[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10841-10842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04187]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[MMAA104000]


Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central Planning 
Area (CPA) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 231

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Record of Decision (ROD) for 
CPA Lease Sale 231 in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 
2013-2014; Western Planning Area Lease Sale 233, and Central Planning 
Area Lease Sale 231; Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
(WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS).

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    Authority:  This NOA is published pursuant to the regulations 
(40 CFR part 1506) implementing the provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.).

SUMMARY: BOEM has prepared a ROD for oil and gas CPA Lease Sale 231 
scheduled for March 19, 2014. CPA Lease Sale 231 is the second CPA 
lease sale scheduled in the Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing 
Program for 2012-2017 (Five-Year Program). The proposed lease sale is 
in the Gulf of Mexico's CPA off the States of Louisiana, Alabama, and 
Mississippi. In making its decision, BOEM considered alternatives to 
the proposed action and the potential impacts as presented in the WPA 
233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS and all comments received throughout the 
NEPA process. The WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS updated the baseline 
conditions and potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas 
leasing, exploration, development, and production in the WPA and CPA 
since publication of the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 
2012-2017; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 229, 233, 238, 246, and 
248; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 227, 231, 235, 241, and 247, 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (2012-2017 WPA/CPA Multisale EIS) 
(USDOI, BOEM, 2012b). The WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS analyzed the 
potential impacts of the proposed action in the CPA and was completed 
in April 2013.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS, 
BOEM evaluated three alternatives for CPA Lease Sale 231, which are 
summarized below:
    Alternative A--The Proposed Action: This is BOEM's preferred 
alternative. This alternative would offer for lease all unleased blocks 
within the CPA for oil and gas operations, except whole and partial 
blocks deferred by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006.
    The proposed CPA lease sale area encompasses about 63 million acres 
of the total CPA area of 66.45 million acres. As of December 2013, 
approximately 40 million acres of the proposed CPA lease sale area are 
currently unleased. The estimated amount of resources projected to be 
developed as a result of proposed CPA Lease Sale 231 is 0.460-0.894 
billion barrels of oil (BBO) and 1.939-3.903 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) 
of gas.
    Alternative B--The Proposed Action Excluding the Unleased Blocks 
Near Biologically Sensitive Topographic Features: This alternative 
would offer for lease all unleased blocks within the proposed CPA lease 
sale area, as described for the proposed action (Alternative A), with 
the exception of any unleased blocks subject to the Topographic 
Features Stipulation.
    Alternative C--No Action: This alternative is the cancellation of 
proposed CPA Lease Sale 231 and is identified as the environmentally 
preferred alternative.
    After careful consideration, BOEM has selected a subset of the 
proposed action, (a portion of the lease sale area analyzed in 
Alternative A) in the WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS. As noted in its 
Record of Decision, BOEM has decided to hold CPA Lease Sale 231 and 
offer for lease all unleased blocks in the CPA, except: (1) whole and 
partial of blocks deferred by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 
2006; (2) blocks that are adjacent or beyond the United States 
Exclusive Economic Zone in the area known as the northern portion of 
the Eastern Gap; and (3) whole and partial blocks that lie within the 
1.4 nautical mile buffer zone north of the Continental Shelf Boundary 
between the United States and Mexico. BOEM's selection of a subset of 
the preferred alternative reflects an orderly resource development with 
protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments, while also 
ensuring that the public receives an equitable return for these 
resources and that free-market competition is maintained.

[[Page 10842]]

    Record of Decision Availability: To obtain a single printed or CD-
ROM copy of the ROD for proposed CPA Lease Sale 231, you may contact 
the BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public Information Office (GM 
335A), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 
(1-800-200-GULF). An electronic copy of the ROD is available on BOEM's 
Internet Web site at http://boem.gov/Environmental-Stewardship/Environmental-Assessment/NEPA/nepaprocess.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the ROD, you 
may contact Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf 
of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard (GM 623E), New 
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. You may also contact Mr. Goeke by 
telephone at (504) 736-3233.

    Dated: February 13, 2014.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-04187 Filed 2-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P