[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 70455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29769]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico Region, Proposed Eastern 
Planning Area Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service.

ACTIONS: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement and public hearings on proposed Eastern Planning Area oil and 
gas lease sales 189 and 197.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management 
Service (MMS) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) 
on two proposed oil and gas lease sales in the Eastern Planning Area 
(EPA) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Minerals Management Service, Gulf of 
Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 
70123-2394, Mr. Dennis Chew, telephone (504) 736-2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS addresses two proposed Federal 
actions that offer for lease OCS areas in the EPA of the GOM that may 
contain economically recoverable oil and gas resources. Federal 
regulations allow for several related or similar proposals to be 
analyzed in one EIS (40 CFR 1502.4). Since each proposed lease sale and 
their projected activities are very similar, a single EIS is being 
prepared for the two proposed EPA lease sales scheduled in the Outer 
Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 2002-2007 (the 5-Year 
Program). Under the 5-Year Program, proposed lease sale 189 is 
scheduled for 2003, while proposed lease sale 197 is scheduled for 
2005. At the completion of this EIS process, a decision will be made 
only for proposed lease sale 189. An additional National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) review will be conducted in the year prior to 
proposed lease sale 197 to address any new information relevant to that 
proposed action.
    EIS Availability: To find out which libraries along the Gulf of 
Mexico coast have copies of the draft EIS for review or to obtain 
single copies of the draft EIS, you may contact the Minerals Management 
Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public Information Office (MS 
5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, New Orleans, Louisiana 
70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF). A list of libraries and their locations is 
also available on the MMS Internet web site at http://www.mms.gov.
    Public Hearings: Two public hearings will be held in order to 
receive comments on the draft EIS: on Wednesday, January 8, 2003, 1 
p.m., at the Hampton Inn and Suites, 5150 Mounes Street, Harahan, 
Louisiana 70123, and Thursday, January 9, 2003, 2 p.m., at the Adams 
Mark Hotel, 64 South Water Street, Mobile, Alabama. If you wish to 
testify at a hearing, you may register one hour prior to the meeting. 
Each hearing will briefly recess when all speakers have had an 
opportunity to testify. If there are no additional speakers, the 
meeting will adjourn immediately after the recess. Written statements 
submitted at a hearing will be considered part of the hearing record. 
If you are unable to attend the hearings, you may submit written 
statements until January 24, 2003. Send written statements to the 
Regional Director (MS 5412), Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood 
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 or to email address: 
[email protected].

    Dated: November 15, 2002.
Thomas A. Readinger,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
    Approved:

    Dated: November 18, 2002.
Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 02-29769 Filed 11-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P