In response to requests from citizens, organizations and elected officials in New Jersey, North Carolina and Georgia, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will add three public Scoping meetings for the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) BOEM is preparing in support of the OCS oil and gas leasing program for 2017-2022. As part of its environmental analysis, BOEM is asking all stakeholders to help identify areas or issues of concern for evaluation.
These meetings, like the ones previously scheduled, will feature information stations hosted by BOEM experts who will be available to discuss environmental issues with the public. Information gathered during these meetings will help BOEM determine which environmental issues to analyze further in the PEIS being prepared for the 2017-2022 oil and gas leasing program. In addition to information stations, attendees will be able to provide hand-written or electronic comments on-site and any other information they feel can assist BOEM in developing the PEIS.
The Draft Proposed Program (DPP), announced in January, includes 14 potential lease sales in eight planning areas - 10 sales in the Gulf of Mexico, three off the coast of Alaska, and one in a portion of the Mid- and South-Atlantic. BOEM added the three public scoping meetings to the 20 meetings already scheduled on the East Coast, in the Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska.
The entire list of Scoping Meetings is available https://www.boem.gov/boemoceaninfo/.
Anyone unable to attend the meetings has three other options for participating and submitting Scoping comments, starting with the BOEM PEIS website, https://www.boem.gov/boemoceaninfo/. This site includes a web-based mapping tool that allows the user to visualize the program areas and resource information, and create maps identifying specific areas or resources of concern. The maps and comments may be submitted through Regulations.gov (https://www.boem.gov/boemoceaninfo/ connects to Regulations.gov), by traditional mail or by hand delivery. The deadline for providing Scoping comments is March 30, 2015.
Monday, March 16, 2015 (3:00 to 7:00 p.m.)
Ramada Inn, Nags Head Oceanfront
1701 S. Virginia Dare Trail
Kill Devils Hill, NC 27948
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 (3:00 to 7:00 p.m.)
Sheraton Atlantic City
2 Convention Blvd.
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Tuesday, March 24, 2015 (3:00 to 7:00 p.m.)
Hyatt Regency Savannah
2 West Bay Street
Savannah, GA 31401
To learn more about the PEIS and the 2017-2022 Oil and Gas Program development, click here.