BOEM Invites Public To Comment On Preparation Of Environmental Impact Statement On Oil And Gas Development In The Western Gulf Of Mexico

Release Date
04/23/2014

04-23-2014

Meeting to be held in New Orleans

Contact: Caryl Fagot
(504) 736-2590 or
(504) 650-7060

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), announces the preparation of a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for the remaining proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas lease sales in the Western Planning Area (WPA) of the Gulf of Mexico. Proposed WPA Lease Sales 246 and 248 are tentatively scheduled to be held in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

As part of our Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017 (Five- Year Program), BOEM proposes to offer for oil and gas leasing approximately 21.4 million acres in the WPA, with the exception of whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

As part of the scoping process, meetings will be held to solicit public input into the factors that should be analyzed in the SEIS. It will be held:

  • Thursday, April 24, 2014, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70123, beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT.

Anyone unable to attend the meetings may submit comments in writing via email to wpa246@boem.gov; or mail or hand deliver comments in an envelope labeled "Scoping Comments for the WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS" 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; or 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 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".