06-19-2014
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is preparing a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico off the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, beginning with Central Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sale 241. Sale 241 is scheduled to be held in 2016. The study will also cover Eastern Planning Area (EPA) Lease Sale 226 to be held in 2016, and CPA Sale 247 to be held in 2017.
The supplemental EIS will update the environmental and socioeconomic analyses from previous EISs and will consider possible new circumstances and information arising from, among other things, the Deepwater Horizon incident. It will focus on updating the baseline conditions and potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, exploration, development and production in these areas.
BOEM will hold public scoping meetings to solicit comments on the CPA 241 and EPA 226 supplemental EIS. BOEM's scoping meetings will be held at the following places and times:
- Panama City, Florida: Tuesday, July 8, 2014, Hilton Garden Inn Panama City, 1101 US Highway 231, Panama City, Florida, 32405, two meetings, the first beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT and the second beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT;
- Mobile, Alabama: Wednesday, July 9, 2014, Hilton Garden Inn Mobile West, 828 West I-65 Service Road South, Mobile, Alabama 36609, two meetings, the first beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT and the second beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT;
- Gulfport, Mississippi: Thursday, July 10, Courtyard Marriott,Gulfport Beachfront, 1600 East Beach Boulevard, Gulfport, Mississippi 39501, two meetings, the first beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT and the second beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT;
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Monday, July 14, 2014, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123, one meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT; and
- Larose, Louisiana: Monday, July 14, 2014, Larose Regional Park and Civic Center, 307 E 5th Street, Larose, Louisiana 70373, one meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT.
All interested parties may submit written comments on the scope of the supplemental EIS, significant issues that should be addressed, alternatives that should be considered, potential mitigation measures and the types of oil and gas activities of interest in the proposed CPA and EPA lease sale areas. Written scoping comments may be submitted until July 21, 2014 in one of the following ways:
- In an envelope labeled "Scoping Comments for the CPA 241 and 247/EPA 226 Supplemental EIS" and mailed (or hand delivered) to Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief, Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment (GM 623E), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394
- Go to the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for "Central Planning Area Lease Sales 241, and 247 and, Eastern Planning Area Lease Sale 226." (Note: It is important to include the quotation marks in your search terms.) Click on the "Comment Now!" button to the right of the document link. Enter your information and comment, then click "Submit"
- BOEM's email address: cpa241-epa226@boem.gov