The NewsRoom
Release: #3624
Date: March 20, 2007
MMS
Publishes OCS Alternative Energy and Alternate Use Program Draft
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
Public Hearings Scheduled for April and May 2007
WASHINGTON, DC --
The Interior Department’s Minerals Management
Service (MMS) is accepting public comments on the draft programmatic
environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Alternative Energy and Alternate Use (AEAU) program. The
Notice of Availability for the AEAU draft programmatic EIS is listed
in the
Federal Register reading room today. The draft EIS is
available for review online at . Written comments will be accepted through May
21, 2007, and MMS will also hold public hearings on the document in
April and May of 2007.
"The draft environmental impact statement is a
crucial step in developing the Alternative Energy and Alternate Use
Program, and public feedback and participation at this stage of the
process is vitally important," said MMS Director Johnnie Burton.
"The public has a unique opportunity to influence the creation of
new and promising uses of our nation's considerable ocean resources,
through submission of written comments on the draft EIS or live
input at upcoming hearings."
MMS received authority for the
OCS Alternative Energy and Alternate Use Program
under Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Under this
authority, MMS will regulate alternative energy projects and
alternate use of facilities on the OCS. Examples of the
general types of alternative energy project activities that MMS has
the discretion to authorize include, but are not limited to, wind
energy, wave energy, ocean current energy, solar energy, and
hydrogen production. Alternate uses of existing facilities may
include, but are not limited to, offshore aquaculture, research,
education, recreation, and support for offshore operations and
facilities.
The Draft Programmatic EIS
focuses on potential alternative energy development that may be
initiated in the next 5-7 years as well as potential alternate uses
of offshore facilities in the same time frame. The programmatic EIS
assesses generic impacts from development, operations and
decommissioning of alternative energy or alternate use facilities
and identifies key issues and mitigation measures that should be
considered in subsequent site-specific reviews. MMS expects to file
a Final EIS in August 2007 and publish a Record of Decision in
September 2007. Target dates for the draft proposed rule are:
publish Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at the end of June 2007 and
publish the Final Rule in December 2007/January 2008.
Public hearings on the draft programmatic EIS will be
held at the following locations:
April 16, 2007
Washington, DC – 10 a.m.
Main Interior Building
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC
April 24, 2007
West Long Branch, New Jersey – 7 p.m.
Monmouth University
400 Cedar Avenue
West Long Branch, NJ
April 25, 2007
Melville (Long Island), New York – 7 p.m.
Melville Marriott
1350 Old Walt Whitman Road
Melville, New York
April 26, 2007
Newton (Boston), Massachusetts – 7 p.m.
Marriott Boston Newton
2345 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466
May 1, 2007
Houston, Texas – 7 p.m.
Houston Airport Marriott
18700 John F. Kennedy Blvd
Houston, TX
May 1, 2007 San
Francisco, California – 7 p.m.
The Presidio
Prince Room, Golden Gate Club
135 Fisher Loop
San Francisco, CA
May 2, 2007
Portland, Oregon – 7 p.m.
Residence Inn & Courtyard North Harbour
1250 N. Anchor Way
Portland, OR
May 2, 2007
Miami, Florida – 7 p.m.
Holiday Inn Miami International Airport
1111 South Royal Poinciana Blvd
Miami Springs, FL
May 3, 2007
Charleston, South Carolina – 7 p.m.
Courtyard by Marriott Charleston
35 Lockwood Drive
Charleston, SC
The public may obtain an electronic copy of the
draft programmatic EIS at:
ocsenergy.anl.gov. A single printed or CD-ROM copy of the draft
programmatic EIS can be requested by writing to the Minerals
Management Service, Environmental Assessment Branch Office (MS
4042), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia, 20170.
MMS is also accepting written
comments on the draft programmatic EIS for the next 60 days
electronically, using the online comment form at
ocsenergy.anl.gov, or by mail
to:
MMS OCS Alternative Energy and Alternate Use
Programmatic EIS, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue,
Argonne, IL 60439.
Comments must be received by
May 21, 2007.
Relevant Web Site:
MMS Main Website
Media Contact:
Nicolette Nye
703/787-1011
MMS: Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for
America
U.S. Department of the Interior
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