[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 250 (Monday, December 31, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67542-67543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-32094]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Record of Decision (ROD) for the Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) on the Proposed Use of Floating, Production, Storage, and 
Offloading (FPSO) Systems on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental 
Shelf, Western and Central Planning Areas

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: ROD on the use of FPSO systems.

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SUMMARY: The MMS has completed a ROD for the EIS on the proposed use of 
FPSO systems in the deepwater areas (generally beyond 650 feet or 200 
meters water depth) of the Western and Central Planning Areas of the 
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf.

ADDRESSES: The ROD has been posted on the MMS website http://www.mms.gov. Copies of the ROD are available upon request from the 
Public Information Office (MS 5034), Minerals Management Service, Gulf 
of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70123-2394.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the ROD should be 
directed to Ms. Deborah Cranswick, Leasing and Environment, at (504) 
736-2744. The mailing address is Minerals Management Service, Gulf of 
Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 
70123-2394.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS has examined the concept of allowing 
the use of FPSOs in the Central and Western GOM Planning Areas and 
found no compelling environmental reason why development and production 
plans proposing to use this method of production should not be 
submitted by the oil and gas industry for evaluation by the agency. The 
EIS prepared for MMS under contract found that FPSO systems do not pose 
a greater threat to the environment than do currently accepted 
development and production systems, given that proper mitigation 
measures, keyed to the specific proposed operations and location, be 
applied. Further technical and environmental evaluation will be 
required for specific FPSO proposals. The MMS will evaluate the 
potential emissions and impacts of any proposed use of an FPSO within 
100 km of the Breton NWA, and will impose emission restrictions and 
mitigation requirements to ensure that no significant air quality 
impacts to the Class I area occurs from any proposed FPSO operations. 
Any proposed FPSO operations that are not within the range of 
operations evaluated in the programmatic EIS will require more 
extensive technical and environmental review to demonstrate equivalence 
to what was investigated by the EIS.
    The MMS will defer to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) jurisdiction and will 
not accept proposals for the use of FPSOs within the Lightering 
Prohibited Areas established by USCG (33 CFR Part 156 Subpart C) for 2 
years. The 2-year period will allow additional discussions with USCG on 
the potential use and impacts of FPSO operations within the Lightering 
Prohibited Areas. The time will allow for a fuller discussion of what 
measures might be necessary to protect the environment should FPSOs be 
considered for use within the Lightering Prohibited Areas, and review 
of the applicability of the environmental assessment completed 10 years 
ago by USCG in support of the rulemaking that established the 
Lightering Prohibited Areas. The MMS will continue to work with USCG to 
delineate jurisdictional

[[Page 67543]]

issues based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the two 
agencies.
    The ROD is the last step in the National Environmental Policy Act 
process. The ROD summarizes the proposed action and the alternatives 
evaluated in the EIS, the conclusions of the EIS impact analyses, and 
other information considered in reaching the decision.

    Dated: December 13, 2001.
Carolita U. Kallaur,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 01-32094 Filed 12-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P