Notice2022-21994
Oil and Gas Decommissioning Activities on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 12, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentSafety and Environmental Enforcement Bureau
Abstract
BSEE announces the availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Oil and Gas Decommissioning Activities on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This Notice of Availability (NOA) is published pursuant to the regulations implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) assisted BSEE in the preparation of this environmental impact statement. BSEE and BOEM prepared the Draft PEIS to inform BSEE's future decisions on operator applications to decommission OCS oil and gas platforms and associated infrastructure off the Southern California coast. The Army Corps of Engineers participated as a cooperating agency. This notice marks the start of the public review and comment period and announces two virtual public meetings. After the public meetings and written comments on the Draft PEIS have been reviewed and considered, a final PEIS will be prepared.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 196 (Wednesday, October 12, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61628-61629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-21994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
[EEEE500000 223E1700D2 ET1SF0000.EAQ000; BOEM-2021-0043]
Oil and Gas Decommissioning Activities on the Pacific Outer
Continental Shelf
AGENCY: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement for Oil and Gas Decommissioning Activities on the
Pacific Outer Continental Shelf.
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SUMMARY: BSEE announces the availability of the Draft Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Oil and Gas Decommissioning
Activities on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This Notice of
Availability (NOA) is published pursuant to the regulations
implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) assisted BSEE in the
preparation of this environmental impact statement. BSEE and BOEM
prepared the Draft PEIS to inform BSEE's future decisions on operator
applications to decommission OCS oil and gas platforms and associated
infrastructure off the Southern California coast. The Army Corps of
Engineers participated as a cooperating agency. This notice marks the
start of the public review and comment period and announces two virtual
public meetings. After the public meetings and written comments on the
Draft PEIS have been reviewed and considered, a final PEIS will be
prepared.
DATES: Comments on this Draft PEIS will be accepted until November 28,
2022. BOEM and BSEE will host two virtual public meetings on the Draft
PEIS as follows:
<bullet> Thursday, November 10, 2022; 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Pacific
Standard Time (PST)
<bullet> Wednesday, November 15, 2022; 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (PST)
Information regarding these meetings can be found at <a href="http://www.boem.gov/Pacific-Decomm-PEIS">www.boem.gov/Pacific-Decomm-PEIS</a> by clicking on the blue ``Public Meeting'' tab.
ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments through the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. In the search box, enter ``BOEM-
2021-0043'' and then ``Search.'' Click on the ``Comment'' button below
the document link. Enter your information and comment, then click
``Submit Comment.''
Written comments should be enclosed in an envelope labeled
``Comments on the Draft PEIS for Decommissioning Activities on the
Pacific OCS'' and mailed to Mr. Richard Yarde, Regional Supervisor,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Pacific OCS Region, 760 Paseo
Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010-6002.
Comments by email should be sent to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#04766d676c6576602a7d6576606144666b61692a636b72"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="82f0ebe1eae3f0e6acfbe3f0e6e7c2e0ede7eface5edf4">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for information on
submitting comments via the internet and the public disclosure of
commenters' names and addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may contact Mr. Richard Yarde,
Regional Supervisor, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Pacific OCS
Region, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010-6002. You
may also contact Mr. Yarde by telephone at (805) 384-6379 or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#afddc6ccc7ceddcb81d6ceddcbcaefcdc0cac281c8c0d9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="35475c565d5447511b4c5447515075575a50581b525a43">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action: The proposed action evaluated in this PEIS is for
BSEE to review and accept or reject, or approve with conditions,
operator decommissioning applications for the removal and disposal of
OCS oil and gas platforms, associated pipelines, and other facilities.
Under the proposed action, all platforms, pipelines, and other
facilities, and their related infrastructure, would be removed to a
depth below the mudline, as required by regulation (15 feet; 30 CFR
250.1728(a)).
Alternatives Considered: The four alternatives analyzed in the
Draft PEIS include Complete Removal (Proposed Action), Partial Removal
without artificial reef option, Partial Removal with artificial reef
option, and the No Action alternative. The activities analyzed in the
PEIS include, but are not limited to, complete removal of the platforms
employing non-explosive severance, removal of associated pipelines and
other facilities and obstructions, onshore disposal, abandonment-in-
place of associated pipelines, complete removal of topside
superstructure, partial jacket removal to at least 26m (85 ft) below
the waterline, as well as three sub-alternatives using explosive
severance for the platform jackets.
Availability of the Draft PEIS: You may download or view the Draft
PEIS, appendices, and associated information on the following website:
<a href="http://www.boem.gov/Pacific-Decomm-PEIS">www.boem.gov/Pacific-Decomm-PEIS</a>.
Information on Submitting Comments: BSEE and BOEM do not accept
anonymous comments. Your name and contact information are required to
submit comments on the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Before including
your name, return address, phone number, email address, or other
personally identifiable information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personally identifiable
information--may be made publicly available. In order for BSEE and BOEM
to withhold from disclosure your personally identifiable information,
you must identify, in a cover letter, 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 in such cover letter any possible harmful
[[Page 61629]]
consequences of the disclosure of information, such as embarrassment,
injury, or other harm. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold
your personally identifiable information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so. Even if BSEE and BOEM withhold
your information in the context of this comment period, your submission
is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and any relevant
court orders, and if your submission is requested under the FOIA or
such court order, your information will only be withheld if a
determination is made that one of the FOIA's exemptions to disclosure
applies or if such court order is challenged. Such a determination will
be made in accordance with the Department's FOIA regulations and
applicable law.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.; 43 CFR 46.415 (2019 ed.).
Kevin M. Sligh, Sr.,
Director, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2022-21994 Filed 10-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P
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