Contacts: John Filostrat 504-731-7815
Caryl Fagot 504-736-2590
BOEM has published a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed Gulf of Mexico Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248. BOEM is proposing to offer approximately 22 million acres for oil and gas leasing in the WPA, with the exception of whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The sale is proposed to be held in 2016.
BOEM is asking for your comments regarding the Draft Supplemental EIS and has scheduled public meetings as follows:
- Houston, Texas: Tuesday, September 22, 2015, Hilton Garden Inn Houston/Bush Intercontinental Airport, 15400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77032, beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT; and
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Wednesday, September 23, 2015, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123, beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
You may also comment by mail or online, no later than October 19, 2015, in one of the following ways:
- In an envelope labeled “Comments on the Draft WPA 248 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; Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248”. (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
- BOEM email address: wpa248@boem.gov.
Please visit the Public Review page on the BOEM website at http://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/ for details on how to submit comments and to download or view the Draft Supplemental EIS.