83_FR_834 83 FR 829 - Notice of Availability of the 2019-2024 Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

83 FR 829 - Notice of Availability of the 2019-2024 Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 5 (January 8, 2018)

Page Range829-834
FR Document2018-00083

BOEM is announcing the availability of, and requests comments on, the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) for the 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (2019-2024 Program or Program). BOEM is also announcing its decision to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the 2019-2024 Program (Programmatic EIS) and the initiation of the formal scoping process.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 5 (Monday, January 8, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 829-834]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00083]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[BOEM-2017-0074; MMAA104000]


Notice of Availability of the 2019-2024 Draft Proposed Outer 
Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and Notice of Intent To 
Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: BOEM is announcing the availability of, and requests comments 
on, the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) for the 2019-2024 Outer 
Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (2019-2024 Program or 
Program). BOEM is also announcing its decision to prepare a 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the 2019-2024 Program 
(Programmatic EIS) and the initiation of the formal scoping process.

DATES: Comments should be submitted by March 9, 2018 to the address 
specified in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Dates of public 
meetings to be held between now and March 9, 2018, will be posted on 
https://www.BOEM.gov/National-OCS-Program.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the DPP or Programmatic EIS may be submitted in 
one of the following ways:
    1. Mailed in an envelope labeled ``Comments for the 2019-2024 Draft 
Proposed National Oil and Gas Leasing Program'' and mailed (or hand 
delivered) to Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Chief, National Oil and Gas Leasing 
Program Development and Coordination Branch, Leasing Division, Office 
of Strategic Resources, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (VAM-LD), 
45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166-9216, telephone (703) 787-1613. 
Written comments may also be hand delivered at a public meeting to the 
BOEM official in charge.
    2. Through the Regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and under the Search tab, in the space provided, 
type in Docket ID: BOEM-2017-0074 to submit comments and to view other 
comments already submitted. Information on using www.regulations.gov, 
including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, 
and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is 
available through the links under the box entitled ``Are you new to 
this site?''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the 2019-2024 
Program process or BOEM's policies associated with this notice, please 
contact Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Chief, National Oil and Gas Leasing Program 
Development and Coordination Branch at (703) 787-1613. For information 
on the 2019-2024 Programmatic EIS, submission of comments related to 
potential environmental impacts, or Cooperating Agency status, please 
contact Dr. Jill Lewandowski, Chief, Division of Environmental 
Assessment, at (703) 787-1703.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 28, 2017, Presidential Executive 
Order 13795: Implementing an America First Offshore Energy Strategy 
(E.O. 13795), directed the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to 
give full consideration to revising the schedule of proposed oil and 
gas lease sales adopted in the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil 
and Gas Leasing Program, which was approved on January 17, 2017. The 
Secretary issued Secretarial Order 3350 on May 1, 2017, which further 
directed BOEM to develop a new National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and 
Gas Leasing Program. As directed by the Secretary, BOEM initiated the 
development of the 2019-2024 Program by issuing a request for 
information and comments (RFI) on July 3, 2017 (82 FR 30886). The 
Program development process required by section 18 of the Outer 
Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), 43 U.S.C. 1344, and its 
implementing regulations, includes the development of a DPP, a Proposed 
Program, a Proposed Final Program (PFP), and Secretarial approval of 
the 2019-2024 Program.
    This notice serves as the NOA for the DPP and the NOI for the 
preparation of a Programmatic EIS. The DPP includes the section 18 
analysis for the OCS areas of potential interest to the Secretary and 
his initial proposed schedule of lease sales for the 2019-2024 Program. 
The

[[Page 830]]

DPP provides the basis for gathering information and conducting 
analyses to inform the Secretary on which areas to include for further 
leasing consideration in the 2019-2024 Program.
    The DPP for the 2019-2024 Program would make more than 98 percent 
of the OCS resources available to consider for oil and gas leasing 
during the 2019-2024 period. Including at this stage nearly the entire 
OCS for potential oil and gas discovery is consistent with advancing 
the goal of moving the United States from simply aspiring to energy 
independence to attaining energy dominance. This DPP would allow for 
unprecedented increases in access to America's extensive offshore oil 
and gas resources, a critical component of the Nation's energy 
portfolio, and emphasizes the importance of producing American energy 
in America.
    The DPP will enable the Secretary to receive information necessary 
to conduct a thorough consideration of the Section 18(a)(2) factors in 
order to perform the balancing analysis required by Section 18(a)(3) of 
the OCS Lands Act. Including areas in the 2019-2024 Program will 
incentivize industry to employ their world-class geological and 
technical expertise to assess and evaluate America's potential offshore 
oil and gas resources. By not prematurely restricting or narrowing OCS 
areas under consideration, this DPP will allow industry the opportunity 
to further inform the Secretary of their interest in leasing frontier 
areas and to collect data in areas that have not been explored in 
decades, if ever. This will, in turn, further our understanding of the 
resources available on the OCS to meet national energy needs. The 
Secretary's approach to the DPP lease sale schedule does not 
prematurely foreclose exploration planning, but fosters it, to allow 
for potential for the discovery of oil and gas on the OCS.
    Allowing for the potential discovery of new oil and gas reserves on 
the OCS is consistent with the Administration's America-First Energy 
Strategy, which seeks to achieve energy security and resilience by 
reducing U.S. reliance on imported energy. Additionally, OCS oil and 
gas production benefits the United States by helping to reinvigorate 
American manufacturing and job growth, and contributes to the gross 
domestic product. Many of the jobs in the oil and gas industry earn a 
significant wage premium; these employees have more purchasing power 
and can consume more goods and services, increasing their standard of 
living, and contributing more to the economy.
    Grounded in the above principles, and after careful consideration 
of public input and the OCS Lands Act Section 18(a)(2) factors, the DPP 
proposes a lease sale schedule of 47 lease sales in all four OCS 
regions and includes 25 of the 26 planning areas: 19 lease sales in the 
Alaska Region (3 in the Chukchi Sea, 3 in the Beaufort Sea, 2 in Cook 
Inlet, and 1 sale each in the 11 other available planning areas in 
Alaska), 7 lease sales in the Pacific Region (2 each for Northern 
California, Central California, and Southern California, and 1 for 
Washington/Oregon), 12 lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Region 
(10 regionwide lease sales for the portions of the Central, Western, 
and Eastern GOM planning areas that are not currently under moratorium, 
and 2 sales for the portions of the Central and Eastern GOM planning 
areas that will no longer be under moratorium in 2022), and 9 lease 
sales in the Atlantic Region (3 sales each for the Mid- and South 
Atlantic, 2 for the North Atlantic, and 1 for the Straits of Florida).
    The DPP does not include a sale in the North Aleutian Basin 
Planning Area. This area was withdrawn on December 16, 2014, from 
consideration for any oil and gas leasing for a time period without 
specific expiration.

                          Table 1--2019-2024 Draft Proposed Program Lease Sale Schedule
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Sale year              OCS Region                               Program area
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 2019....................  Alaska.........  Beaufort Sea.
2. 2020....................  Alaska.........  Chukchi Sea.
3. 2020....................  Pacific........  Southern California.
4. 2020....................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
5. 2020....................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
6. 2020....................  Atlantic.......  South Atlantic.
7. 2020....................  Atlantic.......  Mid-Atlantic.
8. 2021....................  Alaska.........  Beaufort Sea.
9. 2021....................  Alaska.........  Cook Inlet.
10. 2021...................  Pacific........  Washington/Oregon.
11. 2021...................  Pacific........  Northern California.
12. 2021...................  Pacific........  Central California.
13. 2021...................  Atlantic.......  North Atlantic.
14. 2021...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
15. 2021...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
16. 2022...................  Alaska.........  Chukchi Sea.
17. 2022...................  Pacific........  Southern California.
18. 2022...................  Atlantic.......  Mid-Atlantic.
19. 2022...................  Atlantic.......  South Atlantic.
20. 2022...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
21. 2022...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
22. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Beaufort Sea.
23. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Cook Inlet.
24. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Hope Basin.
25. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Norton Basin.
26. 2023...................  Alaska.........  St. Matthew-Hall.
27. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Navarin Basin.
28. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Aleutian Basin.
29. 2023...................  Alaska.........  St. George Basin.
30. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Bowers Basin.
31. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Aleutian Arc.
32. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Shumagin.
33. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Kodiak.
34. 2023...................  Alaska.........  Gulf of Alaska.

[[Page 831]]

 
35. 2023...................  Pacific........  Central California.
36. 2023...................  Pacific........  Northern California.
37. 2023...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
38. 2023...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
39. 2023...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Eastern and Central Gulf of Mexico.**
40. 2023...................  Atlantic.......  Straits of Florida.
41. 2023...................  Atlantic.......  North Atlantic.
42. 2024...................  Alaska.........  Chukchi Sea.
43. 2024...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
44. 2024...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.*
45. 2024...................  Gulf of Mexico.  Eastern and Central Gulf of Mexico.**
46. 2024...................  Atlantic.......  South Atlantic.
47. 2024...................  Atlantic.......  Mid-Atlantic.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* All available areas, not including those subject to the GOMESA moratorium through June 30, 2022.
** Those areas available following the expiration of the GOMESA moratorium.

    Including 25 of the 26 planning areas in the DPP allows for maximum 
flexibility in the future stages of the process, as well as the 
opportunity to seek additional input and further coordinate with key 
stakeholders on those areas. The Secretary is committed to enhancing 
coordination and collaboration with other governmental entities to 
discover solutions to multiple use challenges so that oil and gas 
resources can be extracted, critical military and other ocean uses can 
continue, and our sensitive physical and biological resources can be 
protected. The Secretary's goal is to increase access to America's 
energy resources and to provide environmental stewardship based upon 
the most up to date environmental information and analysis.
    The DPP serves as the basis for the proposed action to be evaluated 
in the Programmatic EIS. This NOI starts the formal scoping process for 
the Programmatic EIS under 40 CFR 1501.7 of the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
regulations and solicits input from the public regarding alternatives, 
impacting factors, and environmental resources and issues of concern in 
the DPP areas that should be evaluated in the Programmatic EIS. The 
purpose of scoping for the Programmatic EIS is to determine the 
appropriate content and scope for a focused and balanced programmatic 
environmental analysis by ensuring significant issues are identified 
early and properly studied during development of the Programmatic EIS. 
BOEM expects to consider environmentally sensitive areas in the 
Programmatic EIS that could be considered for exclusion as part of the 
Section 18 winnowing process.
    Please go to https://www.boem.gov/National-OCS-Oil-and-Gas-Leasing-Program-for-2019-2024/ for additional information about the 
Programmatic EIS and the 2019-2024 Program.
    Public Comment: All interested parties, including Federal, state, 
tribal, and local governments and others, can submit written comments 
on the DPP and the scope of the Programmatic EIS, significant issues 
that should be addressed, and the types of oil and gas activities of 
interest in OCS planning areas included in the DPP (e.g., gas in 
shallow water and industry interest in leasing and/or exploring 
planning areas not included in previous National OCS Programs). 
Comments on individual lease sale EIS documents should be submitted 
separately through the unique docket for each sale. Comments that 
provide scientific information, geospatial or other data, or anecdotal 
evidence to support your input are most useful and such information can 
be provided as attachments to comments.
    BOEM will protect privileged or proprietary information that you 
submit in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and 
OCSLA requirements. To avoid inadvertent release of such information, 
interested parties should mark all documents and every page containing 
such information with ``Confidential--Contains Proprietary 
Information.'' To the extent a document contains a mix of proprietary 
and nonproprietary information, interested parties should mark clearly 
which portion of the document is proprietary and which is not. 
Exemption 4 of FOIA applies to trade secrets and commercial or 
financial information that you submit that is privileged or 
confidential. The OCSLA states that the ``Secretary shall maintain the 
confidentiality of all privileged or proprietary data or information 
for such period of time as is provided for in this subchapter, 
established by regulation, or agreed to by the parties'' (43 U.S.C. 
1344(g)). BOEM considers each interested party's nominations of 
specific blocks to be proprietary, and therefore BOEM will not release 
information that identifies any particular nomination, so as not to 
compromise the competitive position of any participants in the process 
of indicating interest.
    However, please be aware that BOEM's practice is to make all other 
public comments, including the names and addresses of individuals, 
available for public inspection. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, please 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 review your personal identifying information, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so. In order for BOEM to consider 
withholding from disclosure your personal identifying information, you 
must identify any information contained in the submittal of your 
comments that, if released, would constitute a clearly unwarranted 
invasion of your personal privacy. You must also briefly describe any 
possible harmful consequence(s) of the disclosure of information, such 
as embarrassment, injury or other harm. Note that BOEM will make 
available for public inspection, in their entirety, all comments 
submitted by organizations and businesses, or by individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or 
businesses.
    Public Meetings: BOEM will hold a series of public meetings to 
provide information and the opportunity for public comment on the 2019-
2024 Program and the Programmatic EIS. BOEM's public meetings will be 
held

[[Page 832]]

using an open house format. The open house format allows members of the 
public to come to a meeting any time during meeting hours to view 
information, provide comments, and discuss the 2019-2024 Program and 
the Programmatic EIS with BOEM staff.
    Public meetings will be held between now and March 9, 2018 to 
receive scoping comments on the Programmatic EIS. Meetings are being 
planned for, but are not necessarily limited to the following cities:

 Washington, DC;
 Augusta, ME;
 Concord, NH;
 Boston, MA;
 Providence, RI;
 Hartford, CT;
 Albany, NY;
 Trenton, NJ;
 Dover, DE;
 Annapolis, MD;
 Richmond, VA;
 Raleigh, NC;
 Columbia, SC;
 Atlanta, GA;
 Tallahassee, FL;
 Montgomery, AL;
 Jackson, MS;
 Baton Rouge, LA;
 Austin, TX;
 Sacramento, CA;
 Salem, OR;
 Olympia, WA;
 Anchorage, AK.

    Specific dates, times, and venues will be posted on https://
www.boem.gov/National-OCS-Program.
    Cooperating Agencies: BOEM invites other Federal agencies and 
state, tribal, and local governments to consider becoming cooperating 
agencies in the preparation of the Programmatic EIS. Pursuant to CEQ 
regulations and guidelines, qualified agencies and governments are 
those with ``jurisdiction by law or special expertise.'' Potential 
cooperating agencies and governments should consider their authority 
and capacity to assume the responsibilities of a cooperating agency and 
remember that an agency's role as a cooperating agency in the 
environmental analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes its authority in 
the NEPA process. BOEM will provide potential cooperating agencies with 
a written summary of expectations for cooperating agencies, including 
schedules, milestones, responsibilities, scope and expected detail of 
cooperating agencies' contributions, and availability of predecisional 
information. BOEM anticipates this summary will form the basis for a 
Cooperating Agency Agreement between BOEM and any cooperating agency. 
Agencies should also consider the ``Factors for Determining Cooperating 
Agency Status'' in CEQ's January 30, 2002, Memorandum for the Heads of 
Federal Agencies: Cooperating Agencies in Implementing the Procedural 
Requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. This document is 
available on the website, https://ceq.doe.gov/guidance/guidance.html. 
BOEM, as lead agency, does not plan to provide financial assistance to 
cooperating agencies. Even if an organization is not a cooperating 
agency, opportunities will exist to provide information and comments to 
BOEM during the normal public input stages of the NEPA process.

    Authority:  This NOA for the DPP for the 2019-2024 Program is 
published in accordance with section 18 of OCSLA and its 
implementing regulations (30 CFR part 556). This NOI to prepare the 
2019-2024 Programmatic EIS is published pursuant to the regulations 
(40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 46.235) implementing the provisions of 
NEPA.

    Dated: December 11, 2018.
Walter Cruickshank,
Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P

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[FR Doc. 2018-00083 Filed 1-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-C

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices 829 collection was previously published in www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/ Written comments may also be hand the Federal Register (82 FR 48840) on documents/CBP%20Form%203078.pdf. delivered at a public meeting to the October 20, 2017, allowing for a 60-day Affected Public: Businesses. BOEM official in charge. comment period. This notice allows for Estimated Number of Respondents: 2. Through the Regulations.gov web an additional 30 days for public 150,000. portal: Navigate to http:// comments. This process is conducted in Estimated Number of Total Annual www.regulations.gov and under the accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8. Written Responses: 150,000. Search tab, in the space provided, type comments and suggestions from the Estimated Time per Response: 17 in Docket ID: BOEM–2017–0074 to public and affected agencies should minutes. submit comments and to view other address one or more of the following Estimated Total Annual Burden comments already submitted. four points: (1) Whether the proposed Hours: 42,450. Information on using collection of information is necessary Dated: January 2, 2018. www.regulations.gov, including for the proper performance of the Seth Renkema, instructions for accessing documents, functions of the agency, including Branch Chief, Economic Impact Analysis submitting comments, and viewing the whether the information will have Branch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. docket after the close of the comment practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the [FR Doc. 2018–00070 Filed 1–5–18; 8:45 am] period, is available through the links agency’s estimate of the burden of the BILLING CODE 9111–14–P under the box entitled ‘‘Are you new to proposed collection of information, this site?’’ including the validity of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For methodology and assumptions used; (3) information on the 2019–2024 Program DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR suggestions to enhance the quality, process or BOEM’s policies associated utility, and clarity of the information to Bureau of Ocean Energy Management with this notice, please contact Ms. be collected; and (4) suggestions to Kelly Hammerle, Chief, National Oil minimize the burden of the collection of [BOEM–2017–0074; MMAA104000] and Gas Leasing Program Development information on those who are to and Coordination Branch at (703) 787– Notice of Availability of the 2019–2024 respond, including through the use of 1613. For information on the 2019–2024 Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf appropriate automated, electronic, Programmatic EIS, submission of Oil and Gas Leasing Program and mechanical, or other technological comments related to potential Notice of Intent To Prepare a collection techniques or other forms of environmental impacts, or Cooperating Programmatic Environmental Impact information technology, e.g., permitting Agency status, please contact Dr. Jill Statement electronic submission of responses. The Lewandowski, Chief, Division of comments that are submitted will be AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Environmental Assessment, at (703) summarized and included in the request Management (BOEM), Interior. 787–1703. for approval. All comments will become ACTION: Notice; request for comments. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April a matter of public record. 28, 2017, Presidential Executive Order SUMMARY: BOEM is announcing the 13795: Implementing an America First Overview of This Information availability of, and requests comments Collection Offshore Energy Strategy (E.O. 13795), on, the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) directed the Secretary of the Interior Title: Application for Identification for the 2019–2024 Outer Continental (Secretary) to give full consideration to Card. Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program revising the schedule of proposed oil OMB Number: 1651–0008. (2019–2024 Program or Program). BOEM and gas lease sales adopted in the 2017– Form Number: CBP Form 3078. is also announcing its decision to 2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Action: CBP proposes to extend the prepare a Programmatic Environmental Gas Leasing Program, which was expiration date of this information Impact Statement for the 2019–2024 approved on January 17, 2017. The collection with no change to the Program (Programmatic EIS) and the Secretary issued Secretarial Order 3350 estimated burden hours or to CBP Form initiation of the formal scoping process. on May 1, 2017, which further directed 3078. DATES: Comments should be submitted BOEM to develop a new National Outer Type of Review: Extension (without by March 9, 2018 to the address Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing change). specified in the ADDRESSES section of Program. As directed by the Secretary, Abstract: CBP Form 3078, Application this notice. Dates of public meetings to BOEM initiated the development of the for Identification Card, is filled out in be held between now and March 9, 2019–2024 Program by issuing a request order to obtain an Identification Card 2018, will be posted on https:// for information and comments (RFI) on which is used to gain access to CBP www.BOEM.gov/National-OCS-Program. July 3, 2017 (82 FR 30886). The Program security areas. This form collects ADDRESSES: Comments on the DPP or development process required by biographical information and is usually Programmatic EIS may be submitted in section 18 of the Outer Continental completed by licensed Cartmen or one of the following ways: Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), 43 U.S.C. Lightermen whose duties require 1. Mailed in an envelope labeled 1344, and its implementing regulations, receiving, transporting, or otherwise ‘‘Comments for the 2019–2024 Draft includes the development of a DPP, a handling imported merchandise which Proposed National Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program, a Proposed Final has not been released from CBP custody. Program’’ and mailed (or hand Program (PFP), and Secretarial approval This form is submitted to the local CBP delivered) to Ms. Kelly Hammerle, sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES of the 2019–2024 Program. office at the port of entry that the Chief, National Oil and Gas Leasing This notice serves as the NOA for the respondent will be requesting access to Program Development and Coordination DPP and the NOI for the preparation of the Federal Inspection Section. Form Branch, Leasing Division, Office of a Programmatic EIS. The DPP includes 3078 is authorized by 19 U.S.C. 66, Strategic Resources, Bureau of Ocean the section 18 analysis for the OCS areas 1551, 1555, 1565, 1624, 1641; and 19 Energy Management (VAM–LD), 45600 of potential interest to the Secretary and CFR 112.42, 118, 122.182, and 146.6. Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166– his initial proposed schedule of lease This form is accessible at: http:// 9216, telephone (703) 787–1613. sales for the 2019–2024 Program. The VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1

830 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices DPP provides the basis for gathering restricting or narrowing OCS areas Grounded in the above principles, information and conducting analyses to under consideration, this DPP will and after careful consideration of public inform the Secretary on which areas to allow industry the opportunity to input and the OCS Lands Act Section include for further leasing consideration further inform the Secretary of their 18(a)(2) factors, the DPP proposes a in the 2019–2024 Program. interest in leasing frontier areas and to lease sale schedule of 47 lease sales in The DPP for the 2019–2024 Program collect data in areas that have not been all four OCS regions and includes 25 of would make more than 98 percent of the explored in decades, if ever. This will, the 26 planning areas: 19 lease sales in OCS resources available to consider for in turn, further our understanding of the the Alaska Region (3 in the Chukchi oil and gas leasing during the 2019– resources available on the OCS to meet Sea, 3 in the Beaufort Sea, 2 in Cook 2024 period. Including at this stage national energy needs. The Secretary’s Inlet, and 1 sale each in the 11 other nearly the entire OCS for potential oil approach to the DPP lease sale schedule available planning areas in Alaska), 7 and gas discovery is consistent with does not prematurely foreclose lease sales in the Pacific Region (2 each advancing the goal of moving the United exploration planning, but fosters it, to for Northern California, Central States from simply aspiring to energy allow for potential for the discovery of California, and Southern California, and independence to attaining energy oil and gas on the OCS. 1 for Washington/Oregon), 12 lease sales dominance. This DPP would allow for Allowing for the potential discovery in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Region (10 unprecedented increases in access to of new oil and gas reserves on the OCS regionwide lease sales for the portions America’s extensive offshore oil and gas is consistent with the Administration’s of the Central, Western, and Eastern resources, a critical component of the America-First Energy Strategy, which GOM planning areas that are not Nation’s energy portfolio, and seeks to achieve energy security and currently under moratorium, and 2 sales emphasizes the importance of resilience by reducing U.S. reliance on for the portions of the Central and producing American energy in America. imported energy. Additionally, OCS oil The DPP will enable the Secretary to and gas production benefits the United Eastern GOM planning areas that will receive information necessary to States by helping to reinvigorate no longer be under moratorium in conduct a thorough consideration of the American manufacturing and job 2022), and 9 lease sales in the Atlantic Section 18(a)(2) factors in order to growth, and contributes to the gross Region (3 sales each for the Mid- and perform the balancing analysis required domestic product. Many of the jobs in South Atlantic, 2 for the North Atlantic, by Section 18(a)(3) of the OCS Lands the oil and gas industry earn a and 1 for the Straits of Florida). Act. Including areas in the 2019–2024 significant wage premium; these The DPP does not include a sale in Program will incentivize industry to employees have more purchasing power the North Aleutian Basin Planning Area. employ their world-class geological and and can consume more goods and This area was withdrawn on December technical expertise to assess and services, increasing their standard of 16, 2014, from consideration for any oil evaluate America’s potential offshore oil living, and contributing more to the and gas leasing for a time period and gas resources. By not prematurely economy. without specific expiration. TABLE 1—2019–2024 DRAFT PROPOSED PROGRAM LEASE SALE SCHEDULE Sale year OCS Region Program area 1. 2019 ....................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Beaufort Sea. 2. 2020 ....................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Chukchi Sea. 3. 2020 ....................... Pacific ........................................................................................ Southern California. 4. 2020 ....................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 5. 2020 ....................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 6. 2020 ....................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... South Atlantic. 7. 2020 ....................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... Mid-Atlantic. 8. 2021 ....................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Beaufort Sea. 9. 2021 ....................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Cook Inlet. 10. 2021 ..................... Pacific ........................................................................................ Washington/Oregon. 11. 2021 ..................... Pacific ........................................................................................ Northern California. 12. 2021 ..................... Pacific ........................................................................................ Central California. 13. 2021 ..................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... North Atlantic. 14. 2021 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 15. 2021 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 16. 2022 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Chukchi Sea. 17. 2022 ..................... Pacific ........................................................................................ Southern California. 18. 2022 ..................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... Mid-Atlantic. 19. 2022 ..................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... South Atlantic. 20. 2022 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 21. 2022 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 22. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Beaufort Sea. 23. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Cook Inlet. 24. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Hope Basin. 25. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Norton Basin. 26. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ St. Matthew-Hall. sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES 27. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Navarin Basin. 28. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Aleutian Basin. 29. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ St. George Basin. 30. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Bowers Basin. 31. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Aleutian Arc. 32. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Shumagin. 33. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Kodiak. 34. 2023 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Gulf of Alaska. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices 831 TABLE 1—2019–2024 DRAFT PROPOSED PROGRAM LEASE SALE SCHEDULE—Continued Sale year OCS Region Program area 35. 2023 ..................... Pacific ........................................................................................ Central California. 36. 2023 ..................... Pacific ........................................................................................ Northern California. 37. 2023 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 38. 2023 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 39. 2023 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Eastern and Central Gulf of Mexico.** 40. 2023 ..................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... Straits of Florida. 41. 2023 ..................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... North Atlantic. 42. 2024 ..................... Alaska ........................................................................................ Chukchi Sea. 43. 2024 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 44. 2024 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico.* 45. 2024 ..................... Gulf of Mexico ........................................................................... Eastern and Central Gulf of Mexico.** 46. 2024 ..................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... South Atlantic. 47. 2024 ..................... Atlantic ....................................................................................... Mid-Atlantic. * All available areas, not including those subject to the GOMESA moratorium through June 30, 2022. ** Those areas available following the expiration of the GOMESA moratorium. Including 25 of the 26 planning areas Program-for-2019-2024/ for additional by the parties’’ (43 U.S.C. 1344(g)). in the DPP allows for maximum information about the Programmatic EIS BOEM considers each interested party’s flexibility in the future stages of the and the 2019–2024 Program. nominations of specific blocks to be process, as well as the opportunity to Public Comment: All interested proprietary, and therefore BOEM will seek additional input and further parties, including Federal, state, tribal, not release information that identifies coordinate with key stakeholders on and local governments and others, can any particular nomination, so as not to those areas. The Secretary is committed submit written comments on the DPP compromise the competitive position of to enhancing coordination and and the scope of the Programmatic EIS, any participants in the process of collaboration with other governmental significant issues that should be indicating interest. entities to discover solutions to multiple addressed, and the types of oil and gas However, please be aware that use challenges so that oil and gas activities of interest in OCS planning BOEM’s practice is to make all other resources can be extracted, critical areas included in the DPP (e.g., gas in public comments, including the names military and other ocean uses can shallow water and industry interest in and addresses of individuals, available continue, and our sensitive physical and leasing and/or exploring planning areas for public inspection. Before including biological resources can be protected. not included in previous National OCS your address, phone number, email The Secretary’s goal is to increase access Programs). Comments on individual address, or other personal identifying to America’s energy resources and to lease sale EIS documents should be information in your comment, please be provide environmental stewardship submitted separately through the unique advised that your entire comment, based upon the most up to date docket for each sale. Comments that including your personal identifying environmental information and provide scientific information, information, may be made publicly analysis. geospatial or other data, or anecdotal available at any time. While you can ask The DPP serves as the basis for the evidence to support your input are most us in your comment to withhold from proposed action to be evaluated in the useful and such information can be public review your personal identifying Programmatic EIS. This NOI starts the provided as attachments to comments. information, we cannot guarantee that formal scoping process for the BOEM will protect privileged or we will be able to do so. In order for Programmatic EIS under 40 CFR 1501.7 proprietary information that you submit BOEM to consider withholding from of the Council on Environmental in accordance with the Freedom of disclosure your personal identifying Quality (CEQ) National Environmental Information Act (FOIA) and OCSLA information, you must identify any Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and requirements. To avoid inadvertent information contained in the submittal solicits input from the public regarding release of such information, interested of your comments that, if released, alternatives, impacting factors, and parties should mark all documents and would constitute a clearly unwarranted environmental resources and issues of every page containing such information invasion of your personal privacy. You concern in the DPP areas that should be with ‘‘Confidential—Contains must also briefly describe any possible evaluated in the Programmatic EIS. The Proprietary Information.’’ To the extent harmful consequence(s) of the purpose of scoping for the Programmatic a document contains a mix of disclosure of information, such as EIS is to determine the appropriate proprietary and nonproprietary embarrassment, injury or other harm. content and scope for a focused and information, interested parties should Note that BOEM will make available for balanced programmatic environmental mark clearly which portion of the public inspection, in their entirety, all analysis by ensuring significant issues document is proprietary and which is comments submitted by organizations are identified early and properly studied not. Exemption 4 of FOIA applies to and businesses, or by individuals during development of the trade secrets and commercial or identifying themselves as financial information that you submit sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Programmatic EIS. BOEM expects to representatives of organizations or consider environmentally sensitive that is privileged or confidential. The businesses. areas in the Programmatic EIS that OCSLA states that the ‘‘Secretary shall Public Meetings: BOEM will hold a could be considered for exclusion as maintain the confidentiality of all series of public meetings to provide part of the Section 18 winnowing privileged or proprietary data or information and the opportunity for process. information for such period of time as public comment on the 2019–2024 Please go to https://www.boem.gov/ is provided for in this subchapter, Program and the Programmatic EIS. National-OCS-Oil-and-Gas-Leasing- established by regulation, or agreed to BOEM’s public meetings will be held VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1

832 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices using an open house format. The open • Olympia, WA; BOEM and any cooperating agency. house format allows members of the • Anchorage, AK. Agencies should also consider the public to come to a meeting any time Specific dates, times, and venues will ‘‘Factors for Determining Cooperating during meeting hours to view be posted on https://www.boem.gov/ Agency Status’’ in CEQ’s January 30, information, provide comments, and National-OCS-Program. 2002, Memorandum for the Heads of discuss the 2019–2024 Program and the Federal Agencies: Cooperating Agencies Cooperating Agencies: BOEM invites Programmatic EIS with BOEM staff. in Implementing the Procedural other Federal agencies and state, tribal, Public meetings will be held between Requirements of the National and local governments to consider now and March 9, 2018 to receive Environmental Policy Act. This becoming cooperating agencies in the scoping comments on the Programmatic document is available on the website, preparation of the Programmatic EIS. EIS. Meetings are being planned for, but https://ceq.doe.gov/guidance/ Pursuant to CEQ regulations and are not necessarily limited to the guidance.html. BOEM, as lead agency, guidelines, qualified agencies and following cities: does not plan to provide financial governments are those with • Washington, DC; ‘‘jurisdiction by law or special assistance to cooperating agencies. Even • Augusta, ME; expertise.’’ Potential cooperating if an organization is not a cooperating • Concord, NH; agency, opportunities will exist to agencies and governments should • Boston, MA; provide information and comments to consider their authority and capacity to • Providence, RI; BOEM during the normal public input • Hartford, CT; assume the responsibilities of a stages of the NEPA process. • Albany, NY; cooperating agency and remember that an agency’s role as a cooperating agency Authority: This NOA for the DPP for the • Trenton, NJ; 2019–2024 Program is published in • Dover, DE; in the environmental analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes its authority in accordance with section 18 of OCSLA and its • Annapolis, MD; implementing regulations (30 CFR part 556). • Richmond, VA; the NEPA process. BOEM will provide This NOI to prepare the 2019–2024 • Raleigh, NC; potential cooperating agencies with a Programmatic EIS is published pursuant to • Columbia, SC; written summary of expectations for the regulations (40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR • Atlanta, GA; cooperating agencies, including 46.235) implementing the provisions of • Tallahassee, FL; schedules, milestones, responsibilities, NEPA. • Montgomery, AL; scope and expected detail of Dated: December 11, 2018. • Jackson, MS; cooperating agencies’ contributions, and • Baton Rouge, LA; availability of predecisional Walter Cruickshank, • Austin, TX; information. BOEM anticipates this Acting Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy • Sacramento, CA; summary will form the basis for a Management. • Salem, OR; Cooperating Agency Agreement between BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices 833 Figure 1: DPP Map - Contiguous United States 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program Areas: Lower 48 States Planning Area Boundary Congressional Moratorium (expires June 30, 2022) N sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES EN08JA18.000</GPH> VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4725 E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1

834 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices [FR Doc. 2018–00083 Filed 1–5–18; 8:45 am] of U.S. Patent No. 9,154,356 (‘‘the ’356 2000. General information concerning BILLING CODE 4310–MR–C patent’’); U.S. Patent No. 9,473,336 (‘‘the the Commission may also be obtained ’336 patent’’); U.S. Patent No. 8,063,674 by accessing its internet server at (‘‘the ’674 patent’’); U.S. Patent No. https://www.usitc.gov. The public INTERNATIONAL TRADE 7,693,002 (‘‘the ’002 patent’’); and U.S. record for this investigation may be COMMISSION Patent No. 9,552,633 (‘‘the ’633 patent’’). viewed on the Commission’s electronic The complaint further alleges that an docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov. [Investigation No. 337–TA–1093] industry in the United States exists as FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: required by the applicable Federal Pathenia M. Proctor, The Office of Certain Mobile Electronic Devices and Statute. Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. Radio Frequency and Processing The complainant requests that the International Trade Commission, Components Thereof (II); Institution of Commission institute an investigation telephone (202) 205–2560. Investigation and, after the investigation, issue a SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AGENCY: U.S. International Trade limited exclusion order and a cease and Authority: The authority for Commission. desist order. institution of this investigation is ACTION: Notice. ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for contained in section 337 of the Tariff any confidential information contained Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337 SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a therein, is available for inspection and in section 210.10 of the complaint was filed with the U.S. during official business hours (8:45 a.m. Commission’s Rules of Practice and International Trade Commission on to 5:15 p.m.) in the Office of the Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2017). November 30, 2017, under section 337 Secretary, U.S. International Trade Scope of Investigation: Having of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, Commission, 500 E Street SW, Room considered the complaint, the U.S. on behalf of Qualcomm Incorporated of 112, Washington, DC 20436, telephone International Trade Commission, on San Diego, California. The complaint (202) 205–2000. Hearing impaired January 2, 2018, ordered that— alleges violations of section 337 based individuals are advised that information (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES upon the importation into the United on this matter can be obtained by section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as States, the sale for importation, and the contacting the Commission’s TDD amended, an investigation be instituted sale within the United States after terminal on (202) 205–1810. Persons to determine whether there is a importation of certain mobile electronic with mobility impairments who will violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of devices and radio frequency and need special assistance in gaining access section 337 in the importation into the processing components thereof by to the Commission should contact the United States, the sale for importation, reason of infringement of certain claims Office of the Secretary at (202) 205– or the sale within the United States after EN08JA18.001</GPH> VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1


Document Created: 2018-01-06 02:31:53
Document Modified: 2018-01-06 02:31:53
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; request for comments.
ContactFor information on the 2019-2024 Program process or BOEM's policies associated with this notice, please contact Ms. Kelly Hammerle, Chief, National Oil and Gas Leasing Program Development and Coordination Branch at (703) 787-1613. For information on the 2019-2024 Programmatic EIS, submission of comments related to potential environmental impacts, or Cooperating Agency status, please contact Dr. Jill Lewandowski, Chief, Division of Environmental Assessment, at (703) 787-1703.
FR Citation83 FR 829 
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