[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 71 (Friday, April 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 19872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7775]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central 
Planning Area (CPA) and Western Planning Area (WPA), Oil and Gas Lease 
Sales for Years 2009-2012

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and Public Hearings.

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SUMMARY: The MMS has prepared a draft SEIS on oil and gas lease sales 
tentatively scheduled in 2009-2012 in the CPA and WPA offshore the 
States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. As mandated in 
the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA) (Pub. L. 109-
432, December 20, 2006), the MMS shall offer, as soon as practicable, 
approximately 5.8 million acres located in the southeastern part of the 
CPA (``181 South Area''). The CPA Sale 208 (March 2009) will be the 
first sale to include the ``181 South Area.'' The draft SEIS analyzed 
the potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, 
exploration, development, and production in the ``181 South Area'' and 
newly available information.

    Authority: This NOA and notice of public hearings is published 
pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1503) implementing the 
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 
as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (1988)).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As mandated in GOMESA, the MMS shall offer 
the ``181 South Area'' for oil and gas leasing pursuant to the OCS 
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.). In March 2009, proposed Lease Sale 
208 would be the first CPA sale to offer the ``181 South Area.'' The 
draft SEIS supplements the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 
2007-2012; Western Planning Area Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218; 
Central Planning Area Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222, Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-018, Multisale 
EIS). The Multisale EIS did not analyze the ``181 South Area'', 
therefore the MMS has prepared the draft SEIS to address the addition 
of the ``181 South Area'' to the proposed CPA sale area. Also an 
extensive search was conducted for new information published since 
completion of the Multisale EIS, including various Internet sources, 
scientific journals, and interviews with personnel from academic 
institutions, and Federal, State, and local agencies.
    Based on new information and the expanded CPA sale area, the MMS 
has reexamined potential impacts of routine activities and accidental 
events associated with the proposed CPA and WPA lease sales, and a 
proposed lease sale's incremental contribution to the cumulative 
impacts on environmental and socioeconomic resources. Like the 
Multisale EIS, the resource estimates and scenario information for the 
SEIS analyses are presented as a range that would encompass the 
resources and activities estimated for any of the seven proposed lease 
sales. At the completion of the SEIS process, a decision will be made 
for proposed CPA Sale 208 (2009) and WPA Sale 210 (2009).
    Draft SEIS Availability: To obtain a single, printed or CD-ROM copy 
of the draft SEIS, you may contact the Minerals Management Service, 
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public Information Office (Mail Stop 5034), 
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-
2394 (1-800-200-GULF). An electronic copy of the draft EIS is available 
at the MMS's Internet Web site at http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/nepa/nepaprocess.html. Several libraries along the 
Gulf Coast have been sent copies of the draft SEIS. To find out which 
libraries, and their locations, have copies of the draft SEIS for 
review, you may contact the MMS's Public Information Office or visit 
the MMS Internet Web site at http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/libraries.html.
    Public Hearings: The MMS will hold public hearings to receive 
comments on the draft SEIS. The public hearings are scheduled as 
follows:
     Tuesday, May 13, 2008, Larose Civic Center, 307 East 5th 
Street, Larose, Louisiana, 6 p.m.
     Wednesday, May 14, 2008, Louisiana State University, 
Center for Energy Studies, 1077 Energy, Coast and Environment Building, 
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1 p.m.
     Thursday, May 15, 2008, Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel, 
64 South Water Street, Mobile, Alabama, 6 p.m.
    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 hearing 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.
    Comments: Federal, State, and local government agencies and other 
interested parties are requested to send their written comments on the 
draft SEIS in one of the following two ways:
    1. In written form enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Comments on 
the Supplemental Multisale EIS'' and mailed (or hand carried) to the 
Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment (Mail Stop 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 60 days from the 
publication of this NOA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the draft SEIS 
or the public hearings, you may contact Dennis Chew, Minerals 
Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park 
Boulevard (Mail Stop 5412), New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, or by e-
mail at [email protected]. You may also contact Mr. Chew by telephone 
at (504) 736-2793.

    Dated: March 14, 2008.
Chris C. Oynes,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
 [FR Doc. E8-7775 Filed 4-10-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P