[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 55539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25983]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XR77
Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement; Seismic
Surveys in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS);
Notice of Withdrawal.
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SUMMARY: On November 17, 2006, pursuant to the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), NMFS and the Minerals Management Service (MMS)
announced our intent to prepare a DPEIS that would describe and analyze
the potential significant environmental impacts related to reasonably
foreseeable proposed geophysical exploration using seismic surveys in
the waters of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. A Notice of Availability
(NOA) for the DPEIS and a schedule of public hearings was published on
April 6, 2007. Since that date, new information has become available
that may affect aspects of the analysis in the DPEIS and potentially
the document's scope and range of alternatives. Therefore, NMFS and MMS
are withdrawing the 2007 DPEIS and initiating a new NEPA process that
will consider and incorporate this new information.
DATES: Effective October 28, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For any further information, contact
P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910 or by telephone at (301) 713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 6, 2007, NMFS and MMS published a
NOA for a DPEIS and a schedule of public hearings (72 FR 17117) to
assess the impacts of MMS' issuance of permits and authorizations under
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act for the conduct of seismic
surveys in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas off Alaska, and NMFS'
authorizations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to incidentally
harass marine mammals while conducting those surveys. The proposed
scope and effects of the seismic survey activities analyzed in the
DPEIS were based on the best available information at the time. Since
then, new information (e.g., scientific study results, changes in
projections of seismic activity) has become available that may
potentially alter the scope, set of alternatives, and analyses in the
DPEIS. Also, there has been a renewed interest in exploratory drilling
in both the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Therefore, NMFS and MMS believe
it is appropriate to withdraw the 2007 DPEIS and initiate a new NEPA
EIS process that will include this new information. Public comment and
participation opportunities will be provided through this new NEPA
process. We will be entering into discussions with stakeholders to
determine how best to proceed and will publish a Notice of Intent to
prepare a new EIS with dates and locations of public meetings on this
subject.
Dated: October 21, 2009.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-25983 Filed 10-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S