82_FR_23392 82 FR 23295 - Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, Cook Inlet Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244

82 FR 23295 - Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, Cook Inlet Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 97 (May 22, 2017)

Page Range23295-23297
FR Document2017-10506

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is announcing the availability of the Record of Decision for the Cook Inlet Planning Area, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244 (Lease Sale 244). This Record of Decision identifies the Bureau's selected alternative for holding Lease Sale 244, which is analyzed in the Alaska OCS: Cook Inlet Planning Area Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244 in the Cook Inlet, Alaska; Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) (OCS/EIS EA BOEM 2016-069). The Record of Decision and associated information are available on BOEM's Web site at https://www.boem.gov/Sale-244/.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 97 (Monday, May 22, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 97 (Monday, May 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23295-23297]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10506]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2014-0001; MMAA104000]


Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, Cook Inlet Planning Area, Oil and 
Gas Lease Sale 244

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Record of Decision.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is announcing the 
availability of the Record of Decision for the Cook Inlet Planning 
Area, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244 (Lease 
Sale 244). This Record of Decision identifies the Bureau's selected 
alternative for holding Lease Sale 244, which is analyzed in the Alaska 
OCS: Cook Inlet Planning Area Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244 in the Cook 
Inlet, Alaska; Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) (OCS/EIS EA 
BOEM 2016-069). The Record of Decision and associated information are 
available on BOEM's Web site at https://www.boem.gov/Sale-244/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the Record of 
Decision, you may contact Sharon Randall, Chief, Environmental Analysis 
Section, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 
Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, 907-334-5235.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Cook Inlet Lease Sale Area is located 
offshore of the State of Alaska in the northern portion of the Federal 
waters of Cook Inlet and is comprised of 224 OCS blocks, which 
encompass an area of approximately 442,500 hectares or 1.09 million 
acres. There are currently no active OCS oil and gas leases in the Cook 
Inlet Planning Area. The unleased OCS blocks within Cook Inlet that 
BOEM will offer for lease are listed in the document entitled, ``List 
of Blocks Available for Leasing,'' which is included in the Final 
Notice of Sale for Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244. The estimated resource 
potential of the Lease Sale is 215 million barrels of oil and 571 
billion cubic feet of natural gas.

Decision

    After careful consideration, the Department of the Interior (DOI) 
has selected the Preferred Alternative identified and analyzed in the 
Lease Sale 244 FEIS. In selecting the Preferred Alternative for Lease 
Sale 244, BOEM will offer for lease 224 unleased OCS blocks subject to 
mitigation measures adopted to reduce potential impacts to sensitive 
biological resources and other uses of the OCS, including, but not 
limited to, the beluga whales and their critical habitat and feeding 
areas, sea otters and their critical habitat, and the gillnet fishery. 
The Preferred Alternative combines the Proposed Action (Alternative 1) 
with several mitigations analyzed as alternatives in the Lease Sale 244 
FEIS. In holding Lease Sale 244, DOI is implementing Alternative 3B 
(Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Mitigation), Alternative 3C (Beluga 
Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas Mitigation), Alternative 4B (Northern Sea 
Otter Critical Habitat Mitigation) and Alternative 5 (Gillnet Fishery 
Mitigation), as described in the FEIS.

[[Page 23296]]

Lease Stipulations

    The following mitigation measures will be applied to Lease Sale 244 
as lease stipulations. The full text of the lease stipulations that 
will be included in leases issued as a result of the sale and the list 
of blocks to which they apply are available in the Final Notice of Sale 
Package for Lease Sale 244. The Final Notice of Sale Package is 
available on BOEM's Web site at: https://www.boem.gov/Sale-244/.
    Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Mitigation: This mitigation measure 
applies to 10 OCS blocks that overlap with the ``Area 2'' beluga whale 
critical habitat at the northern tip of the Lease Sale Area. Lessees 
will be prohibited from conducting on-lease seismic surveys or 
exploration drilling from November 1 through April 1 in the affected 
blocks. The Protection of Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Stipulation 
will be included in any leases issued for those blocks. Beluga Whale 
Nearshore Feeding Areas Mitigation: This mitigation measure creates 
temporal restrictions for on-lease seismic survey activities within the 
Lease Sale Area. On all 224 OCS blocks, no on-lease marine seismic 
surveys will be conducted between November 1 and April 1, when beluga 
whales are most likely to be present and distributed across the Lease 
Sale Area. The Protection of Beluga Whales Stipulation will be included 
in any leases issued pursuant to Lease Sale 244.
    Additionally, for blocks within 10 miles of major anadromous 
streams, lessees are prohibited from conducting on-lease marine seismic 
surveys between July 1 and September 30, when beluga whales are 
migrating to and from their summer feeding areas. The Protection of 
Beluga Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas Stipulation will be included in 
any leases issued for these blocks.
    Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Mitigation: This mitigation 
measure prohibits lessees from discharging drilling fluids and cuttings 
and conducting seafloor disturbing activities (including anchoring and 
placement of bottom-founded structures) within 1,000 m of areas 
designated as northern sea otter critical habitat. The Protection of 
Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat Stipulation will be included in any 
leases issued on the 14 OCS blocks within 1,000 m of areas designated 
as northern sea otter critical habitat.
    Gillnet Fishery Mitigation: This mitigation measure applies to the 
117 whole or partial OCS blocks located north of Anchor Point within 
the Lease Sale Area to reduce the potential for conflicts with the 
drift gillnet fishery. Lessees are prohibited from conducting on-lease 
seismic surveys during the drift gillnetting season as designated by 
the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) (approximately 
mid-June to mid-August). Lessees are required to notify the United Cook 
Inlet Drift Association (UCIDA) of any temporary or permanent 
structures planned during the drift gillnetting season. Lessees are 
required to coordinate with the UCIDA to avoid conflicts. The 
Protection of Gillnet Fishery Stipulation will be included in any 
leases issued for these blocks.
    The above measures would be implemented through lease stipulations, 
which would apply to some or all of the OCS blocks offered for lease. 
For each of the mitigation measures described above, lessees may 
request a waiver or variance to these lease stipulations at the time of 
filing an ancillary activities notice, an exploration plan, or a 
development and production plan with BOEM's Alaska Regional Supervisor, 
Leasing and Plans. Such requests must identify alternative methods for 
providing commensurate protection and analyze the effectiveness of 
those methods.
    While not analyzed as specific alternatives in the FEIS, DOI is 
implementing four additional lease stipulations in the Cook Inlet Lease 
Sale 244. These stipulations will be added as lease terms as applicable 
to all or a subset of the OCS blocks being offered for lease, and will 
therefore be enforceable as part of the lease.
    Protection of Fisheries Stipulation: Exploration, development, and 
production operations must be conducted in a manner that minimizes or 
prevents conflicts with fishing communities and gear (including, but 
not limited to subsistence, sport, and commercial fishing). The 
lessee's Exploration Plan (EP) and Development and Production Plan 
(DPP) must include a summary of fishing activities in the area of 
proposed operations, an assessment of effects on fishing from the 
proposed activity, and measures to be taken by the lessee/operator to 
minimize or prevent conflicts. The assessment of effects and measures 
to minimize or prevent conflicts must be described under the 
environmental impact analysis, as required by 30 CFR 550.227 for EPs 
and 30 CFR 550.261 for DPPs. BOEM may restrict lease-related activities 
if the Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Plans (RSLP) determines that 
the lessee's/operator's proposed measures will not minimize or prevent 
conflicts. The RSLP will work with directly affected parties, if 
necessary, to ensure that potential conflicts are identified and 
efforts are taken to minimize or prevent these conflicts.
    Protection of Biological Resources Stipulation: If biological 
populations or habitats that may require additional protection are 
identified by BOEM in the leased area, the RSLP may require the lessee/
operator to conduct biological surveys to determine the extent and 
composition of such biological populations or habitats. Based on any 
surveys that the RSLP required of the lessee/operator, or based on 
other information available to the RSLP regarding special biological 
resources, the RSLP may require the lessee/operator to: relocate the 
site of operations; establish to the satisfaction of the RSLP, on the 
basis of a site-specific survey, either that such operations will not 
have a significant adverse effect upon the resource identified or that 
a special biological resource does not exist; operate only during those 
periods of time, as established by the RSLP, that do not adversely 
affect the biological resources; and/or modify operations to ensure 
that significant biological populations or habitats deserving 
protection are not adversely affected.
    If populations or habitats of biological significance are 
discovered during the conduct of any operations on the lease, the 
lessee/operator must immediately report such findings to the RSLP and 
make every reasonable effort to preserve the biological resource and 
protect it from damage. The lessee/operator may take no action that 
might affect the biological populations or habitats surveyed until the 
RSLP provides written directions to the lessee/operator with regard to 
permissible actions. The RSLP will provide a written response outlining 
permissible actions within 30 days.
    Orientation Program Stipulation: An EP or DPP submitted under 30 
CFR 550.211 or 30 CFR 550.241, respectively, must include a proposed 
orientation program for all personnel involved in the Proposed Action 
(including personnel of the lessee's/operator's agents, contractors, 
and subcontractors). The program must be designed in sufficient detail 
to inform individuals working on the project of specific types of 
environmental, safety, social, and cultural concerns that relate to the 
area that could be affected by the operation or its personnel. The 
program must address the importance of not disturbing archaeological 
and biological resources and habitats, including endangered species, 
fisheries, bird colonies, and marine mammals, and provide guidance on 
how to avoid or

[[Page 23297]]

minimize disturbance. The program must address Safety and Environmental 
Management System elements including, but not limited to: Stop Work 
Authority; Ultimate Work Authority; Employee Participation Program 
(Safety); and Reporting Unsafe Working Conditions. The program must be 
designed to increase the sensitivity and understanding of personnel to 
community values, customs, and way-of-life in areas where such 
personnel will be operating. The orientation program also must include 
information concerning avoidance of conflicts with subsistence, sport, 
and commercial fishing activities.
    Transportation of Hydrocarbons Stipulation: Pipelines may be 
required for transporting produced hydrocarbons to shore if BOEM 
determines that: (a) Pipeline rights-of-way can be determined and 
obtained; (b) laying such pipelines is technologically feasible and 
environmentally preferable; and (c) pipelines can be laid without net 
social loss, taking into account any incremental costs of pipelines 
over alternative methods of transportation and any incremental benefits 
in the form of increased environmental protection or reduced multiple-
use conflicts.
    After careful consideration, DOI has selected the Preferred 
Alternative in the FEIS to hold Lease Sale 244, including the 
mitigations described above. DOI's selection of the preferred 
alternative meets the purpose and need for the Proposed Action, as 
identified in the Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244 FEIS, and reflects an 
informed decision balancing orderly resource development with 
protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments while also 
ensuring that the public receives fair market value for these resources 
and that free-market competition is maintained.

    Authority:  This Notice of Availability is published pursuant to 
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: May 18, 2017.
Walter D. Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2017-10506 Filed 5-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P



                                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices                                             23295

                                                  may be obtained on the BOEM Web site                    Lease Award                                           Lease Sale 244, which is analyzed in the
                                                  at http://www.boem.gov/Sale-244/                           BOEM requires each bidder awarded                  Alaska OCS: Cook Inlet Planning Area
                                                  under the heading ‘‘Notification of EFT                 a lease to:                                           Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244 in the Cook
                                                  1⁄5 Bonus Liability’’ after 1:00 p.m. on
                                                                                                             (1) Execute all copies of the lease                Inlet, Alaska; Final Environmental
                                                  the day of the lease sale. All payments                 (Form BOEM–2005 (February 2017), as                   Impact Statement (FEIS) (OCS/EIS EA
                                                  must be deposited electronically into an                amended);                                             BOEM 2016–069). The Record of
                                                  interest-bearing account in the U.S.                       (2) pay by EFT the balance of the                  Decision and associated information are
                                                  Treasury by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time the                 bonus bid amount and the first year’s                 available on BOEM’s Web site at https://
                                                  day following the bid reading (no                       rental for each lease issued in                       www.boem.gov/Sale-244/.
                                                  exceptions). Account information is                     accordance with the requirements of 30
                                                  provided in the ‘‘Instructions for                                                                            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  For
                                                                                                          CFR 1218.155, 30 CFR 556.520(a)(2) and                more information on the Record of
                                                  Making Electronic Funds Transfer                        30 CFR 556.520(a)(3); and
                                                  Bonus Payments’’ found on the BOEM                                                                            Decision, you may contact Sharon
                                                                                                             (3) satisfy the bonding requirements               Randall, Chief, Environmental Analysis
                                                  Web site identified above.                              of 30 CFR part 556, subpart I, as
                                                     BOEM requires bidders to use EFT                                                                           Section, Bureau of Ocean Energy
                                                                                                          amended.                                              Management, Alaska OCS Region, 3801
                                                  procedures for payment of the one-fifth
                                                                                                          ONRR requests that bidders use only                   Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500,
                                                  bonus bid deposits for Cook Inlet Sale
                                                                                                          one transaction for payment of the                    Anchorage, Alaska 99503, 907–334–
                                                  244 following detailed instructions
                                                                                                          balance of the bonus bid amount and                   5235.
                                                  contained on the ONRR Payment
                                                                                                          first year’s rental.
                                                  Information Web page at https://
                                                                                                                                                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:     The Cook
                                                  onrr.gov/ReportPay/                                     XI. Delay of Sale
                                                                                                                                                                Inlet Lease Sale Area is located offshore
                                                  payments.htm#EPO. Acceptance of a                         The BOEM Alaska OCS RD has the
                                                  deposit does not constitute and shall not                                                                     of the State of Alaska in the northern
                                                                                                          discretion to change any date, time,                  portion of the Federal waters of Cook
                                                  be construed as acceptance of any bid                   and/or location specified in the Final
                                                  on behalf of the United States.                                                                               Inlet and is comprised of 224 OCS
                                                                                                          NOS Package in case of an event the                   blocks, which encompass an area of
                                                  Withdrawal of Blocks                                    BOEM Alaska OCS RD deems may                          approximately 442,500 hectares or 1.09
                                                    The United States reserves the right to               interfere with the carrying out of a fair             million acres. There are currently no
                                                  withdraw any block from this lease sale                 and orderly lease sale process. Such                  active OCS oil and gas leases in the
                                                  prior to issuance of a written acceptance               events could include, but are not                     Cook Inlet Planning Area. The unleased
                                                  of a bid for the block.                                 limited to, natural disasters (e.g.,                  OCS blocks within Cook Inlet that
                                                                                                          earthquakes or floods), wars, riots, acts             BOEM will offer for lease are listed in
                                                  Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of Bids                of terrorism, fires, strikes, civil disorder,         the document entitled, ‘‘List of Blocks
                                                    The United States reserves the right to               or other events of a similar nature. In               Available for Leasing,’’ which is
                                                  reject any and all bids. No bid will be                 case of such events, bidders should call              included in the Final Notice of Sale for
                                                  accepted, and no lease for any block                    (907) 334–5200, or access the BOEM                    Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244. The
                                                  will be awarded to any bidder, unless:                  Web site at http://www.boem.gov for                   estimated resource potential of the
                                                    (1) The bidder has complied with all                  information regarding any changes.                    Lease Sale is 215 million barrels of oil
                                                  requirements of the Final NOS,                           Dated: May 18, 2017.                                 and 571 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
                                                  including those set forth in documents                  Walter D. Cruickshank,
                                                  contained in the Final NOS Package and                                                                        Decision
                                                                                                          Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
                                                  applicable regulations;                                 Management.                                              After careful consideration, the
                                                    (2) the bid submitted is the highest                  [FR Doc. 2017–10509 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am]           Department of the Interior (DOI) has
                                                  valid bid; and
                                                                                                          BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P                                selected the Preferred Alternative
                                                    (3) the amount of the bid has been
                                                                                                                                                                identified and analyzed in the Lease
                                                  determined to be adequate by the
                                                  authorized officer.                                                                                           Sale 244 FEIS. In selecting the Preferred
                                                                                                          DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                            Alternative for Lease Sale 244, BOEM
                                                    Any bid submitted that does not
                                                  conform to the requirements of the Final                                                                      will offer for lease 224 unleased OCS
                                                                                                          Bureau of Ocean Energy Management                     blocks subject to mitigation measures
                                                  NOS and Final NOS Package, OCSLA,
                                                  or other applicable statute or                          [Docket No. BOEM–2014–0001;                           adopted to reduce potential impacts to
                                                  regulations, will be rejected and                       MMAA104000]                                           sensitive biological resources and other
                                                  returned to the bidder. The U.S.                                                                              uses of the OCS, including, but not
                                                                                                          Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, Cook                  limited to, the beluga whales and their
                                                  Department of Justice and Federal Trade                 Inlet Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease
                                                  Commission will review the results of                                                                         critical habitat and feeding areas, sea
                                                                                                          Sale 244                                              otters and their critical habitat, and the
                                                  the lease sale for antitrust issues prior
                                                  to the acceptance of bids and issuance                  AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy                        gillnet fishery. The Preferred Alternative
                                                  of leases.                                              Management (BOEM), Interior.                          combines the Proposed Action
                                                                                                          ACTION: Notice of availability of a
                                                                                                                                                                (Alternative 1) with several mitigations
                                                  Bid Adequacy Review Procedures for                                                                            analyzed as alternatives in the Lease
                                                  Cook Inlet Sale 244                                     Record of Decision.
                                                                                                                                                                Sale 244 FEIS. In holding Lease Sale
                                                    To ensure that the U.S. Government                    SUMMARY:   The Bureau of Ocean Energy                 244, DOI is implementing Alternative
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                                                  receives a fair return for the issuance of              Management is announcing the                          3B (Beluga Whale Critical Habitat
                                                  leases from this lease sale, high bids                  availability of the Record of Decision for            Mitigation), Alternative 3C (Beluga
                                                  will be evaluated in accordance with                    the Cook Inlet Planning Area, Outer                   Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas
                                                  BOEM’s bid adequacy procedures,                         Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas                   Mitigation), Alternative 4B (Northern
                                                  which are available at http://                          Lease Sale 244 (Lease Sale 244). This                 Sea Otter Critical Habitat Mitigation)
                                                  www.boem.gov/Bid-Adequacy-                              Record of Decision identifies the                     and Alternative 5 (Gillnet Fishery
                                                  Procedures/.                                            Bureau’s selected alternative for holding             Mitigation), as described in the FEIS.


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                                                  23296                           Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices

                                                  Lease Stipulations                                      conflicts with the drift gillnet fishery.             ensure that potential conflicts are
                                                     The following mitigation measures                    Lessees are prohibited from conducting                identified and efforts are taken to
                                                  will be applied to Lease Sale 244 as                    on-lease seismic surveys during the drift             minimize or prevent these conflicts.
                                                                                                          gillnetting season as designated by the                  Protection of Biological Resources
                                                  lease stipulations. The full text of the
                                                                                                          State of Alaska Department of Fish and                Stipulation: If biological populations or
                                                  lease stipulations that will be included
                                                                                                          Game (ADF&G) (approximately mid-                      habitats that may require additional
                                                  in leases issued as a result of the sale
                                                                                                          June to mid-August). Lessees are                      protection are identified by BOEM in
                                                  and the list of blocks to which they
                                                                                                          required to notify the United Cook Inlet              the leased area, the RSLP may require
                                                  apply are available in the Final Notice
                                                                                                          Drift Association (UCIDA) of any                      the lessee/operator to conduct biological
                                                  of Sale Package for Lease Sale 244. The
                                                                                                          temporary or permanent structures                     surveys to determine the extent and
                                                  Final Notice of Sale Package is available
                                                                                                          planned during the drift gillnetting                  composition of such biological
                                                  on BOEM’s Web site at: https://
                                                                                                          season. Lessees are required to                       populations or habitats. Based on any
                                                  www.boem.gov/Sale-244/.                                                                                       surveys that the RSLP required of the
                                                     Beluga Whale Critical Habitat                        coordinate with the UCIDA to avoid
                                                                                                          conflicts. The Protection of Gillnet                  lessee/operator, or based on other
                                                  Mitigation: This mitigation measure
                                                                                                          Fishery Stipulation will be included in               information available to the RSLP
                                                  applies to 10 OCS blocks that overlap
                                                                                                          any leases issued for these blocks.                   regarding special biological resources,
                                                  with the ‘‘Area 2’’ beluga whale critical                  The above measures would be                        the RSLP may require the lessee/
                                                  habitat at the northern tip of the Lease                implemented through lease stipulations,               operator to: relocate the site of
                                                  Sale Area. Lessees will be prohibited                   which would apply to some or all of the               operations; establish to the satisfaction
                                                  from conducting on-lease seismic                        OCS blocks offered for lease. For each                of the RSLP, on the basis of a site-
                                                  surveys or exploration drilling from                    of the mitigation measures described                  specific survey, either that such
                                                  November 1 through April 1 in the                       above, lessees may request a waiver or                operations will not have a significant
                                                  affected blocks. The Protection of                      variance to these lease stipulations at               adverse effect upon the resource
                                                  Beluga Whale Critical Habitat                           the time of filing an ancillary activities            identified or that a special biological
                                                  Stipulation will be included in any                     notice, an exploration plan, or a                     resource does not exist; operate only
                                                  leases issued for those blocks. Beluga                  development and production plan with                  during those periods of time, as
                                                  Whale Nearshore Feeding Areas                           BOEM’s Alaska Regional Supervisor,                    established by the RSLP, that do not
                                                  Mitigation: This mitigation measure                     Leasing and Plans. Such requests must                 adversely affect the biological resources;
                                                  creates temporal restrictions for on-lease              identify alternative methods for                      and/or modify operations to ensure that
                                                  seismic survey activities within the                    providing commensurate protection and                 significant biological populations or
                                                  Lease Sale Area. On all 224 OCS blocks,                 analyze the effectiveness of those                    habitats deserving protection are not
                                                  no on-lease marine seismic surveys will                 methods.                                              adversely affected.
                                                  be conducted between November 1 and                        While not analyzed as specific                        If populations or habitats of biological
                                                  April 1, when beluga whales are most                    alternatives in the FEIS, DOI is                      significance are discovered during the
                                                  likely to be present and distributed                    implementing four additional lease                    conduct of any operations on the lease,
                                                  across the Lease Sale Area. The                         stipulations in the Cook Inlet Lease Sale             the lessee/operator must immediately
                                                  Protection of Beluga Whales Stipulation                 244. These stipulations will be added as              report such findings to the RSLP and
                                                  will be included in any leases issued                   lease terms as applicable to all or a                 make every reasonable effort to preserve
                                                  pursuant to Lease Sale 244.                             subset of the OCS blocks being offered                the biological resource and protect it
                                                     Additionally, for blocks within 10                   for lease, and will therefore be                      from damage. The lessee/operator may
                                                  miles of major anadromous streams,                      enforceable as part of the lease.                     take no action that might affect the
                                                  lessees are prohibited from conducting                     Protection of Fisheries Stipulation:               biological populations or habitats
                                                  on-lease marine seismic surveys                         Exploration, development, and                         surveyed until the RSLP provides
                                                  between July 1 and September 30, when                   production operations must be                         written directions to the lessee/operator
                                                  beluga whales are migrating to and from                 conducted in a manner that minimizes                  with regard to permissible actions. The
                                                  their summer feeding areas. The                         or prevents conflicts with fishing                    RSLP will provide a written response
                                                  Protection of Beluga Whale Nearshore                    communities and gear (including, but                  outlining permissible actions within 30
                                                  Feeding Areas Stipulation will be                       not limited to subsistence, sport, and                days.
                                                  included in any leases issued for these                 commercial fishing). The lessee’s                        Orientation Program Stipulation: An
                                                  blocks.                                                 Exploration Plan (EP) and Development                 EP or DPP submitted under 30 CFR
                                                     Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat                  and Production Plan (DPP) must include                550.211 or 30 CFR 550.241,
                                                  Mitigation: This mitigation measure                     a summary of fishing activities in the                respectively, must include a proposed
                                                  prohibits lessees from discharging                      area of proposed operations, an                       orientation program for all personnel
                                                  drilling fluids and cuttings and                        assessment of effects on fishing from the             involved in the Proposed Action
                                                  conducting seafloor disturbing activities               proposed activity, and measures to be                 (including personnel of the lessee’s/
                                                  (including anchoring and placement of                   taken by the lessee/operator to minimize              operator’s agents, contractors, and
                                                  bottom-founded structures) within 1,000                 or prevent conflicts. The assessment of               subcontractors). The program must be
                                                  m of areas designated as northern sea                   effects and measures to minimize or                   designed in sufficient detail to inform
                                                  otter critical habitat. The Protection of               prevent conflicts must be described                   individuals working on the project of
                                                  Northern Sea Otter Critical Habitat                     under the environmental impact                        specific types of environmental, safety,
                                                  Stipulation will be included in any                     analysis, as required by 30 CFR 550.227               social, and cultural concerns that relate
                                                  leases issued on the 14 OCS blocks                      for EPs and 30 CFR 550.261 for DPPs.                  to the area that could be affected by the
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                                                  within 1,000 m of areas designated as                   BOEM may restrict lease-related                       operation or its personnel. The program
                                                  northern sea otter critical habitat.                    activities if the Regional Supervisor,                must address the importance of not
                                                     Gillnet Fishery Mitigation: This                     Leasing and Plans (RSLP) determines                   disturbing archaeological and biological
                                                  mitigation measure applies to the 117                   that the lessee’s/operator’s proposed                 resources and habitats, including
                                                  whole or partial OCS blocks located                     measures will not minimize or prevent                 endangered species, fisheries, bird
                                                  north of Anchor Point within the Lease                  conflicts. The RSLP will work with                    colonies, and marine mammals, and
                                                  Sale Area to reduce the potential for                   directly affected parties, if necessary, to           provide guidance on how to avoid or


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                                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices                                                   23297

                                                  minimize disturbance. The program                       DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE                                 (‘‘ODVA’’) has filed written notifications
                                                  must address Safety and Environmental                                                                         simultaneously with the Attorney
                                                  Management System elements                              Antitrust Division                                    General and the Federal Trade
                                                  including, but not limited to: Stop Work                                                                      Commission disclosing changes in its
                                                                                                          Notice Pursuant to the National
                                                  Authority; Ultimate Work Authority;                                                                           membership. The notifications were
                                                                                                          Cooperative Research and Production
                                                  Employee Participation Program                          Act of 1993—American Society of                       filed for the purpose of extending the
                                                  (Safety); and Reporting Unsafe Working                  Mechanical Engineers                                  Act’s provisions limiting the recovery of
                                                  Conditions. The program must be                                                                               antitrust plaintiffs to actual damages
                                                  designed to increase the sensitivity and                   Notice is hereby given that, on April              under specified circumstances.
                                                  understanding of personnel to                           10, 2017, pursuant to Section 6(a) of the             Specifically, Analog Devices, Inc.,
                                                  community values, customs, and way-                     National Cooperative Research and                     Norwood, MA; Willowglen Systems,
                                                  of-life in areas where such personnel                   Production Act of 1993, 15 U.S.C. 4301                Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA;
                                                  will be operating. The orientation                      et seq. (‘‘the Act’’), the American                   Wipotec Wiege-und Positioniersysteme
                                                  program also must include information                   Society of Mechanical Engineers                       GmbH, Kaiserslautern, GERMANY;
                                                                                                          (‘‘ASME’’) has filed written notifications
                                                  concerning avoidance of conflicts with                                                                        Systec Systemtechnik und
                                                                                                          simultaneously with the Attorney
                                                  subsistence, sport, and commercial                                                                            Industrieautomation GmbH, Bergheim-
                                                                                                          General and the Federal Trade
                                                  fishing activities.                                     Commission disclosing additions or                    Glessen, GERMANY; KEB America, Inc.,
                                                     Transportation of Hydrocarbons                       changes to its standards development                  Shakopee, MN; Dong IL Vision,
                                                  Stipulation: Pipelines may be required                  activities. The notifications were filed              Gyeonggi-do, REPUBLIC OF KOREA;
                                                  for transporting produced hydrocarbons                  for the purpose of extending the Act’s                Utthunga Technologies Pvt Ltd.,
                                                  to shore if BOEM determines that: (a)                   provisions limiting the recovery of                   Bangalore, INDIA; InterTech
                                                  Pipeline rights-of-way can be                           antitrust plaintiffs to actual damages                Development Company, Skokie, IL;
                                                  determined and obtained; (b) laying                     under specified circumstances.                        Perle Systems Limited, Markham,
                                                  such pipelines is technologically                       Specifically, since November 11, 2016,                Ontario, CANADA; and Criterion NDT,
                                                  feasible and environmentally preferable;                ASME has published one new standard,                  Inc., Auburn, WA, have been added as
                                                  and (c) pipelines can be laid without net               established one new consensus                         parties to this venture.
                                                  social loss, taking into account any                    committee, redesignated one consensus                    Also, PCN Technology, San Diego,
                                                  incremental costs of pipelines over                     committee, initiated four new standards               CA; Welding Technology Corporation,
                                                                                                          activities, withdrawn four standards
                                                  alternative methods of transportation                                                                         Farmington Hills, MI; Control
                                                                                                          activities, and discontinued one
                                                  and any incremental benefits in the                                                                           Technology Corporation, Hopkinton,
                                                                                                          standard activity within the general
                                                  form of increased environmental                         nature and scope of ASME’s standards                  MA; Hiprom Technologies, Randburg,
                                                  protection or reduced multiple-use                      development activities, as specified in               SOUTH AFRICA; Prozess Technologie,
                                                  conflicts.                                              its original notification. More detail                Inc., St. Louis, MO; ADTEC Plasma
                                                     After careful consideration, DOI has                 regarding these changes can be found at               Technology Co., Ltd., Hiroshima,
                                                  selected the Preferred Alternative in the               www.asme.org.                                         JAPAN; Shanghai MRDcom Co., Ltd.,
                                                  FEIS to hold Lease Sale 244, including                     On September 15, 2004, ASME filed                  Shanghai, CHINA; and Mencom
                                                  the mitigations described above. DOI’s                  its original notification pursuant to                 Corporation, Oakwood, GA, have
                                                  selection of the preferred alternative                  Section 6(a) of the Act. The Department               withdrawn as parties to this venture.
                                                  meets the purpose and need for the                      of Justice published a notice in the                     No other changes have been made in
                                                  Proposed Action, as identified in the                   Federal Register pursuant to Section                  either the membership or planned
                                                  Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244 FEIS, and                     6(b) of the Act on October 13, 2004 (69               activity of the group research project.
                                                                                                          FR 60895).
                                                  reflects an informed decision balancing                                                                       Membership in this group research
                                                                                                             The last notification was filed with
                                                  orderly resource development with                       the Department on November 14, 2016.                  project remains open, and ODVA
                                                  protection of the human, marine, and                    A notice was published in the Federal                 intends to file additional written
                                                  coastal environments while also                         Register pursuant to Section 6(b) of the              notifications disclosing all changes in
                                                  ensuring that the public receives fair                  Act on January 11, 2017 (82 FR 3361).                 membership.
                                                  market value for these resources and                                                                             On June 21, 1995, ODVA filed its
                                                  that free-market competition is                         Patricia A. Brink,
                                                                                                                                                                original notification pursuant to Section
                                                  maintained.                                             Director of Civil Enforcement, Antitrust
                                                                                                          Division.                                             6(a) of the Act. The Department of
                                                     Authority: This Notice of Availability is            [FR Doc. 2017–10341 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                                Justice published a notice in the Federal
                                                  published pursuant to regulations (40 CFR                                                                     Register pursuant to Section 6(b) of the
                                                                                                          BILLING CODE P
                                                  part 1506) implementing the provisions of                                                                     Act on February 15, 1996 (61 FR 6039).
                                                  the National Environmental Policy Act
                                                                                                                                                                   The last notification was filed with
                                                  (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321              DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE                                 the Department on February 3, 2017. A
                                                  et seq.).
                                                                                                                                                                notice was published in the Federal
                                                   Dated: May 18, 2017.                                   Antitrust Division                                    Register pursuant to Section 6(b) of the
                                                  Walter D. Cruickshank,                                  Notice Pursuant to the National                       Act on March 6, 2017 (82 FR 12638).
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy                 Cooperative Research and Production                   Patricia A. Brink,
                                                  Management.                                             Act of 1993—ODVA, Inc.                                Director of Civil Enforcement, Antitrust
                                                  [FR Doc. 2017–10506 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                             Notice is hereby given that, on April              Division.
                                                  BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
                                                                                                          20, 2017, pursuant to Section 6(a) of the             [FR Doc. 2017–10356 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                          National Cooperative Research and                     BILLING CODE P
                                                                                                          Production Act of 1993, 15 U.S.C. 4301
                                                                                                          et seq. (‘‘the Act’’), ODVA, Inc.


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Document Created: 2018-11-08 08:51:06
Document Modified: 2018-11-08 08:51:06
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of availability of a Record of Decision.
ContactFor more information on the Record of Decision, you may contact Sharon Randall, Chief, Environmental Analysis Section, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, 907-334-5235.
FR Citation82 FR 23295 

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