Notice of Availability
MMS Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

Arguello Inc. proposes to develop the eastern half of Federal Lease OCS-P 0451 by drilling a maximum of eight extended-reach wells from two existing OCS platforms in the Point Arguello Unit, Platforms Hermosa and Hidalgo.  The project area is located offshore about 13 km (8 mi) northwest of Point Conception, Santa Barbara County, California.  Lease OCS-P 0451 is considered a developed lease by virtue of the existing production on the western half, in the Point Arguello Unit.  Previously, the eastern half of Lease OCS-P 0451 was part of the Rocky Point Unit, but has since been contracted out of the Unit.  Therefore, it is no longer unitized with the undeveloped leases of the Rocky Point Unit, and production from this portion of the lease will have no effect on holding the Rocky Point Unit leases, nor will it cause production of the undeveloped Rocky Point Unit leases.

The MMS distributed a copy of Arguello Inc.’s proposal for review and comment to 5 State agencies, 8 Federal agencies, 2 local agencies, and 2 non-governmental organizations.  The EA, prepared by MMS following scoping with these agencies and with the benefit of comments from same, examines the potential environmental effects of Arguello Inc.’s proposed action and presents MMS findings regarding the significance of those effects. 

The MMS prepares EA’s and finding’s for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas exploration and development activities and other operations on the Pacific OCS  to determine whether proposed projects constitute a major Federal action that significantly affects the quality of the human environment in the sense of NEPA 102(2)(C).  A FONSI is prepared in those instances where the MMS finds that approval would not result in significant effects on the quality of the human environment.  The FONSI briefly presents the basis for that finding and includes a summary or copy of the EA.  The MMS completed an EA and issued a FONSI for Arguello Inc.’s proposed action on June 19, 2003.

If you have questions on the documents, please contact Maurice Hill, MMS, Pacific OCS Region, at 805.389.7815 or maurice.hill@mms.gov. 

View the EA and FONSI now: 

• EA PDF File with links to appendices

• FONSI
   

Download the individual files for the EA and FONSI now:

• EA PDF File (568kb)

• Appendix A (467kb)

• Appendix B (1527kb)

• FONSI          (47kb)