CSO Offshore Energy & Infrastructure�Work Group Call

September 28, 2022

Agenda

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Staff Update

OSW Wildlife and Fisheries Mitigation

Member Updates

Legislative Discussion

Schedule Next Call

Legislative Update

�Staff Update�2022 CSO Fall Meeting

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Monday – Thursday, October 3-6, 2022

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Mon-Tues – Business Meeting

Weds – Field Visits

Thurs – Members & Guests

�Staff Update�Staff Update

• CSO comment on draft BOEM Fisheries Mitigation Guidance submitted Aug 22
• ASBPA / CSO Project:
• Sediment Placement Regulations of U.S. Coastal States and Territories: Towards Regional Sediment Management Implementation
• Regional workshops completed
• Final report and recommendations under development
• Aquaculture survey

�Member Discussion�OSW Wildlife / Fisheries Mitigation Impacts

Authorities

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• OCSLA: Ensure protection of the environment, conservation of OCS resources
• NEPA: Assess environmental impact and alternatives
• ESA: Take of E&T species and critical habitat (USFWS & NMFS consultation)
• MMPA: Take of marine mammals (NMFS consultation)
• MSA: Adverse effect on essential fish habitat (NMFS consultation)
• MBTA: Take of protected migratory bird species (USFWS consultation via NEPA)

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�Member Discussion�OSW Wildlife / Fisheries Mitigation Impacts

Emily Shumchenia, Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind

Overview of the RWSC and how Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are working to prioritize science needs for offshore wind.

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Carl Wilson, Maine Department of Marine Resources

Fisheries research and spatial analysis ME DMR has done as concerns potential siting of wind energy development.

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Lisa Engler, MA Office of Coastal Zone Management

Mass Habitat and Fisheries working groups and how they’ve informed the fisheries compensatory mitigation discussions.

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�Member Discussion�OSW Wildlife / Fisheries Mitigation Impacts

Discussion Questions

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What is the top concern/barrier your program faces:

• Regarding particular species, habitats, or resources?
• Regarding procedures or institutions?
• Regarding data needs?

Do you have any questions for the moderator to share with the panelists next week?

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Member Updates

�Member Discussion�Aquaculture Survey

Today: Three Questions

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Full Survey: Responses requested by Friday, August 19, 2022.

�Member Discussion�Aquaculture Survey

1. What kind of support does your program most need from federal agencies to make aquaculture permitting more efficient?

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• Access to federal datasets
• Research support to fill data / information gaps
• Decision support tools / mapping tools
• Interagency coordination processes
• Guidance or training on federal permitting requirements
• Guidance or training on aquaculture project design
• Guidance or training on environmental impacts
• Support for community/stakeholder engagement

�Member Discussion�Aquaculture Survey

2) What aquaculture topics would be helpful to address on future CSO work group calls?

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• Development of and how to use regional Aquaculture Atlases
• Development of Aquaculture Opportunity Area Programmatic EISs
• Federal consistency, unlisted activity requests, geographic location descriptions
• Impact analyses, data needs
• Monitoring technology / protocols, enforcement
• Permitting for floating structures

�Member Discussion�Aquaculture Survey

3) How does your state process 401 certification requests for aquaculture projects?

Coastal program role

Trends, priorities, barriers

�Legislative Update�Energy Independence & Security Act of 2022

NEPA

• Extend IRA NEPA reforms to energy, carbon, mineral resource projects; major projects
• Lead federal agency:
• Identify and invite participating w/in 45 days (NOI or start EA) & set deadline
• Set review timeline w/in 90 days (NOI or start EA) – include state process MEP
• Accept equivalent data, analyses, documentation, incl state reviews
• Time limits for major projects: 2yr (EIS); 1yr (EA); 180 days post ROD (other permits), ext. 1yr max
• Default time limits on comment: 60 days (EIS); 45 up to 60 days (all else)
• Issue resolution meetings; escalation; technical assistance
• Statute of limitations 150 days; max. 180 day schedule on remand
• Multiple savings provisions (requirements; time periods)

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�Legislative Update�Inflation Reduction Act

• $2.6B over 4 years of NOAA funding to coastal states for coastal restoration, conservation, or to finance resilient infrastructure
• NOAA funding for transparency; research improvements
• $100M to DOW for planning, modeling, analysis, and development of interregional transmission and optimized integration; $760M to DOE for transmission grants
• Lift moratorium re OSW in eastern GOM and SE Atlantic
• Authorize OSW leasing in territories
• For 10 years: must complete 60M+ ac O&G lease sale in yr prior to any OSW lease issuance
• Extend Renewable Electricity PTC to 2024; after, tech-neutral PTC: $.015 / kWh + bonuses
• Extend and replace energy investment tax credits

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�Legislative Update�Energy Independence & Security Act of 2022

Clean Water Act 401 Water Quality Certification

• Clarifying that the scope of review is limited to state/tribal water quality requirements (not, e.g., air quality impacts) affected by the permitted activity (not only the discharge;
• Codifying the four types of agency response enumerated in the 2022 proposed rule;
• Requires states to publish clear application requirements or default to EPA requirements;
• Requires states and federal agencies to agree on the review timeline within 30 days of receipt of an application, or else default to a 180 day time limit;
• Prohibits withdrawal and resubmission to restart the review clock.

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�Legislative Update�Energy Independence & Security Act of 2022

Energy Projects of Strategic National Importance

• Designation of 25 energy projects of strategic national importance; minimum #s
• Threshold: NEPA doc, 2+ agencies, $250M= cost; “sufficient financial support”
• EO to direct expedited review; 2 yr / 1 yr / 180 day time limits – aspirational
• IRA funding to the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council

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FAST-41

• Add mining projects to environmental review dashboard
• Reduce energy projects threshold: $200M -> $50M
• Track five-year oil & gas program on dashboard

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�Legislative Update�Energy Independence & Security Act of 2022

Other Provisions

• Allows FERC review of transmission projects national interest designation
• Allows eminent domain on state land
• Approve Mountain Valley Pipeline

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Procedural Posture

• Supported by leadership as part of deal to pass the Inflation Reduction Act
• Inclusion in a continuing resolution

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Impacts on Coastal Programs

• Accelerate NEPA reviews; introduce FAST-41 changes to process
• Codifies some 401 provisions affecting federal consistency

�Legislative Update�Offshore Reform Acts

BREEZE Act

Bipartisan Renewable, Efficient Energy with Zero Effluent Act

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RISEE Act

Reinvesting In Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems Act

��Call Scheduling

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Next Call

November 30, 2022

Next Call

December 7, 2022