[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 2437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00500]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket ID BOEM-2019-0070]


Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Oil and Gas 
Lease Sales for 2020

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

ACTION: Notice to Rescind Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: This Notice advises the public that BOEM is rescinding the 
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the OCS Gulf of Mexico (GOM) lease sales for 2020 
and subsequent GOM lease sales through 2022.

DATES: This Notice takes effect on January 15, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the status of the 
environmental review for the 2020 GOM oil and gas lease sales or BOEM's 
policies associated with this Notice, please contact Ms. Helen Rucker, 
Chief, Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment (GM 
623E), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, New Orleans Office, 1201 
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone 
504-736-2421, or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On December 26, 2018, BOEM published a NOI 
to initiate the environmental review to inform the decisions for the 
two proposed lease sales scheduled in 2020 and the subsequent lease 
sales through 2022. The proposed lease sales include the Western and 
Central Planning Areas, and a small portion of the Eastern Planning 
Area not subject to Congressional moratorium.
    At the time of publication, BOEM anticipated the first GOM lease 
sale of 2020 would be conducted under the 2019-2024 National OCS Oil 
and Gas Leasing Program and planned to prepare a Supplemental EIS for 
the proposed lease sales scheduled in 2020 through 2022.
    However, development of the 2019-2024 Program has been delayed, and 
BOEM has decided not to prepare a Supplemental EIS at this time, 
because it is not making any substantial changes in the proposed 
actions that are relevant to environmental concerns. As a result, it 
has determined that no new circumstances or information relevant to 
environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its 
impacts have arisen.
    Thus, under the standards of 40 CFR 1502.9(c), there is nothing 
triggering the need for a Supplemental EIS. Accordingly, BOEM has 
determined NEPA adequacy on the use of the 2018 GOM Supplemental EIS 
for Lease Sale 254, which tiers from and updates the 2017-2022 GOM 
Multisale EIS. BOEM is hereby rescinding the December 26, 2018, Notice 
of Intent to prepare a Supplemental EIS.

    Authority: This Notice to rescind the NOI is published pursuant 
to 43 U.S.C. 1337, 40 CFR 1508.22, and 43 CFR 46.415.

Michael A. Celata,
Regional Director, New Orleans Office, Department of the Interior 
Regions 1, 2, 4, and 6, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2020-00500 Filed 1-14-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P