[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2991-2992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1124]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management


Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central 
Planning Area (CPA), Oil and Gas Lease Sale for the 2007-2012 5-Year 
OCS Program

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

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

SUMMARY: BOEM has prepared a Final Supplemental EIS for CPA 
Consolidated Lease Sale 216/222, an oil and gas lease sale that is 
tentatively scheduled for June 2012, which will be the final lease sale 
in the 2007-2012 5-Year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The proposed 
sale is in the GOM's CPA off the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and 
Alabama. This Final Supplemental EIS updates, for CPA Lease Sale 216/
222, environmental and socioeconomic analyses that were originally 
conducted in an EIS that was completed in April 2007 and entitled, Gulf 
of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2007-2012; Western Planning Area 
(WPA) Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218; Central Planning Area (CPA) 
Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222, Final EIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-
018) (Multisale EIS). This Final Supplemental EIS also updates, for CPA 
Lease Sale 216/222, environmental and socioeconomic analyses originally 
conducted in an EIS that was completed in September 2008 and entitled: 
GOM OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2009-2012; CPA Sales 208, 213, 216, 
and 222; WPA Sales 210, 215, and 218; Final Supplemental EIS (OCS EIS/
EA MMS 2008-041) (2009-2012 Supplemental EIS).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BOEM developed the Final Supplemental EIS 
for CPA Lease Sale 216/222 in order to consider new circumstances and 
information arising from, among other things, the Deepwater Horizon 
event. This Final Supplemental EIS provides updates on the baseline 
conditions and potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas 
leasing, exploration, development, and production in the CPA. BOEM 
conducted an extensive search for new information made available since 
completion of the Multisale EIS and the 2009-2012 Supplemental EIS and 
in consideration of the Deepwater Horizon event, including scientific 
journals; interviews with personnel from academic institutions and 
Federal, State, and local government agencies; and available scientific 
data and information from academic institutions and Federal, State, and 
local government agencies. BOEM has reexamined the potential impacts 
associated with the proposed CPA lease sale and the proposed lease 
sale's incremental contribution to the cumulative impacts on 
environmental resources and socioeconomic factors. This analysis 
considers both routine activities and accidental events, and 
potentially large-scale, events. Like the Multisale EIS and the 2009-
2012 Supplemental EIS, the oil and gas resource estimates and scenario 
information for this Final Supplemental EIS are presented as ranges 
that would likely be involved as a result of this proposed lease sale.
    Final Supplemental EIS Availability: To obtain a single printed or 
CD-ROM copy of the Final Supplemental EIS for CPA Lease Sale 216/222, 
you may contact the BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public Information 
Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 250, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-(800) 200-GULF). An electronic copy of the 
Final Supplemental EIS (as well as links to the Multisale EIS and the 
2009-2012 Supplemental EIS) is available at BOEM's Internet Web site at 
http://www.boem.gov/Environmental-Stewardship/Environmental-Assessment/NEPA/nepaprocess.aspx. The CD-ROM version of the Final Supplemental EIS 
also contains copies of the Multisale EIS and the 2009-2012

[[Page 2992]]

Supplemental EIS. Several libraries along the Gulf Coast have been sent 
copies of the Final Supplemental EIS. To find out the location of 
libraries that have copies of the Final Supplemental EIS, you may 
contact BOEM's Public Information Office or visit BOEM's Internet Web 
site at http://www.gomr.boem.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/libraries.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the Final 
Supplemental EIS, you may contact Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park 
Boulevard (MS 5410), New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, or by email at 
[email protected]. You may also contact Mr. Goeke by 
telephone at (504) 736-3233.

    Dated: January 3, 2012.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-1124 Filed 1-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P