[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61369-61370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21279]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) 
Planning Area, Proposed Oil and Gas Lease Sale 224, March 2008

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).

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SUMMARY: The MMS has prepared a Final SEIS on a tentatively scheduled 
2008 oil and gas leasing proposal (Sale 224) in the Eastern GOM 
Planning Area, off the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and 
Florida. 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.

    Authority: The NOA is published pursuant to the regulations (40 
CFR 1503) under the authority of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA); the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The recently enacted GOMESA of 2006 (Pub. 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 30 seconds 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 NEPA or the Coastal 
Zone Management Act (CZMA). The MMS has prepared a SEIS to the original 
Sale 181 EIS (2001) in order to address these requirements. The 
earliest MMS would be able to meet these requirements and offer this 
area for leasing would be approximately March 2008. To meet the 1-year 
requirement of GOMESA, 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

[[Page 61370]]

with all pertinent laws, rules, and regulations, and to 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 Planning Area Sale 206 at the 
same time and location. The area to be offered in Sale 224 is small, 
approximately 118 tracts, whereas recent Central Planning Area 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.
    The final SEIS associated with this NOA updated the environmental 
and socioeconomic analyses in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease 
Sale 181, Eastern Planning Area Final EIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2001-051), 
which addressed the original ``Sale 181 Area.''
    SEIS Availability: To obtain a single, printed or CD-ROM copy of 
the final SEIS, you may contact the MMS, GOM OCS Region, Public 
Information Office (MS 5034),1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, New 
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF). An electronic copy of 
the final SEIS is available at the MMS Internet Web site at http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/nepa/nepaprocess.html. Many 
libraries along the Gulf Coast have been sent copies of the final SEIS. 
To find out which libraries, and their locations, have copies of the 
final SEIS for review, you may contact the MMS Public Information 
Office or visit the MMS Internet Web site at http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/libraries.html.
    Comments: Federal, State, and local government agencies, and other 
interested parties are requested to send their written comments on the 
final SEIS in one of the following two ways:
    1. 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.
    2. Electronically to the MMS e-mail address: [email protected].

Comments should be submitted no later than 30 days from the publication 
of this NOA.

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

    Dated: October 12, 2007.
Chris C. Oynes,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. E7-21279 Filed 10-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P