[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31161-31163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14441]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Outer Continental Shelf, Central and Western Gulf of Mexico, Oil 
and Gas Lease Sales 166 and 168

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Call for Information and Nominations, and Notice of Intent 
(Call/NOI) to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

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    1. Authority. This Call is published pursuant to the Outer 
Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act as amended (43 U. S. C. 1331-1356, 
(1988)) (OCSLA), and the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR Part 
256).
    The NOI is published pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) 
implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 as amended (42 U. S. C. 4321 et seq. (1988))(NEPA)
    2. Purpose of Call. The purpose of the Call is to gather 
information for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Sale 166 in the 
Central Gulf of Mexico (CGOM) Planning Area, tentatively scheduled for 
March 1997, and OCS Lease Sale 168 in the Western Gulf of Mexico (WGOM) 
Planning Area, tentatively scheduled for August 1997.
    Information and nominations on oil and gas leasing, exploration, 
and development and production within the Central Gulf of Mexico and 
Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas are sought from all interested 
parties. This early planning and consultation step is important for 
ensuring that all interests and concerns are communicated to the 
Department of the Interior for future decisions in the leasing process 
pursuant to the OCSLA, and regulations at 30 CFR 256. This Call does 
not indicate a preliminary decision to lease in the area described 
below. Final delineation of the area for possible leasing will be made 
at a later date and in compliance with applicable laws including all 
requirements of the NEPA and the OCSLA. Established departmental 
procedures will be employed.
    3. Description of Area. The general area of this Call covers the 
entire central and western portions of the Gulf of Mexico between 
approximately 88 degrees W. longitude on the east and approximately 97 
degrees W. longitude on the west and extends from the Federal-State 
boundaries seaward to the provisional maritime boundary between the 
United States and Mexico. The entire Call area is offshore the States 
of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and is divided into two 
planning areas.
    The Central Gulf Planning Area is bounded on the east by 
approximately 88 degrees W. longitude. Its western boundary begins at 
the offshore boundary between Texas and Louisiana and proceeds 
southeasterly to approximately 28 degrees N. latitude, thence east to 
approximately 92 degrees W. longitude, thence south to the provisional 
maritime boundary with Mexico which constitutes the southern boundary 
of the area. The northern part of the area is bounded by the Federal-
State boundary offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The area 
available for nominations and comments at this time consists of 
approximately 47.8 million acres.
    The Western Gulf Planning Area is bounded on the west and north by 
the Federal-State boundary and on the east by the Central Gulf Planning 
Area. It extends south to the provisional maritime boundary with 
Mexico. It is offshore Texas and, in deeper water, offshore Louisiana. 
The area available for nominations and comments consists of about 35.9 
million acres.
    A standard Call for Information Map depicting each planning area on 
a block-by-block basis is available without charge from: Minerals 
Management Service, Public Information Unit (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood 
Park Boulevard, [[Page 31162]] New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, 
Telephone: 1-800-200-GULF.
    4. Areas Deferred from this Call. High Island Area, East Addition, 
South Extension, (Flower Gardens), Block A-375 and Block A-398 (WGOM).
    Mustang Island Area, Blocks 793, 799 and 816 (offshore Corpus 
Christi) are excluded from this Call.
    5. Instructions on Call. Indications of interest and comments must 
be received no later than 45 days following publication of this 
document in the Federal Register in envelopes labeled ``Nominations for 
Proposed 1997 Lease Sales in the Gulf of Mexico'' or ``Comments on the 
Call for Information and Nominations for Proposed 1997 Lease Sales in 
the Gulf of Mexico.'' The standard Call for Information Map and 
indications of interest and/or comments must be submitted to the 
Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment, Gulf of Mexico OCS 
Region, at the above address.
    The standard Call for Information Map delineates the Call area, all 
of which has been identified by the MMS as having potential for the 
discovery of accumulations of oil and gas. Respondents are requested to 
indicate interest in and comment on any or all of the Federal acreage 
within the boundaries of the Call area that they wish to have included 
in proposed Sale 166 in the Central Gulf and proposed Sale 168 in the 
Western Gulf.
    Although individual indications of interest are considered to be 
privileged and proprietary information, the names of persons or 
entities indicating interest or submitting comments will be of public 
record. Those indicating such interest are required to do so on the 
standard Call for Information Map by outlining the areas of interest 
along block lines.
    Respondents should rank areas in which they have expressed interest 
according to priority of their interest (e.g., priority 1 [high], 2 
[medium], or 3 [low]). Respondents are encouraged to be specific in 
indicating blocks by priority, as blanket nominations on large areas 
are not useful in the analysis of industry interest. Areas where 
interest has been indicated but on which respondents have not indicated 
priorities will be considered priority 3 [low].
    Respondents may also submit a detailed list of blocks nominated (by 
Official Protraction Diagram and Leasing Map designations) to ensure 
correct interpretation of their nominations. Specific questions may be 
directed to the Chief, Leasing Activities Section at (504) 736-2761. 
Official Protraction Diagrams and Leasing Maps can be purchased from 
the Public Information Unit referred to above.
    Comments are sought from all interested parties about particular 
geological, environmental, biological, archaeological and socioeconomic 
conditions or conflicts, or other information that might bear upon the 
potential leasing and development of particular areas. Comments are 
also sought on possible conflicts between future OCS oil and gas 
activities that may result from the proposed sales and State Coastal 
Management Programs (CMP's). If possible, these comments should 
identify specific CMP policies of concern, the nature of the conflict 
foreseen, and steps that the MMS could take to avoid or mitigate the 
potential conflict. Comments may either be in terms of broad areas or 
restricted to particular blocks of concern. Those submitting comments 
are requested to list block numbers or outline the subject area on the 
standard Call for Information Map.
    6. Use of Information from Call. Information submitted in response 
to this Call will be used for several purposes. First, responses will 
be used to identify the areas of potential for oil and gas development. 
Second, comments on possible environmental effects and potential use 
conflicts will be used in the analysis of environmental conditions in 
and near the Call area. This information will be used to make a 
preliminary determination of the potential advantages and disadvantages 
of oil and gas exploration and development to the region and the 
Nation. A third purpose for this Call is to use the comments collected 
to initiate the scoping process for the Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and to develop a proposed action and alternatives. Fourth, 
comments may be used in developing lease terms and conditions to ensure 
safe offshore operations. And, fifth, comments may be used to assess 
potential conflicts between offshore gas and oil activities and a State 
CMP.
    7. Existing Information. Prior to the Call, the sale planning 
process includes an Information Base Review (IBR), a documented MMS 
assessment of the status of information acquisition efforts and the 
quality of the information base for potential decisions on a specific 
leasing proposal.
    The Information Transfer Meeting in November 1994 served as the 
initial forum for soliciting information enhancements for the IBR. In 
February-March 1995, an internal review of available data and planned 
studies was conducted by the Gulf of Mexico Region to obtain a 
comprehensive assessment of the status of the information base. The 
information base, in part, is documented in the Long-Range Strategic 
Plan for Environmental Studies in the Gulf of Mexico, 1995-1999.
    Appropriate study proposals and research plans will be incorporated 
into the environmental studies planning and evaluation process, the 
direction of the Technology Assessment, and Research Program, and other 
mechanisms in MMS (reviews and Industry Standards Committees). No 
comments were received from parties outside the MMS.
    As a result, it has been determined that the status of the existing 
data available for planning, analysis, and decisionmaking is adequate 
and extensive. In accordance with the relevant statutes and regulations 
which govern OCS oil and gas leasing, no informational needs were 
identified which would provide a legal basis for the delay or 
cancellation of the leasing process. Therefore, the lease sale process 
should continue with the next step, a Call for Information and 
Nominations.
    An extensive environmental studies program has been underway in 
this area since 1973. The emphasis, including continuing studies, has 
been on environmental characterization of biologically sensitive 
habitats, physical oceanography, ocean-circulation modeling, and 
ecological effects of oil and gas activities. A complete listing of 
available study reports, and information for ordering copies, can be 
obtained from the Public Information Unit referenced above. The reports 
may also be ordered, for a fee, from the U.S. Department of Commerce, 
National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, 
Springfield, Virginia 22161, or telephone (703) 487-4650. In addition, 
a program status report for continuing studies in this area can be 
obtained from the Chief, Environmental Studies Section, Gulf of Mexico 
OCS Region (see address under ``Description of Area''), or telephone 
(504) 736-2896.
    Summary Reports and Indices and technical and geological reports 
are available for review at the MMS, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region. Copies 
of the Gulf of Mexico OCS Regional Summary Reports may be obtained from 
the OCS Information Program, Office of Offshore Information and 
Publications, Minerals Management Service, at 381 Elden Street, 
Herndon, Virginia 22070.
    8. Tentative Schedule. The following is a list of tentative 
milestone dates preceding Sale 166 and Sale 168:

                                                                        
[[Page 31163]]
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                                  CGOM sale 166         WGOM sale 168   
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Comments due on Call and      July 1995...........  July 1995.          
 Notice Of Intent (Scoping).                                            
Area Identification.........  Aug. 1995...........  Aug. 1995.          
Draft EIS published.........  Mar. 1996...........  Mar. 1996.          
Proposed Notice Issued......  Mar. 1996...........  Mar. 1996.          
Public Hearings.............  May 1996............  May 1996.           
Governors' Comments Due on    June 1996...........  June 1996.          
 Proposed Notice.                                                       
Final EIS published.........  Nov. 1996...........  Nov. 1996.          
Consistency Determination...  Nov. 1996...........  Apr. 1996.          
Final Notice of Sale........  Feb. 1997...........  July 1997.          
Sale Date...................  Mar. 1997...........  Aug. 1997.          
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  9. Purpose of Notice of Intent. Pursuant to the regulations 
implementing the procedural provisions of the NEPA, the MMS is 
announcing its intent to prepare an EIS on the oil and gas leasing 
proposals known as Sale 166 in the Central Gulf, and Sale 168 in the 
Western Gulf, off the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and 
Alabama. The NOI also serves to announce the scoping process that will 
be followed for this EIS. Throughout the scoping process, Federal 
Agencies and State and local governments and other interested parties 
have the opportunity to aid the MMS in determining the significant 
issues and alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS.
    The EIS analysis will focus on the potential environmental effects 
of leasing, exploration, and development of the blocks included in the 
areas defined in the Area Identification procedure as the proposed 
areas of the Federal actions. Alternatives to the proposal which may be 
considered for each sale are to delay the sale, cancel the sale, or 
modify the sale.
    10. Instructions on NOI to Prepare an EIS. Federal Agencies and 
State and local governments and other interested parties are requested 
to send their written comments on the scope of the EIS, significant 
issues which should be addressed, and alternatives that should be 
considered to the Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment, Gulf of 
Mexico OCS Region, at the address stated under ``Description of Area.'' 
Comments should be enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Comments on the 
NOI to Prepare an EIS on the proposed 1997 Lease Sales in the Gulf of 
Mexico.'' Comments on the NOI should be submitted no later than 45 days 
from publication of this Notice. Scoping meetings will be held in 
appropriate locations to obtain additional comments and information 
regarding the scope of the EIS.

    Approved: June 6, 1995.
Cynthia Quarterman,
Director, Minerals Management Service.
Sylvia V. Baca,
Deputy Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 95-14441 Filed 6-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P