The NewsRoom
Release: # 3765

Date: December 14, 2007

MMS Requests Comments on New Lease Form
for Offshore Alternative Energy Activities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) is requesting comments on a new lease form through which MMS would authorize and convey limited-term rights to conduct alternative energy data collection and/or technology testing activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

On November 5, 2007, MMS announced the establishment of an interim policy on Offshore Alternative Energy Resource Assessment and Technology Testing Activities, for which the new lease form was developed.

Under the interim policy, MMS may issue limited-term leases authorizing data collection and technology testing subject to compliance with all relevant Federal statutes. The interim policy will be in effect until MMS issues final rules for the Alternative Energy and Alternate Use (AEAU) program, which will regulate all program activities from that point forward.  The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized MMS to establish the AEAU Program.

Form MMS-0001, Lease of Submerged Lands for Alternative Energy Activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), can be viewed in today’s Federal Register as part of MMS Information Collection Activity:  NEW Information Collection; Lease of Submerged Lands for Alternative Energy Activities on the OCS; Comment Request.  MMS will accept comments on the form and the data collection associated with it for the next 60 days through the following methods:

Mail:  Minerals Management Service
Attention:  Cheryl Blundon
381 Elden Street, MS-4024
Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817

Please reference “Information Collection 1010-NEW” in your comments.

Electronically: go to Regulations.Gov, select “Minerals Management Service” from the agency drop-down menu, then click “submit.”  In the Docket ID column, select MMS-2007-OEMM-0072 to submit public comments and to view any supporting and related materials available.

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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