| On May 27, 2010, President Obama announced Secretary Salazar's decision to cancel Sales 215 and 220. |
The Bureau initiated the first step for a potential lease sale offshore Virginia. A Call for Information and Interest/Nominations and Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS (Call/NOI) for Lease Sale 220 was published in the Federal Register on November 13, 2008. The comment period closed January 13, 2009. The area covered by the Call/NOI is about 2.9 million acres offshore Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area, and is at least 50 miles offshore.
The Bureau estimates that this area may contain 130 million barrels of oil and 1.14 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
This Call/NOI was the first step in the information gathering, evaluation, and public participation process. The area was included in the 5-Year plan at the request of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Federal Register Notice - Notice of indefinite postponement of comment period and cancellation of public meetings to scope for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Proposed Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas Lease Sale 220. (released May 7, 2010)
Federal Register Notice - Reopening of comment period and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings for the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Future Industry G&G Activity on the Mid- and South Atlantic OCS. (released April 2, 2010)
Federal Register Notice - Call for Information and Interest/Nominations (Call) and Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). (released November 13, 2008)
Call for Information and Interest/Nominations Map (released November 13, 2008)
News Releases:
- MMS Initiates Oil and Gas Leasing Process for Offshore Virginia (November 13, 2008)
- MMS Extends the Comment Period for Virginia Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sale 220 Call for Information and Notice of Intent (December 19, 2008)
OCS Study MMS 2009-011
Workshop on Environmental Research Needs in Support of Potential VA Offshore Oil and Gas Activities
