[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 189 (Monday, October 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67801-67803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21679]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket Number: BOEM-2023-0053]


Call for Information and Nominations for Western, Central, and 
Eastern Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales 
for 2024-2029

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior

ACTION: Call for information and nominations, request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issues this Call 
for Information and Nominations (Call) covering proposed Gulf of Mexico 
oil and gas lease sales in the available portions of the Western, 
Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas (WPA, CPA, and EPA, 
respectively). Those sales are described in the 2024-2029 National 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (2024-2029 
National OCS Program), which BOEM announced on September 29, 2023. This 
Call solicits industry nominations of acreage for possible inclusion in 
future sales and requests information from the public on the Call Area 
for lease sale planning. Specifically, BOEM seeks information on 
geological conditions, archaeological sites, potential use conflicts, 
areas of special concern, and other socioeconomic, biological, and 
environmental information. This Call is not a final decision to lease 
and does not prejudge any future secretarial decisions concerning 
leasing in the Gulf of Mexico.

DATES: All nominations and comments must be received by BOEM or 
postmarked no later than November 1, 2023.

ADDRESSES: 
    Public Comment Procedures: All public comments should be submitted 
through one of the following methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
field entitled, ``Search,'' enter ``BOEM-2023-0053'' and then click 
``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and to 
view supporting and related materials available for this notice.
    2. U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service to the following 
address: Chief of Leasing and Financial Responsibility Section, BOEM, 
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Mail Stop GM 
266A, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-7502. Send 
your comments in an envelope clearly labeled ``Comments on the Call for 
Information and Nominations for 2024-2029 Gulf of Mexico Lease Sales.''
    3. Email: [email protected]
    Nominations and Indications of Interest Procedures: To ensure 
security and confidentiality of proprietary information to the maximum 
extent possible, please send nominations, indications of interest, and 
other proprietary information to: Chief of Leasing and Financial 
Responsibility Section, BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood 
Park Blvd., Mail Stop GM 266A, New Orleans, LA 70123-2394, telephone 
(504) 736-7502. Consistent with subsection 6 in the ``Call for 
Information and Nominations'' section of this Call below, you should 
mark all documents and every page containing such information with 
``Confidential--Contains Proprietary Information.'' Send your 
nominations in an envelope clearly labeled ``Nominations for 2024-2029 
Gulf of Mexico Lease Sales.'' Do not send nominations, indications of 
interest, or other proprietary information through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal or to the email address provided above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bridgette Duplantis, Chief of Leasing 
and Financial Responsibility Section, BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Mail Stop GM 266A, New Orleans, Louisiana 
70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-7502, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    2024-2029 National OCS Program Development: Information on the 
development of the 2024-2029 National OCS Program and its programmatic 
environmental impact statement (PEIS) is available on BOEM's website 
at: https://www.boem.gov/National-OCS-Program/.
    Environmental Review Process: BOEM intends to prepare a PEIS, in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), analyzing 
a representative Gulf of Mexico proposed lease sale and reasonable 
alternatives. The PEIS will be supplemented as necessary for individual 
decisions on all future Gulf of Mexico lease sales included in the 
2024-2029 National OCS Program.
    The PEIS will evaluate the potential effects that oil and gas 
activities resulting from a lease sale could have on the human, marine, 
and coastal environments. The PEIS may propose measures and lease 
stipulations to mitigate adverse impacts for the alternatives being 
analyzed. Consultations will be conducted, as appropriate. Consultation 
with Tribal Nations, States, and Federal agencies address BOEM 
obligations under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Endangered Species 
Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 
section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and Executive 
Order 13175, ``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal 
Governments.'' The results of these consultations assist the Secretary 
in leasing decisions.
    BOEM's Leasing Process: BOEM's regulations for planning and holding 
an oil and gas lease sale are found at 30 CFR 556.300-.309. These 
regulations include the following steps:
    (1) Call for Information and Nominations: See section below.
    (2) Area Identification: Based on the information and nominations 
submitted in response to this Call, BOEM will recommend an area for 
further leasing consideration and environmental analysis. Upon approval 
by the Secretary, BOEM will announce the proposed area identified for 
leasing in the Federal Register, in accordance with 30 CFR 
556.302(a)(3).
    (3) Proposed Notice of Sale (PNOS): If BOEM proceeds with the 
leasing process after Area Identification and environmental analysis, 
it will publish a Notice of Availability of a PNOS in the Federal 
Register. BOEM also will send the PNOS to the Governors of affected 
States for comment and

[[Page 67802]]

recommendations on the size, timing, and location of the proposed sale. 
The PNOS describes the size, timing, and location of the proposed sale; 
provides additional information on the areas proposed for leasing; 
lists proposed lease terms and conditions of the sale; and provides 
proposed stipulations to mitigate potential adverse impacts on the 
environment and other uses of the area.
    (4) Final Notice of Sale (FNOS): If BOEM decides to proceed with 
leasing, it will publish a FNOS in the Federal Register at least 30 
days before the date of the lease sale. The FNOS describes the place, 
time, and methods for filing, opening, and publicly announcing bids. It 
also contains a description of the areas offered for lease, the lease 
terms and conditions of the sale, and stipulations to mitigate 
potential adverse impacts on the environment and other uses of the 
area.

Call for Information and Nominations

1. Authority

    This Call is published pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf 
Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356) and the 
implementing regulation at 30 CFR 556.301.

2. Purpose of the Call

    The purpose of this Call is twofold. First, this Call solicits 
industry nominations for areas of leasing interest. Second, this Call 
requests comments and information from the public on the areas that 
should be included in the proposed oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf 
of Mexico included in the 2024-2029 National OCS Program. Pursuant to 
30 CFR 556.301, BOEM seeks comments from industry and the public on:
    (a) industry interest in the Call Area, including nominations or 
indications of interest in specific blocks within the Call Area;
    (b) geological conditions, including bottom hazards;
    (c) archaeological sites on the seabed or near shore;
    (d) potential use conflicts in the Call Area, including navigation, 
recreation, and fisheries;
    (e) areas that should receive special concern and analysis; and
    (f) other socioeconomic, biological, and environmental information.
    BOEM will consider information submitted in response to this Call 
to:
     inform the Area Identification process under 30 CFR 
556.302;
     prioritize areas with higher potential for oil and gas 
development;
     develop potential lease terms and conditions;
     identify potential use conflicts and potential mitigation 
measures; and
     assist in BOEM's planning and environmental review 
process.

3. Description of the Call Area

    The Call Area is identical to the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) area 
included in the 2024-2029 National OCS Program and includes the entire 
WPA, CPA, and EPA, except areas withdrawn by the President. The Call 
Area excludes areas withdrawn pursuant to section 12 of OCSLA (43 
U.S.C. 1341) by Presidential memoranda dated September 8, 2020, 
(withdrawing the bulk of the EPA and a portion of the CPA) and July 17, 
2008, (withdrawing the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 
within the boundaries that existed on July 14, 2008).
    The WPA is bound on the west and north by the Federal-State 
boundary offshore Texas. The eastern boundary begins at the offshore 
boundary between Texas and Louisiana and proceeds southeasterly to 
28.43[deg] N latitude, thence south-southwesterly to 27.49[deg] N 
latitude, thence south-southeasterly to 25.80[deg] N latitude. The WPA 
is bound on the south by the maritime boundary with Mexico as 
established by treaties between the United States and Mexico. BOEM is 
seeking nominations and comments on the entire WPA, which consists of 
approximately 28.58 million acres, of which approximately 26.45 million 
acres are currently unleased.
    The CPA is bound on the west by the WPA's eastern boundary and on 
the north by the Federal-State boundaries offshore Louisiana, 
Mississippi, and Alabama. The eastern boundary of the CPA begins at the 
offshore boundary between Alabama and Florida and proceeds 
southeasterly to 26.19[deg] N latitude, thence southwesterly to 
25.6[deg] N latitude. The CPA is bound on the south by the maritime 
boundary with Mexico as established by the ``Treaty between the 
Government of the United States of America and the Government of the 
United Mexican States on the Delimitation of the Continental Shelf in 
the Western Gulf of Mexico beyond 200 Nautical Miles,'' which took 
effect in January 2001. BOEM is seeking nominations and comments on the 
area within the CPA not subject to Presidential withdrawal 
(approximately 64.47 million acres, of which approximately 56.86 
million acres are currently unleased).
    The Call Area includes two small sections of the EPA not subject to 
the 2020 Presidential withdrawal. See https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing/areas-under-restriction/ for a map and description of 
the areas under restriction. The first section of the EPA included in 
the Call and not subject to withdrawal is bound on the west and north 
by the CPA, on the east by the Military Mission Line (86.68[deg] W 
longitude), and on the south by blocks that are beyond the U.S. 
Exclusive Economic Zone in the area known as the northern portion of 
the Eastern Gap. The second section of the EPA included in the Call and 
not subject to withdrawal is a triangular-shaped area bound on the 
north by the southern boundary of the Lease Sale 181 area, on the east 
by the Military Mission Line (86.68[deg] W longitude), and to the south 
and west by the CPA boundary. All blocks in both sections are more than 
125 miles offshore. BOEM is seeking nominations and comments on these 
two sections of the EPA. Together, these two sections comprise 
approximately 1.05 million acres, all of which are currently unleased.
    A map depicting the Call Area is available for download on the BOEM 
website at: http://www.boem.gov/2024-2029/Call-for-Information/. Copies 
of Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) also are available for download 
on the BOEM website at: https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.

4. Targeted Leasing

    BOEM requests comments and nominations for the entire Call Area. 
However, the GOM hosts many other uses of the OCS, some of which may 
conflict with oil and gas leasing or associated activities. Therefore, 
consideration of a targeted leasing approach is warranted.
    Under a targeted leasing approach, GOM areas proposed for leasing 
could be further refined and narrowed based on public input and 
analysis during the planning and environmental review stages. A 
targeted leasing approach could, for example, remove biologically 
sensitive areas, areas that serve as unique habitat, and areas that 
conflict with other uses of the marine environment, such as those areas 
used for commercial fishing, sand resources, or future wind energy 
development. This targeted approach could also offer lease sales in 
areas with the highest resource potential while appropriately weighing 
environmental protection and other uses of the ocean and seabed, 
consistent with OCSLA. A targeted approach could also be considered in 
light of section 50265(b)(2) of the Inflation Reduction Act. That 
section requires BOEM to offer at least 60 million OCS acres for oil 
and gas leasing within the 12 months prior to issuing an offshore wind 
lease.

[[Page 67803]]

    BOEM seeks comments on implementing targeted leasing and 
information on areas of specific interest within the Call Area as it 
continues analyzing areas most suitable for oil and gas leasing.

5. Instructions on Responding to the Call

    BOEM requests parties interested in leasing any whole or partial 
blocks within the Call Area to indicate their interest in, and comment 
on, blocks that they would like included in a proposed lease sale. 
Parties should explicitly nominate whole or partial blocks and rank 
them using the following indicators: 1 [high], 2 [medium], or 3 [low]. 
Parties are encouraged to be as specific as possible in prioritizing 
blocks and supporting nominations with detailed information, such as 
relevant geologic, geophysical, and economic data. BOEM will consider 
as low priority areas where interest has been indicated but not 
prioritized.
    Parties may also nominate blocks by OPD and leasing map 
designations to ensure correct interpretation of their nominations. 
OPDs and leasing maps are available on BOEM's website at https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.
    See subsection 6, ``Protection of Privileged, Proprietary, and 
Personal Information,'' regarding protection and release of information 
and how to submit proprietary information.
    BOEM also seeks comments from the public regarding particular 
geological, environmental, biological, archaeological, and 
socioeconomic conditions, potential use conflicts, or other information 
about conditions that could affect the potential leasing and 
development of particular areas. Comments may refer to broad areas or 
particular OCS blocks.

6. Protection of Privileged, Proprietary, and Personal Information

    BOEM will protect privileged or proprietary information in 
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and OCSLA 
requirements. To avoid inadvertent release of such information, you 
should mark all documents and every page containing such information 
with ``Confidential--Contains Proprietary Information.'' To the extent 
a document contains a mix of proprietary and nonproprietary 
information, you should clearly mark the document to indicate which 
portion of the document is proprietary and which is not. Exemption 4 of 
FOIA applies to trade secrets and commercial or financial information 
that you submit that is privileged or confidential. BOEM considers 
nominations of specific blocks to be proprietary. Therefore, BOEM will 
not release information that identifies any particular nomination with 
any particular party, so as not to compromise the competitive position 
of any participants.
    Please be aware that BOEM's practice is to make all other comments, 
including the names and addresses of individuals, available for public 
inspection. Before including your address, phone number, email address, 
or other personally identifiable information in your comment, please be 
advised that your entire comment, including your personally 
identifiable information, may be made publicly available at any time. 
For BOEM to consider withholding from disclosure your personally 
identifiable information, you must identify, in a cover letter, any 
information contained in your comments that, if released, would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You 
must also briefly describe any possible harmful consequences of the 
disclosure of information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other 
harm.
    Even if BOEM withholds your information in the context of this 
Call, your submission is subject to the FOIA. If your submission is 
requested under the FOIA, your information will only be withheld if 
BOEM determines that one of the FOIA exemptions to disclosure applies. 
Such a determination will be made in accordance with the Department's 
FOIA regulations and applicable law.
    BOEM will make available for public inspection all comments, in 
their entirety, submitted by organizations and businesses (except as 
provided above for proprietary information) or by individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or 
businesses.

Elizabeth Klein,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2023-21679 Filed 9-29-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P