[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 137 (Friday, July 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 42535]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17606]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[MMAA 104000]


Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Western Planning Area 
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 246

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision for Proposed 
Western Planning Area (WPA) Lease Sale 246, which is analyzed in the 
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 
2015-2016; WPA Lease Sales 246 and 248; Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: BOEM has prepared a Record of Decision for proposed oil and 
gas WPA Lease Sale 246, which is scheduled for August 19, 2015. The 
proposed lease sale is in the Gulf of Mexico's WPA off the states of 
Texas and Louisiana. Proposed WPA Lease Sale 246 is the fourth WPA 
lease sale scheduled in the OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012-
2017. In making its decision, BOEM considered two alternatives to the 
proposed action, the potential impacts as presented in the WPA 246 and 
248 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and all comments 
received throughout the National Environmental Policy Act process. The 
Western Planning Area 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS evaluated the 
environmental and socioeconomic impacts for proposed Western Planning 
Area Lease Sale 246.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS, the 
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) evaluated three alternatives 
that 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 proposed WPA lease sale area for oil and gas operations with 
the following exception: Whole and partial blocks within the boundary 
of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
    All unleased whole and partial blocks in the WPA that BOEM will 
offer for leasing in proposed WPA Lease Sale 246 are listed in the 
document ``List of Blocks Available for Leasing,'' which is included in 
the Final Notice of Sale 246 Package. The proposed WPA lease sale area 
encompasses nearly all of the WPA's 28.58 million acres. As of February 
2015, approximately 21.9 million acres of the proposed WPA lease sale 
area were unleased. The estimated amount of resources projected to be 
developed as a result of this proposal is 0.116-0.200 billion barrels 
of oil (BBO) and 0.538-0.938 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas.
    Alternative B--Exclude the Unleased Blocks Near the Biologically 
Sensitive Topographic Features: This alternative would offer for lease 
all unleased blocks within the proposed WPA lease sale area, as 
described for the proposed action (Alternative A), but it would exclude 
from leasing any unleased blocks subject to the Topographic Features 
Stipulation. The estimated amount of resources projected to be 
developed under this alternative is 0.116-0.200 BBO and 0.538-0.938 Tcf 
of gas, which is the same as is estimated for Alternative A. The number 
of blocks that would not be offered under Alternative B represent only 
a small percentage of the total number of blocks to be offered under 
Alternative A; therefore, it is expected that the levels of oil and gas 
activity and related environmental impact for Alternative B would be 
essentially the same as those projected for a WPA proposed action.
    Alternative C--No Action: This alternative is the cancellation of 
proposed WPA Lease Sale 246 and is identified as the environmentally 
preferable alternative.
    After careful consideration, BOEM has selected the proposed action, 
identified as BOEM's preferred alternative (Alternative A) in the WPA 
246 and 248 Supplemental EIS. BOEM's selection of the preferred 
alternative meets the purpose and need for the proposed action, as 
identified in the WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS, and will result in 
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.
    Record of Decision (ROD) Availability: To obtain a single printed 
or CD copy of the ROD for proposed WPA Lease Sale 246, you may contact 
BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public Information Office (GM 323A), 
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-
200-GULF). An electronic copy of the ROD is available on BOEM's Web 
site at http://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/.
    Additional Information: 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.

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

    Dated: July 8, 2015.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-17606 Filed 7-16-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P