Lightering Prohibited Areas. The time

will allow for a fuller discussion of what

measures might be necessary to protect

the environment should FPSOs be

considered for use within the Lightering

Prohibited Areas, and review of the

applicability of the environmental

assessment completed 10 years ago by

USCG in support of the rulemaking that

established the Lightering Prohibited

Areas. The MMS will continue to work

with USCG to delineate jurisdictional