February 25, 2016
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), announces the availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed Central Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sale 247. The proposed oil and gas lease sale is tentatively scheduled to be held in March 2017 under the current 5-Year Program.
BOEM is proposing to offer approximately 47.4 million acres of the total 66.45 million acres in the CPA, with the exception of whole and partial blocks deferred by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 and blocks that are beyond the United States Exclusive Economic Zone in the area known as the northern portion of the Eastern Gap.
BOEM will hold public meetings to obtain comments regarding the Draft Supplemental EIS. The meetings are scheduled as follows:
- Gulfport, Mississippi: Monday, March 14, 2016, Courtyard by Marriott, Gulfport Beachfront MS Hotel, 1600 East Beach Boulevard, Gulfport, Mississippi 39501, one meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT;
- Mobile, Alabama: Tuesday, March 15, 2016, Hilton Garden Inn Mobile West, 828 West I-65 Service Road South, Mobile, Alabama 36609, one meeting beginning at 4:00 p.m. CDT; and
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Thursday, March 17, 2016, 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.
If you cannot attend the meetings, you may submit your written comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS no later than 45 days following the publication date of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register in one of the following ways:
1. You may mail or hand deliver comments in an envelope labeled "Comments on Draft CPA 247 Supplemental EIS" 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; or
2. You may also go to the regulations.gov web portal and search for "Central Planning Area Lease Sale 247" (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 will publish the Draft Supplemental EIS February 26, 2016. You may download or view the document on BOEM's website at www.boem.gov/nepaprocess. The deadline for submitting a comment is April 11, 2016.
If you have questions, please call Mr. Gary D. Goeke at 504-736-3233.
Media Contact:
John Filostrat: 504-731-7815
Caryl Fagot: 504-736-2590