The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is preparing a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed Western Planning Area (WPA) lease sales beginning with Lease Sale 238 in the Gulf of Mexico off the states of Texas and Louisiana. Sale 238 is scheduled to be held in 2014. The study will also cover WPA lease sales 246 and 248, to be held in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The supplemental EIS will update the environmental and socioeconomic analyses completed in July 2012 and in April 2013.
The supplemental EIS will consider possible new circumstances and information arising from, among other things, the Deepwater Horizon explosion, oil spill and response. It will focus on updating the baseline conditions and potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, exploration, development and production in the WPA.
BOEM will hold public scoping meetings in Texas and Louisiana to solicit comments on the scope of the WPA 238 supplemental EIS. BOEM's scoping meetings will be held at the following places and times:
- Galveston, Texas: Tuesday, August 6, 2013, Courtyard Galveston Island Gulf Front Marriott, 9550 Seawall Boulevard, Galveston Texas 77554, one meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. CDT; and
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Thursday, August 8, 2013, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123, one meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
All interested parties may submit written comments on the scope of the supplemental EIS, significant issues that should be addressed, alternatives that should be considered, potential mitigation measures and the types of oil and gas activities of interest in the proposed WPA lease sale area. Written scoping comments may be submitted in one of the following ways:
- In an envelope labeled "Scoping Comments for the WPA Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS" and mailed (or hand delivered) to Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief, Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment (GM 623E), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394;
- Go to the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for "Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248." (Note: It is important to include the quotation marks in your search terms.) Click on the "Comment Now!" button to the right of the document link. Enter your information and comment, then click "Submit"; or
- BOEM's email address: wpa238@boem.gov.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Thank you,