Environmental Comment - Public Review

    Comment Process  |  Open for Comment  |  Recent NEPA Documents  |  Supporting Documents 
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    Comment Process

    In accordance with NEPA, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) prepares environmental documents on various actions related to the OCS Program. These documents may be Environmental Assessments (EA's) or Environmental Impact Statements (EIS's), depending upon the nature of the action in question or the significance of potential impacts associated with the action. It is the policy of BOEM to involve the public in preparing and implementing our NEPA procedures. In addition to posting opportunities for public participation on this web page, we typically place announcements in the Federal Register and/or in newspapers covering the areas potentially affected.

    The Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region of BOEM has been conducting environmental analyses of the effects of OCS oil and gas development since the inception of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. We have prepared and published more than 40 draft and final EIS's. Our goal has always been to provide factual, reliable, and clear analytical statements in order to inform decision makers and the public about the environmental effects of proposed OCS activities and their alternatives. We view the EIS process as providing a balanced forum for early identification, avoidance, and resolution of potential conflicts. It is in this spirit that we welcome comments from all concerned parties.  

    Special Information Sheet - BOEM Issues Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Plans to Hold Public Meetings for Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Proposed Eastern Planning Area Lease Sales 225 and 226

    Documents Open for Comment

     Title

     Status
     
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2014 and 2016, Eastern Planning Area Lease Sales 225 and 226, Draft Environmental Impact Statement Volume I: Chapters 1-8 and Keyword Index and Volume II: Figures, Tables, and Appendices Comment periods ends on April 16, 2013

    Recent NEPA Documents

     Title

     Status
     
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2013-2014 Western Planning Area Lease Sale 233 Central Planning Area Lease Sale 231 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2013-0118)
    Record of Decision for the Gulf of Mexico's Outer Continental Shelf Central Planning Area Oil and Gas Lease Sale 227 (March 2013)
    Record of Decision for the Gulf of Mexico's Outer Continental Shelf Western Planning Area Oil and Gas Lease Sale 229 (November 2012)
    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; Volume I: Chapters 1-4.1; Volume II: Chapters 4.2-4.5 and 5; and Volume III: Chapters 6-8, Keyword Index, Figures, Tables, and Appendices (OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2012-019)
    OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2012-005 - Atlantic OCS Proposed Geological and Geophysical Activities Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Planning Areas Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Volume I: Chapters 1-8; Volume II: Figures, Tables, Appendices, and Keyword Index
    Record of Decision for Central Planning Area Sale 216/222
    Proposed Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 213 Central Planning Area Environmental Assessment (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2009-053)
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale: 2012; Central Planning Area Lease Sale 216/222; Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement; Volume I: Chapters 1-4; Volume II: Chapters 5-8, Appendices, and Keyword Index
    Record of Decision for Western Planning Area Sale 218
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale: 2011 Western Planning Area Lease Sale 218 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (BOEM 2011-034)
    Volume I: Chapters 1-4 and Volume II: Chapters 5-8 and Appendices 
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale: 2012 Central Planning Area Lease Sale 216/222 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (BOEM 2011-027) 
    Proposed Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 215; Western Planning Area; Environmental Assessment (MMS 2010-003) 
     
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2009-2012; Central Planning Area Sales 208, 213,216, and 222; Western Planning Area Sales 210, 215, and 218; Final Supplemental EnvironmentalImpact Statement (MMS 2008-041) 
     
    Proposed Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 207; Western Planning Area; Environmental Assessment (MMS 2008-003) 
     
    Site-Specific Environmental Assessment for an FPSO Facility  
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 224; Eastern Planning Area; Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement  (MMS 2007-060)  Final October 2007 
    Proposed Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sale 206; Central Planning Area; Environmental Assessment  (MMS 2007-059)  Final October 2007 
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Scenario Examination: Onshore Waste Disposal  (MMS 2007-051)

    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Scenario Examination: Exploration and Development Activity  (MMS 2007-052) 

    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Scenario Examination: Pipeline Landfalls (MMS 2007-053) 

      

    Record of Decision for Western Planning Area Sale 204  (July 2007) 

    Record of Decision for Central Planning Area Sale 205  (August 2007) 

      
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2007-2012; Western Planning Area Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218
    Central Planning Area Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222; Final Environmental Impact Statement (MMS 2007-018)

    Volume I (Chapters 1-8 and Appendices) and Volume II (Tables and Figures)     		 Final April 2007 
    Environmental Assessment Proposed OCS Lease Sale 200, Western Gulf of Mexico  (MMS 2006-016) 
    Environmental Assessment for Proposed OCS Lease Sale 198 Central Gulf of Mexico  (MMS 2005-059) 
    Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 198 (2006) Environmental Assessment  (Federal Register Notice) 
    Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 200 in the Western Gulf of Mexico (2006)  (Federal Register Notice) 
    Environmental Assessment for Independence Hub Surface Facilities and Subsea Development Project  (MMS 2005-064) 
    Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 198 in the Central Gulf of Mexico (2006)
    Structure-Removal Operations on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Programmatic Environmental Assessment  (MMS 2005-013)

    Explosive Removal Scenario Simulation Results Final Report  (MMS 2004-064) 

    		 Final February 2005 

    Proposed OCS Lease Sale 197, Eastern Gulf of Mexico  (MMS 2004-069) 

    		 Final November 2004 

    Proposed OCS Lease Sale 194, Central Gulf of Mexico  (MMS 2004-068) 

    		 Final November 2004 
    Geological and Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf - Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment   (MMS 2004-054)  Final July 2004 

    Proposed OCS Lease Sale 192, Western Gulf of Mexico   (MMS 2004-007) 

    		 Final March 2004 

    Environmental Assessment, Proposed OCS Lease Sale 190, Central Gulf of Mexico

    		 Final October 2003 

    Exploration Activities in the Eastern Sale Area: EPA, GOM OCS PEA (MMS 2003-008) 

    		 Final March 2003 

    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales 189 and 197; Eastern Planning Area; Environmental Impact Statement Volume I and Volume II  (MMS 2003-020) 

    		 Final May 2003 

    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2003-2007; Central Planning Area Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and 201; Western Planning Area Sales 187, 192, 196, and 200; Environmental Impact Statement Volume I and Volume II  (MMS 2002-052) 

    		 Final November 2002 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment; Evaluation of Freeport-McMoRan Sulphur LLC's Applications to Inject OCS-Generated Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Exempt Exploration and Production (E&P) Waste intoSalt Caverns and Caprock on Sulphur and Salt Lease OCS-G 9372, Main Pass Block 299

    		 Final September 2002 
    Proposed Use of Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading Systems On the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf, Western and Central Planning Areas, Final Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2000-090)  January 2001
    Deepwater Grid EA's   
     
    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 9 Site-Specific Evaluation of Energy Resource Technology, Inc.'s Supplemental Development Operations Coordination Document, S-7156 Phoenix Project Green Canyon Blocks 236 and 237 
         		 Final 2008 
     
    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 5 Site-Specific Evaluation of Shell Offshore Inc.'s Initial Development Operations Coordination Document, N-8809 Perdido Project Alaminos Canyon Blocks 812, 813, 814, and 857 
         		 Final 2007 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 13; Site-Specific Evaluation of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation's Initial Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7753; Marco Polo Project; Green Canyon Block 608 
         		 Final September 2003 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 3; Evaluation of Kerr-McGee Oil and Gas Corporation's Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7625; Gunnison Project; Garden Banks Blocks 667, 668, and 669 – April 2003 
         		 Final April 2003 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 7; Evaluation of Conoco Inc.'s Initial Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7506; Magnolia Project; Garden Banks Blocks 783 and 784 
         		 Final February 2003 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 16; Site-Specific Evaluation of BP Exploration and Production, Inc.'s Initial Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7469; Thunder Horse Project; Mississippi Canyon Block 777 Unit (Blocks 775, 776, 777, 778, 819, 820, 821, and 822) 
         		 Final December 2002 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 12; Evaluation for Murphy Exploration and Production Company's Initial Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7269; Medusa Project; Mississippi Canyon Blocks 538 and 582 
         		 Final July 2002 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 15; Site-Specific Evaluation of TotalFinaElf Exploration and Production USA, Inc.'s Initial Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7249; Matterhorn Project; Mississippi Canyon Block 243 
         		 Final March 2002 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 10; Site-Specific Evaluation of BP Exploration and Production, Inc.'s Joint Initial Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7216; Holstein Project; Green Canyon Blocks 644 and 645 
         		 Final November 2001 

    Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Grid 4; Evaluation of Kerr-McGee Oil and Gas Corporation's Development Operations Coordination Document, N-7045; Nansen Project; East Breaks, Blocks 602 and 646 
         		 Final July 2001 

     Support Documents

    OCS Regulatory Framework for the Gulf of Mexico Region  (OCS Report MMS 2010-019) 
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Scenario Examination: Onshore Waste Disposal  (OCS Report MMS 2007-051) 
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Scenario Examination:  Exploration and Development Activity  (OCS Report MMS 2007-052) 
    Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Scenario Examination: Pipeline Landfalls (OCS Report MMS 2007-053) 

    Obtaining Copies

    • Click here for a list of libraries along the Gulf Coast, which have been sent copies of BOEM's Environmental Impact Statements. 

    • Request a copy of an EIS or EA by contacting the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Public Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 250 New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF). 

    EIS Mailing List

    Click here to be added to our mailing list for EIS's and announcements.