[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9881-9882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04114]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2015-0141]


Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sale, 
Central Planning Area Lease Sale 247; MMAA104000

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and announcement of public meetings and 
comment period for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: BOEM is announcing the availability of a Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Gulf of Mexico 
(GOM) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas Central Planning Area 
(CPA) Lease Sale 247 (CPA Lease Sale 247). CPA Lease Sale 247 is 
tentatively scheduled for March 2017. The Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement provides a discussion of potential 
significant impacts of the proposed action and provides an analysis of 
reasonable alternatives to the proposed action. It also considers new 
information made available since the completion of earlier EISs related 
to CPA Lease Sale 247. The prior 2012-2017 Gulf of Mexico EISs are 
available on BOEM's Web site at http://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/. This 
Notice of Availability also serves to announce the beginning of the 
public comment period for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement.
    In keeping with the Department of the Interior's mission to protect 
natural resources and to limit costs, while ensuring availability to 
the public, the Draft Supplemental EIS and associated information are 
available on BOEM's Web site at http://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/. BOEM 
will also distribute digital copies of the Draft Supplemental EIS on 
compact discs. BOEM will print and distribute a limited number of paper 
copies. You may request a digital or paper copy of the Draft 
Supplemental EIS from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of 
Mexico OCS Region, Public Information Office (GM 250C), 1201 Elmwood 
Park Boulevard, Room 250, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800- 
200-GULF).

DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than April 11, 2016. As 
described below in the ``Comments'' section, public comments may also 
be submitted at public meetings being held on March 14, 15, and 17, 
2016.

[[Page 9882]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief, Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Office of 
Environment (GM 623E), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70123-2394, or by email at [email protected]. You may also 
contact Mr. Goeke by telephone at 504-736-3233.
    Comments: Federal, State, and local governments and/or agencies; 
Tribal Nations; and the public (including persons and organizations who 
may be interested or affected) may submit written comments on the CPA 
247 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement through the 
following methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
field entitled ``Search,'' enter ``BOEM-2015-0401'' and then click 
``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view 
supporting and related materials available for this notice;
    2. U.S. mail in an envelope labeled ``Comments on the Draft CPA 247 
Supplemental EIS'' and addressed to Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief, 
Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment (GM 623E), 
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Office of 
Environment (GM 623E), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70123-2394. Comments must be postmarked by the last day of 
the comment period to be considered. This date is April 11, 2016.
    3. Via electronic mail to [email protected].
    BOEM will also hold public meetings to solicit comments regarding 
the CPA 247 Draft Supplemental EIS. The Meetings are scheduled as 
follows:
     Gulfport, Mississippi: Monday, March 14, 2016, Courtyard 
by Marriott, Gulfport Beachfront MS Hotel, 1600 East Beach Boulevard, 
Gulfport, Mississippi 39501, one meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT;
     Mobile, Alabama: Tuesday, March 15, 2016, Hilton Garden 
Inn Mobile West, 828 West I-65 Service Road South, Mobile, Alabama 
36609, one meeting beginning at 4:00 p.m. CDT; and
     New Orleans, Louisiana: Thursday, March 17, 2016, Bureau 
of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood 
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123, one meeting beginning at 
1:00 p.m. CDT.
    BOEM does not consider anonymous comments; please include your name 
and address as part of your submittal. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, 
including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you can ask us in your comments to 
withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Authority:  This Notice of Availability is consistent with the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
4231 et seq.) (NEPA), and the regulations implementing NEPA, and is 
published pursuant to 43 CFR 46.415 and 46.435.

    Dated: February 10, 2016.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2016-04114 Filed 2-25-16; 8:45 am]
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