[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 151 (Wednesday, August 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 42239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-20670]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
(DOE/SEIS/PEIR-0158S)
Public Hearings on Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement/Program Environmental Impact Report; Naval Petroleum Reserves
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of Public Hearings on the Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement/Program Environmental Impact Report
(SEIS/PEIR).
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA), the
Department of Energy (DOE) and Kern County, California, have prepared a
draft SEIS/PEIR to assess the environmental effects of the sale of all
rights, title, and interest of the Federal government in Naval
Petroleum Reserve Numbered 1 (NPR-1) pursuant to the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 (Pub. L. 104-106).
INVITATION TO COMMENT: To ensure that the full range of issues related
to these actions is addressed, comments on the content of the draft
SEIS/PEIR are invited from all interested parties. Agencies,
organizations, and the general public are also invited to present
comments at the public hearing as indicated below. Written comments
will be addressed in the final SEIS/PEIR.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or questions concerning the aforementioned
actions should be directed to: Mr. Anthony J. Como, NEPA Document
Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Fossil Energy, (FE-27), Room 3H-
087, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-
5935.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the EIS
process, please contact: Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA
Policy and Assistance, (EH-42) U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4600 or 1-800-
472-2756.
The scheduled public hearing is: August 26, 1997 at 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
and 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Double Tree Inn, 3100 Camino del Rio Court,
Bakersfield, CA 93308.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE prepared an EIS in 1979 (DOE/EIS-
0012) which analyzed operation of NPR-1, including construction,
drilling, pumping and maintenance activities to achieve a maximum
efficient rate of production. In 1993, DOE prepared a supplemental EIS
(DOE/SEIS-0158) that updated the analysis of the impacts of oil and gas
production at NPR-1 under continued Federal ownership and operation.
The DOE has determined that the sale of NPR-1, as required by P.L.
104-106, constitutes a major Federal action which may have a
significant impact upon the environment within the meaning of NEPA. As
a result of this determination, the DOE is preparing a second
supplemental EIS in compliance with NEPA. Further, after consultation
with Kern County, California, both agencies determined that the
proposed action could have a significant effect on the environment
within the meaning of CEQA. Significant impacts may occur because
private-sector operation of NPR-1 could result in accelerated levels of
development and different types of activities than under continued
government ownership. The sale of NPR-1 was not analyzed until the 1993
SEIS. In addition, action to be undertaken by California state
government and local agencies in conjunction with the proposed action
fall under the requirements of CEQA. Kern County is serving as the lead
agency for the CEQA process. For these reasons, and others spelled out
in the document, DOE and Kern County are preparing this joint
Supplement to the 1993 SEIS under NEPA and a PEIR under CEQA to cover
foreseeable impacts from the proposed sale as well as reasonable
alternatives.
Comments and Hearing
The purpose of the public hearing is to obtain information from
interested parties for the final SEIS/PEIR. This meeting will be
conducted informally; however, a transcript of the meeting will be
prepared. The presiding officer will establish the order of speakers
and provide any additional procedures necessary for the conduct of the
hearing.
Speakers will be allotted approximately 20 minutes for their oral
statement. Written comments will be incorporated into the final SEIS/
PEIR. The meeting will commence at the time specified above and will
continue until those present who wish to speak have had an opportunity
to do so.
A transcript of the hearing will be retained by the DOE and, upon
request, made available for inspection and copying at the Freedom of
Information Library, room 1E-090, Forrestal Bldg., 1000 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4
p.m., Monday through Friday. A copy of the hearing transcript also will
be retained by Kern County and, upon request, made available for
inspection and copying at the office of the Special Projects Division
Chief, County of Kern Planning Department, 2700 ``M'' Street, Suite
100, Bakersfield, CA 93301, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
Draft SEIS/PEIR Availability
Those individuals who would like to receive a copy of the draft
SEIS/PEIR should notify Mr. Anthony Como at the address given above.
Members of Congress, State and local officials, and interested and
affected persons, organizations, and agencies have been sent copies of
the draft SEIS/PEIR. Copies also have been placed in Kern County Public
Libraries.
Issued in Washington, D.C., on July , 1997.
Anthony J. Como,
NEPA Document Manager.
[FR Doc. 97-20670 Filed 8-5-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
