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 Sales 235, 241 and 247. The proposed oil and gas lease sales are tentatively scheduled to be held in March 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, under the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017.
BOEM is proposing to offer approximately 63 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:
- New Orleans, Louisiana: April 7, 2014, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana, beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
- Gulfport, Mississippi: April 8, 2014 Courtyard by Marriott Gulfport Beachfront MS Hotel, 1600 East Beach Boulevard, Gulfport, Mississippi; one meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT; and
- Mobile, Alabama: April 9, 2014, Five Rivers-Alabama's Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard, Spanish Fort, Alabama; 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 May 5, 2014, in one of the following ways:
- In an envelope labeled "Comments on the CPA 235, 241, and 247 Draft 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;
- Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for "Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 235, 241, and 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"; or
- Through an email sent to BOEM email address: cpa235@boem.gov
BOEM is also releasing the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed Western Planning Area (WPA) Lease Sales 238, 246 and 248. The proposed oil and gas lease sales are tentatively scheduled to be held in August 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively, under the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017.
BOEM is proposing to offer for oil and gas leasing approximately 21.3 million acres in the WPA, with the exception of whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
BOEM will publish both documents in the March 21, 2014, Federal Register. You may download or view of these both documents on BOEM's website at http://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/. If you have questions, please call Mr. Gary D. Goeke at (504) 736-3233.
If you would like to receive announcements for public meetings and the availability of our environmental documents for Gulf of Mexico OCS activities, please submit your name and contact information to BOEM at: https://www.data.boem.gov/Other/EmailSubscriptions/Default.aspx. You may also request to be removed from the current BOEM mailing list in the same way.