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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management[Docket No. BOEM–2012–0088] Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore North Carolina—Call for Information and Nominations(Call).

BOEM intends to prepare an environmental assessment (EA),which will consider the environmental consequences associated with issuing commercial wind leases and approving site assessment activities on those leases within all or some of the Call Areas. Three Call Areas were identified:  offshore North Carolina are delineated as Wilmington West, Wilmington-East and Kitty Hawk.

BOEM is publishing, concurrently with this Call, a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EA, which seeks public input in identifying the environmental issues and alternatives to be considered in the EA. The EA will consider the reasonably foreseeable environmental consequences associated with leasing and site characterization scenarios within the Call Areas (including geophysical, geotechnical, archaeological, and biological surveys), and site assessment scenarios (including the installation and operation of meteorological towers and buoys) on the potential leaseholds. The NOI solicits input on the environmental effects associated only with the activities described above. The environmental effects of the construction or operation of any wind energy facility would be considered under a separate, project specific National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process.