Notices
 

	Notice summarizing Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties paid from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008 Federal Register: Vol. 74, No. 59, FR 14151, March 30, 2009 Summary: This notice provides a listing of civil penalties paid from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008, for violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. The goal of the MMS Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties Program is to assure safe and clean oil, gas, sulphur, or other minerals operations on the Outer Continental Shelf. Through the pursuit, assessment, and collection of civil penalties and referrals for the consideration of criminal penalties, the program is designed to encourage compliance with applicable statutes and regulations. The purpose of publishing the penalties summary is to provide information to the public on violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and to provide an additional incentive for safe and environmentally sound operations.
	Notice of Availability (NOA) of Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Cape Wind Energy Project on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off Massachusetts, in Nantucket Sound; Request for Comment (54 KB PDF) Federal Register Cite: Vol. 74, No. 12, FR 3635  (01/21/2009) Summary: The MMS is announcing the availability of a final EIS for the proposed Cape Wind Energy Project. Cape Wind Associates, LLC (CWA) has requested a lease, easement or right-of way, pursuant to section 8(p) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (43 U.S.C. 1337) as amended, and proposes to construct and operate a wind energy facility on the OCS off Massachusetts, in Nantucket Sound. The final EIS is intended to inform the public of the proposed action and reasonable alternatives, including the ‘‘no action’’ alternative; analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of the proposed action and each of the reasonable alternatives; address public comment received on the draft EIS that was released in January 2008; and provide information to support decision-making.
	Request for Comments on the Draft Proposed 5-Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2010–2015 and Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed 5-Year Program (71 KB PDF) Federal Register Cite: Vol. 74, No. 12, FR 3631 (01/21/2009) Summary: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) requests comments on the Draft Proposed 5-year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2010–2015 (DPP). This draft proposal is for a new oil and gas program to succeed the current program that is currently set to expire on June 30, 2012, and forms the basis for conducting the studies and analyses the Secretary will consider in making future decisions on what areas of the OCS to include in the program. Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) specifies a multi-step process of consultation and analysis that must be completed before the Secretary of the Interior may approve a new 5-year program. The required steps following this notice include the development of a proposed program, a proposed final program, and Secretarial approval. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the MMS also will prepare an EIS for the new 5-year program.
	Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Central Planning Area (CPA) Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 208 (78 KB PDF) Federal Register Cite: Vol. 74, No. 9, FR 2092 (01/14/2009) Summary: On Wednesday, March 18, 2009, the MMS will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in CPA Oil and Gas Lease Sale 208, pursuant to the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331–1356, as amended) and the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR Part 256). The Final Notice of Sale 208 Package (Final NOS 208 Package) contains information essential to bidders, and bidders are charged with the knowledge of the documents contained in the Package.

Final Rules

	Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf (10.42 MB PDF)
	Environmental Assessment (505.40 KB PDF)
	Final Technical Report (618.37 KB PDF) Regulatory Identifier Number (RIN) 1010-AD30 Federal Register/Vol. 74, No. 81/Wednesday, April 29, 2009, FR 74 19638 Summary: The MMS is publishing final regulations to establish a program to grant leases, easements, and rights-of-way (ROW) for renewable energy project activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), as well as certain previously unauthorized activities that involve the alternate use of existing facilities located on the OCS; and to establish the methods for sharing revenues generated by this program with nearby coastal States. These regulations will also ensure the orderly, safe, and environmentally responsible development of renewable energy sources on the OCS. The MMS prepared a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing this rule. The EA incorporates by reference the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Alternative Energy Development and Production and Alternate Use of Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf, Final Environmental Impact Statement, October 2007. The EA was prepared to assess any impacts of this rule. Dates: Effective Date: This final rule is effective on June 29, 2009. The incorporation by reference of the publication listed in the regulation is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of June 29, 2009.