Contact: John Filostrat, (504) 731-7815
Caryl Fagot, (504) 736-2590
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes to conduct ten oil and gas lease sales in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), as outlined in the 2017-2022 Draft Proposed Leasing Program.
BOEM published in the April 29, 2015, Federal Register, a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The NOI seeks input on the scope of the 2017-2022 GOM Multi-sale EIS for these ten proposed GOM Lease Sales. These sales will not be held unless they are included in the 2017-2022 Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. However, as some sales are tentatively scheduled to take place in 2017 and 2018, the BOEM must initiate preparation of the EIS before the 2017-2022 Five Year Program is finalized.
As part of the scoping process, BOEM’s public scoping meetings will be held at the following places and times:
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Tuesday, May 12, 2015, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123, one meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT;
- Houston, Texas: Thursday, May 14, 2015, Hilton Garden Inn Houston/Bush Intercontinental Airport, 15400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77032, one meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT;
- Panama City, Florida: Tuesday, May 19, 2015, Hilton Garden Inn Panama City, 1101 US Highway 231, Panama City, Florida 32405, one meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. CDT;
- Mobile, Alabama: Wednesday, May 20, 2015, Hilton Garden Inn Mobile West, 828 West I-65 Service Road South, Mobile, Alabama 36609, one meeting beginning at 3:00 p.m. CDT; and
- Gulfport, Mississippi: Thursday, May 21, 2015, Courtyard Marriott, Gulfport Beachfront, 1600 East Beach Boulevard, Gulfport, Mississippi 39501, one meeting beginning at 3:00 p.m. CDT.
All interested parties, including Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, and the general public, may submit written comments on the scope of the 2017-2022 GOM Multi-sale EIS, significant issues that should be addressed, alternatives that should be considered, and the types of oil and gas activities of interest in the proposed lease sale areas.
Written comments will be accepted for 30 days following the publication of the notice in the Federal Register. If you are not able to attend a meeting, you may submit comments in one of the following ways:
- In an envelope labeled “Scoping Comments for the 2017-2022 GOM Multi-sale 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;
- Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for “2017-2022 GOM Multi-sale 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
- Via email to: multisaleeis2017-2022@boem.gov.
Additional information on the Five-Year Program and EIS is available at http://www.boem.gov/Five-Year-Program/.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) promotes energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science-based management of offshore conventional and renewable energy resources.