[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7070-7074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2498]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Oil 
and Gas Lease Sale 224 for 2008

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Call for Information and Nominations/Notice of Intent (Call/
NOI) to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).

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SUMMARY: The purpose of the Call/NOI is to gather information on oil 
and gas leasing, exploration, and development that might result from an 
OCS oil and gas lease sale tentatively scheduled in early 2008. 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. The NOI seeks 
input for scoping a SEIS.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than March 16, 2007 at the 
address specified below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on this Call, please 
contact Mr. Carrol Williams, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of 
Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 
70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-2803. For information on the NOI, you 
may contact Mr. Dennis Chew, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood 
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-
2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The recently enacted Gulf of Mexico Energy 
Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006, (Pub.

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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 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 the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) or the Coastal Zone Management Act. The MMS has decided to 
prepare a supplemental EIS to the original Sale 181 Area EIS (2001) in 
order to address these requirements. The earliest MMS would be able to 
meet these requirements and offer this area would be approximately 
March 2008. To meet the 1-year requirement of the Act, 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 with all pertinent laws, rules and regulations and 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 Gulf of Mexico Sale 206 at the 
same time and location. The area to be offered in Sale 224 is small, 
approximately 130 tracts. Recent Central Gulf 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.
    This Call/NOI is the initial step in the prelease process for the 
sale. The SEIS associated with this NOI will update the environmental 
and socioeconomic analyses in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease 
Sale 181 Final EIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2001-051) which addressed the 
original ``Sale 181 Area.'' The MMS plans to complete National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), OCS Lands Act, and Coastal Zone 
Management Act (CZMA) coverage for the proposed lease sale.

Call for Information and Nominations

1. Authority

    This Call is published pursuant to the OCSLA as amended (43 U.S.C. 
1331-1356), and the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR part 256).

2. Purpose of Call

    The purpose of the Call is to gather information for the following 
tentatively scheduled OCS Lease Sale in a portion of the ``181 Area'':
    Lease Sale, OCS Planning Area:
    Lease Sale 224, Eastern GOM (portion).
    Tentative Lease Sale Date:
    March 2008.
    Information on oil and gas leasing, exploration, development and 
production within this portion of the Eastern Planning Area is 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 
part 256.
    This Call is in response to the mandate for a lease sale contained 
in the GOMESA. Final delineation of this area for possible leasing will 
be made at a later date and in compliance with applicable laws 
including all requirements of the NEPA, CZMA and OCSLA. Established 
Departmental procedures will be employed.

3. Description of Area

    The general area of this Call encompasses about 134 unleased blocks 
covering approximately 584,817 acres in that portion of the ``181 
Area'' that is west of the Military Mission Line and more than 125 
miles from Florida. A standard Call for Information Map depicting this 
portion of the Eastern Planning Area is available without charge from: 
Minerals Management Service, Public Information Unit (MS 5034), 1201 
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, or 
telephone: 1-800-200-GULF. The map is also available via the MMS Web 
site at http://www.mms.gov.

4. Instructions on Call

    Comments must be received no later than 30 days following 
publication of this document in the Federal Register in envelopes 
labeled ``Comments on the Call for Information and Nominations for 
Proposed Lease Sale 224 for 2008,'' submitted to the Gulf of Mexico 
Region's Leasing Activities Section (Attention: Mr. Carrol Williams) at 
the previously noted 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.
    Comments are sought from all interested parties about particular 
geological, environmental (including natural disasters), biological, 
archaeological and socioeconomic conditions or conflicts, or other 
information that might bear upon the potential leasing and development 
of this area. Comments are also sought on possible conflicts between 
future OCS oil and gas activities that may result from the proposed 
lease sale 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 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.

5. Use of Information From Call

    Information submitted in response to this Call will be used for 
several purposes. First, comments on possible environmental effects and 
potential use conflicts will be used in the analysis of environmental 
conditions in and near the Call area. Comments on environmental and 
other use conflicts 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 second purpose for this 
Call is to use the comments collected in the scoping process to develop 
proposed actions and alternatives. Third, comments may be used in 
developing lease terms and conditions to ensure environmentally safe 
offshore operations, and, fourth, comments may be used to assess 
potential conflicts between offshore gas and oil activities and a State 
CMP.

6. Existing Information

    The MMS routinely assesses the status of information acquisition 
efforts and the quality of the information base for potential decisions 
on a tentatively scheduled lease sale. An extensive environmental 
studies program has been underway in the GOM since 1973. The emphasis, 
including continuing studies, has been on ``environmental analysis'' of 
biologically sensitive habitats, physical oceanography, ocean-

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circulation modeling, and ecological effects of oil and gas activities. 
In response to impacts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the MMS is 
funding studies regarding hurricane risks to onshore structures and 
their surrounding communities and environment. Socioeconomic profiles 
of communities with a high concentration of OCS-related activity will 
assess the social and environmental impacts of the 2005 hurricanes. 
These studies will also evaluate the effects of hurricane-related 
employment shifts on onshore labor and coastal communities. In 
addition, MMS recently awarded a number of studies to determine the 
impact of Hurricane Ivan on offshore oil and gas structures. These 
studies were designed to analyze and assess the damage to structures 
and pipelines, determine the effectiveness of current design standards 
and pollution-prevention systems, and develop recommendations for 
potential changes to industry standards and MMS regulations, if needed. 
Results of these studies will also apply to the impacts of Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita and future hurricanes.
    You may obtain a complete listing of available study reports and 
information for ordering copies from the Public Information Unit 
referenced above. You may also order the reports for a fee, from the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Technical Information Service, 
5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161, or telephone (703) 
605-6000 or (800) 553-6847. In addition, you may obtain a program 
status report for continuing studies in this area from the Chief, 
Environmental Sciences Section (MS 5430), Minerals Management Service, 
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70123-2394, or telephone (504) 736-2752, or via the MMS Web 
site at http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/studiesprogram.html.

7. Tentative Schedule

             Milestones for Proposed Lease Sale 224 for 2008
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NOI to Prepare a SEIS......................  February 2007.
Call for Information and Nominations.......  February 2007.
Comments received on Call/NOI..............  March 2007.
Scoping Meetings...........................  March 2007.
Area Identification Decision...............  March 2007.
Draft SEIS published.......................  June-July 2007.
Public Hearings on Draft SEIS..............  August-September 2007.
Final SEIS.................................  October-November 2007.
Proposed Notice and Coastal Zone Management  5 months before lease sale.
 Consistency Determination.
Final Notice of Sale.......................  1 month before lease sale.
Tentative Lease Sale Date..................  March 2008 (Lease Sale
                                              224).
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Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement

1. Authority

    The NOI is published pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) 
implementing the provisions of the NEPA of 1969 as amended (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq. (1988)).

2. Purpose of Notice of Intent

    Pursuant to the regulations implementing the procedural provisions 
of NEPA, MMS is announcing its intent to prepare a SEIS on an oil and 
gas lease sale tentatively scheduled in early 2008 in the Eastern GOM 
offshore the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. 
The SEIS will update the analyses in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas 
Lease Sale 181 Final Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 
2001-051). The NOI also serves to announce the scoping process for this 
SEIS. Throughout the scoping process, Federal, State, and local 
government agencies, and other interested parties have the opportunity 
to aid MMS in determining the significant issues and alternatives for 
analysis in the SEIS. The SEIS analysis will focus on the potential 
environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, exploration, 
development, and production in the proposed lease sale area.

3. Supplemental Information

    As mandated in the recently enacted Gulf of Mexico Energy Security 
Act of 2006, MMS shall offer the ``181 Area'' for oil and gas leasing 
pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et 
seq.). In October 2007, proposed Lease Sale 205 would offer the portion 
of the ``181 Area'' located in the Central Planning Area, and this is 
being addressed by a separate EIS. The MMS is proposing to prepare a 
SEIS to address the proposed lease sale in the remaining portion of the 
``181 Area.'' (see map). The resource estimates and scenario 
information for the SEIS analyses will be presented as a range that 
would encompass the resources and activities estimated for the proposed 
lease sale. At the completion of this SEIS process, a decision will be 
made for the proposed sale in 2008. This SEIS will supplement the Gulf 
of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 181 Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2001-051), which addressed the original ``181 
Area.'' For more information on the SEIS, you may contact Dennis Chew, 
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, MS 5410, New 
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 or e-mail [email protected]. You may 
also contact Mr. Chew by telephone at (504) 736-2793.

4. Cooperating Agency

    The MMS invites other Federal agencies and State, tribal, and local 
governments to consider becoming cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the SEIS. We invite qualified government entities to 
inquire about cooperating agency status for the SEIS. Following the 
guidelines from the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ), qualified 
agencies and governments are those with ``jurisdiction by law or 
special expertise.'' Potential cooperating agencies should consider 
their authority and capacity to assume the responsibilities of a 
cooperating agency and note that an agency's role in the environmental 
analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes the final decisionmaking 
authority of any other agency involved in the NEPA process. Upon 
request, MMS will provide potential cooperating agencies with a written 
summary of ground rules for cooperating agencies, including time 
schedules and critical action dates, milestones, responsibilities, 
scope and detail of cooperating agencies' contributions, and 
availability of predecisional information. The MMS anticipates this 
summary will form the basis for a Memorandum of Understanding

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between MMS and each cooperating agency. Agencies should also consider 
the ``Factors for Determining Cooperating Agency Status'' in Attachment 
1 to CEQ's January 30, 2002, Memorandum for the Heads of Federal 
Agencies: Cooperating Agencies in Implementing the Procedural 
Requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. A copy of this 
document is available at http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/cooperating/cooperatingagenciesmemorandum.html and http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/cooperating/cooperatingagencymemofactors.html.
    The MMS, as the lead agency, will not provide financial assistance 
to cooperating agencies. Yet, even if an organization is not a 
cooperating agency, opportunities exist to provide information and 
comments to MMS during the normal public input phases of the NEPA/SEIS 
process. If further information about cooperating agencies is needed, 
please contact Mr. Dennis Chew at (504) 736-2793.

5. Comments

    Federal, State, and local government agencies, and other interested 
parties are requested to send their written comments on the scope of 
the SEIS, significant issues that should be addressed, and alternatives 
that should be considered in one of the following three ways:
    1. Electronically using MMS's Public Connect on-line commenting 
system at https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. From the Public Connect 
``Welcome'' screen, search for ``Lease Sale 224 SEIS'' or select it 
from the ``Projects Open for Comment'' menu.
    2. 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.
    3. Electronically to the MMS e-mail address: [email protected].
    Comments should be submitted no later than 30 days from the 
publication of this NOI.

Notice of Public Scoping Meetings on the Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement

    Summary: Pursuant to the regulations implementing the procedural 
provisions of the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the MMS will hold 
public scoping meetings in Louisiana and Florida on the SEIS for the 
tentatively scheduled 2008 oil and gas leasing proposal in the Eastern 
Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of these meetings will be to solicit 
comments on the scope of the SEIS.
    The public scoping meetings are scheduled as follows:
     Thursday, March 1, 2007, New World Landing, 600 South 
Palafox Street, Pensacola, Florida, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
     Wednesday, March 7, 2007, Larose Civic Center, Larose 
Regional Park, Larose, Louisiana, 7 p.m.
    For further information about the scoping meetings 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.

    Dated: February 8, 2007.
R.M. ``Johnnie'' Burton,
Director, Minerals Management Service.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN14FE07.001


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 [FR Doc. E7-2498 Filed 2-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P