In the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program:  2002-2007, five annual areawide lease sales are scheduled for the Central Planning Area and five annual areawide lease sales are scheduled for the Western Planning Area.  This environmental impact statement (EIS) addresses nine of these proposed Federal actions; a separate environmental analysis was prepared for the first proposed lease sale.  Federal regulations allow for several related or similar proposals to be analyzed in one EIS (40 CFR 1502.4).  Since each lease sale proposal and projected activities are very similar each year for each planning area, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) has prepared a single EIS for the nine Central and Western Gulf sales.  An additional environmental analysis will be prepared for each proposed action after the initial one in each planning area.  By eliminating essentially duplicate EIS’s, MMS will be able focus the subsequent environmental reviews on new and changing issues.  

Proposed Central Planning Area Lease Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and 201, and Proposed Western Planning Area Lease Sales 187, 192, 196, and 200

Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Locations and Dates of Public Hearings on Proposed Central Planning Area Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and 201, and Proposed Western Planning Area Sales 187, 192, 196, and 200