04-21-2016
Public Meetings Scheduled
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the availability of the Draft Multisale Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed 2017-2022 Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales (2017-2022 GOM Multisale EIS). The proposed sales are tentatively scheduled to be held in 2017-2022 under the Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2017-2022 (Five Year Program).
BOEM is proposing to offer for oil and gas leasing all available unleased blocks in the Gulf of Mexico with the exception of whole and portions of blocks deferred by the Gulf of Mexico Security Act of 2006, blocks that are adjacent to or beyond the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the area known as the northern portion of the Eastern Gap, and whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
The Proposed Five Year Program schedules ten potential lease sales in the combined Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Program Area. The proposed lease sale area encompasses approximately 92.2 million acres with approximately 72.5 million acres available for lease as of March 2016.
The Notice of Availability of the Draft 2017-2022 GOM Multisale EIS for the proposed GOM lease sales appears in the April 22, 2016 Federal Register. The proposed lease sales are Lease Sale 249 in 2017, Lease Sales 250 and 251 in 2018, Lease Sales 252 and 253 in 2019, Lease Sales 254 and 256 in 2020, Lease Sales 257 and 259 in 2021, and Lease Sale 261 in 2022.
BOEM will hold public meetings to obtain comments regarding the Draft 2017-2022 GOM Multisale EIS. The meetings are scheduled as follows:
- Beaumont, Texas: Monday, May 9, 2016, Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites Beaumont-Plaza, 3950 I-10 South at Walden Road, Beaumont, Texas 77705, one meeting from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT;
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Thursday, May 12, 2016, Sheraton Metairie – New Orleans Hotel, 4 Galleria Boulevard, Metairie, Louisiana, 70001, one meeting from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. CDT;
- Panama City, Florida: Tuesday May 17, 2016, Bay Point Golf Resort and Spa, 4114 Jan Cooley Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida 32408, one meeting from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT;
- Mobile, Alabama: Wednesday, May 18, 2016, Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, 64 South Water Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602, one meeting from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT; and
- Gulfport, Mississippi: Thursday, May 19, 2016, Courtyard by Marriott, Gulfport Beachfront MS Hotel, 1600 East Beach Boulevard, Gulfport, Mississippi 39501, one meeting from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT.
If you cannot attend the meetings, you may submit your written comments on the Draft 2017-2022 GOM Multisale EIS by June 7, 2016 in one of the following ways:
- In an envelope labeled “Comments on the Draft 2017-2022 GOM Multisale 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;
- Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for “2017-2022 GOM Multisale EIS”. (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: multisaleeis2017-2022@boem.gov.
The Draft 2017-2022 Gulf of Mexico Multisale EIS is available on BOEM’s website at http://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/ or on compact discs or paper copy, if copies are still available, through the Gulf of Mexico Region’s Public Information Office at1-800-200-GULF.
If you have questions about the document, please call Mr. Gary D. Goeke at 504-736-3233.