Stakeholder Letter

SAMPLE Letter to Stakeholders Requesting Information OMB Control No.: 1010-0187

OMB Expiration Date: XXXXX

Dear State/Local Stakeholder,

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is responsible for managing sand and gravel resources located on the Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). BOEM ensures that these resources are made available in the public interest, managed effectively and appropriately, and extracted in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner.

The demand for OCS sand resources has increased in recent years due to the decreasing availability of resources in State waters and an increase in coastal storm frequency, intensity, and duration. In order to continue to serve the needs of all coastal States to the best of our ability, BOEM needs to allocate our limited funding and personnel resources in a way that balances the needs of each State and provides adequate and timely information on those offshore areas where sand would likely be needed. To assist BOEM in this planning effort, we are asking you to provide information about your current and potential future needs for OCS sand and gravel resources.

BOEM is seeking information pertaining to current and potential shore protection, beach and coastal restoration, and other qualified projects that may consider the use of OCS material. More specifically, a description of the proposed projects for which OCS resources may be used including the offshore borrow sites if known, the estimated date of construction, a short description of current project funding, and the name of a primary point of contact with that person’s mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address.

In addition, BOEM requests information related to individual projects such as detailed maps, geospatial data and coordinates of desired sand resources and sites that would be nourished, a description of the environmental documents that have been completed to date concerning any portion of the project, a cited reference list, status of geological and geophysical permit (if required), information concerning known or suspected archaeological or historic artifacts, interpretations of geology and extent of sand areas, known volumes of sand resource sites, historical data related to the proposed borrow or placement area, and a description of the status of Federal, State, and/or local permits required for the project.

Please provide this information to us as soon as possible because it will provide vital information to BOEM as we work to identify and balance the needs of each State for OCS sand over the near and long terms.

BOEM will continue to assist you in meeting your future needs and objectives regarding OCS sand needs. If you have any questions concerning this request, please contact me at (703)787-1851 or via email at [email protected].

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. We look forward to your response and our continued cooperative work.

Sincerely,

Chief, Marine Minerals Branch

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) requires us to inform you that we collect this information to determine appropriate resource allocation and identify potential conflicts of use. Responses are required to obtain a benefit. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this response is estimated at 1-5 hours, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Mail Stop 135-C10, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166.