Contacts: John Filostrat 504-731-7815
Caryl Fagot 504-736-2590
NEW ORLEANS – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced it is seeking information and nominations from all interested parties regarding proposed oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Western, Central and Eastern Planning Areas (WPA, CPA, EPA) for inclusion in the Draft Proposed Five Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2017-2022 (Five Year Program).
BOEM will analyze information received in response to this Call for Information and Nominations (Call), which will primarily identify and evaluate areas with potential for oil and gas development, as well as determine possible environmental effects and potential conflicts in the Call area. This is in addition to the information collected through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process.
Comments will be used to develop lease terms and conditions to ensure safe offshore operations. Comments will also be used to assess potential conflicts between offshore oil and gas exploration and development operations and state coastal management programs, and to develop proposed actions and alternatives in the NEPA review process.
“This early planning and consultation step, in addition to the NEPA-related reviews we are conducting, will ensure that all interests and concerns are communicated to us and are appropriately considered in decisions regarding the leasing process,” said BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper. “All area nominations as well as any information submitted will be fully analyzed and considered as we prepare for the next Five Year Program.”
Ten OCS region-wide GOM lease sales are specifically covered by this Call: five tentatively scheduled in March of each year and five tentatively scheduled in August of each year. These sales would include all unleased acreage in the GOM not currently subject to Congressional moratorium. Concurrent with this Call, BOEM is preparing a multi-sale Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) covering the same proposed sales.
The Call is available today in the Federal Register.
Nominations and comments must be received no later than October 4, 2015, and may be submitted via the Federal internet commenting system at regulations.gov or via regular mail.
- To submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, go to: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow these instructions: (I) In the search tab on the main page, search for BOEM-2015-0075. (2) Locate the document, and then click the "Submit a Comment" link either on the Search Results page or the Document Details page to display the Web comment form. (3) Enter information and comment on the Web form. Attach any additional files (up to 10 MB). (Please do not provide proprietary or confidential comments or indications of interest via the Internet. Proprietary or confidential comments or indications of interest should be sent via the mail only, as described below.) (4) Click the "Submit" button to send the comment.
- To mail comments, address envelope to: "Nominations for Proposed 2017-2022 Lease Sales in the Gulf of Mexico" or "Comments on the Call for Information and Nominations for Proposed 2017-2022 Lease Sales in the Gulf of Mexico,” Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Office of Leasing and Plans, (Attention: Ms. Ann H. Glazner), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard (Mail Stop 5422), New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394.
The Call map that delineates the proposed GOM sale area is provided on BOEM's website.
Information on the Five Year Program is available at: http://www.boem.gov/Five-Year-Program/.