[Federal Register: October 30, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 209)]
[Notices]
[Page 61369-61370]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30oc07-55]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM)
Planning Area, Proposed Oil and Gas Lease Sale 224, March 2008
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).
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SUMMARY: The MMS has prepared a Final SEIS on a tentatively scheduled
2008 oil and gas leasing proposal (Sale 224) in the Eastern GOM
Planning Area, off the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and
Florida. As mandated in the recently enacted Gulf of Mexico Energy
Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-432, December 20, 2006), MMS
shall offer a portion of the ``181 Area,'' located in the Eastern
Planning Area, more than 125 miles from Florida for oil and gas
leasing.
Authority: The NOA is published pursuant to the regulations (40
CFR 1503) under the authority of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA); the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The recently enacted GOMESA of 2006 (Pub. L.
109-432, December 20, 2006) mandated MMS to offer a portion of the
``181 Area'' located in the newly defined Eastern Planning Area, more
than 125 miles from Florida and west of the Military Mission Line (86
degrees, 41 minutes 30 seconds West longitude) for oil and gas leasing
``as soon as practicable, but not later than 1 year, after the date of
enactment of this Act.'' The Act mandates offering this area
``notwithstanding the omission of the 181 Area * * * from any Outer
Continental Shelf leasing program under section 18 of the Outer
Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344).'' However, this action is
not exempted from other legal requirements, such as NEPA or the Coastal
Zone Management Act (CZMA). The MMS has prepared a SEIS to the original
Sale 181 EIS (2001) in order to address these requirements. The
earliest MMS would be able to meet these requirements and offer this
area for leasing would be approximately March 2008. To meet the 1-year
requirement of GOMESA, this sale should be held no later than December
2007; however, MMS feels that it is in the best interests of all
parties, including the American public as owners of these resources,
that MMS take the time necessary to fully comply
[[Page 61370]]
with all pertinent laws, rules, and regulations, and to allow the
public an opportunity to participate in the NEPA process. It also is
more economical and efficient for the Government and industry to hold
this sale in conjunction with Central Planning Area Sale 206 at the
same time and location. The area to be offered in Sale 224 is small,
approximately 118 tracts, whereas recent Central Planning Area sales
have offered over 4,000 tracts. The logistics of holding a sale are
intensive and relatively costly; therefore, it makes sense to hold the
smaller sale in conjunction with a larger sale. Additionally, holding
Sale 224 in conjunction with Sale 206 would help ensure that a
sufficient number of companies would be represented in bidding, which
may enhance the number of bids and possibly the revenue generated by
more competitive bidding.
The final SEIS associated with this NOA updated the environmental
and socioeconomic analyses in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease
Sale 181, Eastern Planning Area Final EIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2001-051),
which addressed the original ``Sale 181 Area.''
SEIS Availability: To obtain a single, printed or CD-ROM copy of
the final SEIS, you may contact the MMS, GOM OCS Region, Public
Information Office (MS 5034),1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, New
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF). An electronic copy of
the final SEIS is available at the MMS Internet Web site at http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/nepa/nepaprocess.html.
Many
libraries along the Gulf Coast have been sent copies of the final SEIS.
To find out which libraries, and their locations, have copies of the
final SEIS for review, you may contact the MMS Public Information
Office or visit the MMS Internet Web site at http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/libraries.html
.
Comments: Federal, State, and local government agencies, and other
interested parties are requested to send their written comments on the
final SEIS in one of the following two ways:
1. In written form enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Comments on
the Lease Sale 224 SEIS'' and mailed (or hand carried) to the Regional
Supervisor, Leasing and Environment (MS 5410), Minerals Management
Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394.
2. Electronically to the MMS e-mail address: environment@mms.gov.
Comments should be submitted no later than 30 days from the publication
of this NOA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dennis Chew, Minerals Management
Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, or by phone at (504) 736-2793.
Dated: October 12, 2007.
Chris C. Oynes,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. E7-21279 Filed 10-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P