80_FR_16753 80 FR 16693 - Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales, Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248 MMAA 104000

80 FR 16693 - Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales, Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248 MMAA 104000

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 60 (March 30, 2015)

Page Range16693-16694
FR Document2015-07325

Consistent with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (NEPA), BOEM is announcing its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed Western Planning Area (WPA) Lease Sale 248 in the Gulf of Mexico (WPA 248 Supplemental EIS). The WPA 248 Supplemental EIS will update the environmental and socioeconomic analyses in the 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 (2012-2017 WPA/CPA Multisale EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2012-019); 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 (WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2013-0118); Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2014-2016; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248, Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (WPA 238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2014-009); and Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2015 and 2016; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 246 and 248, Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2015-008). The WPA 248 Supplemental EIS will supplement the NEPA documents cited above for the proposed lease sale in order to consider 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 any new information on the potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, exploration, development, and production in the WPA identified through the Area Identification procedure as the proposed lease sale area. In addition to the no action alternative (i.e., canceling the proposed lease sale), other alternatives may be considered for the proposed WPA lease sale, such as deferring certain areas from the proposed lease sale area.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 60 (Monday, March 30, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 60 (Monday, March 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16693-16694]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07325]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management


Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales, 
Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248 MMAA 104000

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement and Announcement of Scoping Meetings and Comment Period for 
Proposed Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Western 
Planning Area Lease Sale 248.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Consistent with the regulations implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (NEPA), 
BOEM is announcing its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed Western Planning Area (WPA) Lease 
Sale 248 in the Gulf of Mexico (WPA 248 Supplemental EIS). The WPA 248 
Supplemental EIS will update the environmental and socioeconomic 
analyses in the 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 (2012-2017 WPA/CPA Multisale EIS; OCS 
EIS/EA BOEM 2012-019); 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 (WPA 
233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2013-0118); Gulf of 
Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2014-2016; Western Planning Area 
Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248, Final Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (WPA 238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM 
2014-009); and Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2015 and 
2016; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 246 and 248, Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (WPA 246 and 248 Supplemental EIS; OCS 
EIS/EA BOEM 2015-008).
    The WPA 248 Supplemental EIS will supplement the NEPA documents 
cited above for the proposed lease sale in order to consider 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 any new information on the 
potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, 
exploration, development, and production in the WPA identified through 
the Area Identification procedure as the proposed lease sale area. In 
addition to the no action alternative (i.e., canceling the proposed 
lease sale), other alternatives may be considered for the proposed WPA 
lease sale, such as deferring certain areas from the proposed lease 
sale area.

DATES: Comments should be submitted by April 29, 2015 to the address 
specified above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the WPA 248 
Supplemental EIS, the submission of comments, or BOEM's policies 
associated with this notice, please contact: 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, telephone 
504-736-3233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 27, 2012, the Secretary of the 
Interior approved as final the Proposed Final OCS Oil & Gas Leasing 
Program: 2012-2017 (Five-Year Program). This Supplemental EIS will 
consider the one remaining WPA lease sale for this 2012-2017 Five-Year 
Program. The proposed WPA lease sale area encompasses virtually all of 
the WPA's 28.58 million acres, with the exception of whole and partial 
blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine 
Sanctuary.
    This Federal Register notice is not an announcement to hold the 
proposed lease sale, but it is a continuation of information gathering 
and is published early in the environmental review process in 
furtherance of the goals of NEPA. Once the NEPA process and WPA 248 
Supplemental EIS is completed, the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS content 
will be summarized in presale documentation prepared during the 
decisionmaking process for WPA Lease Sale 248. If, after completion of 
the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS, the Department of the Interior's 
Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management decides to hold 
the lease sale, then the lease sale area identified in the final Notice 
of Sale may exclude or defer certain lease blocks from the area 
offered. However, for purposes of the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS and to 
adequately assess the potential impacts of an areawide lease sale, BOEM 
will consider all unleased blocks that may be offered in proposed WPA 
Lease Sale 248.
    Scoping Process: This Notice of Intent (NOI) serves to announce the 
scoping process for identifying issues and alternatives to consider in 
the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS. Throughout the scoping process, Federal, 
State, Tribal,

[[Page 16694]]

and local governments and the general public have the opportunity to 
help BOEM determine significant resources and issues, impacting 
factors, reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigating measures to 
be analyzed in the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS and to provide additional 
information. BOEM will also use the NEPA commenting process to initiate 
the Section 106 consultation process of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f), as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3).
    Pursuant to the regulations implementing the procedural provisions 
of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), BOEM will hold public scoping 
meetings in Texas and Louisiana on the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS. The 
purpose of these meetings is to solicit comments on the scope of the 
WPA 248 Supplemental EIS. BOEM's scoping meetings will be held at the 
following places and times:
     Houston, Texas: Tuesday, April 14, 2015, Houston Airport 
Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental, 18700 John F. Kennedy 
Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77032, one meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. 
CDT; and
     New Orleans, Louisiana: Thursday, April 16, 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.
    Cooperating Agency: BOEM invites other Federal, State, Tribal, and 
local governments to consider becoming cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS. We invite qualified 
government entities to inquire about cooperating agency status for the 
WPA 248 Supplemental EIS. Following the guidelines from the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ), qualified agencies and governments are 
those with ``jurisdiction by law or special expertise.'' Potential 
cooperating agencies should consider their authority and capacity to 
assume the responsibilities of a cooperating agency, and remember that 
an agency's role in the environmental analysis neither enlarges nor 
diminishes the final decisionmaking authority of any other agency 
involved in the NEPA process. Upon request, BOEM will provide potential 
cooperating agencies with a written summary of ground rules for 
cooperating agencies, including time schedules and critical action 
dates, milestones, responsibilities, scope and detail of cooperating 
agencies' contributions, and availability of predecisional information. 
BOEM anticipates this summary will form the basis of a Memorandum of 
Agreement between BOEM and any cooperating agency. Agencies should also 
consider the ``Factors for Determining Cooperating Agency Status'' in 
Attachment 1 to CEQ's January 30, 2002, Memorandum for the Heads of 
Federal Agencies: Cooperating Agencies in Implementing the Procedural 
Requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. These documents 
are available at the following locations on the Internet: http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/cooperating/.html; and http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/cooperating/.html.
    BOEM, as the lead agency, will not provide financial assistance to 
cooperating agencies. Even if an organization is not a cooperating 
agency, opportunities will exist to provide information and comments to 
BOEM during the normal public input stages of the NEPA/EIS process. For 
further information about cooperating agencies, please contact Mr. Gary 
D. Goeke at 504-736-3233.
    Comments: All interested parties, including Federal, State, Tribal, 
and local governments, and other interested parties, may submit written 
comments on the scope of the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS, significant 
issues that should be addressed, alternatives that should be 
considered, potential mitigating measures, and the types of oil and gas 
activities of interest in the proposed WPA 248 lease sale area.
    Written scoping comments may be submitted in one of the following 
ways:

1. In an envelope labeled ``Scoping Comments for the WPA 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;
2. Through 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 Sale 
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
3. Through BOEM's email address: [email protected].

    Petitions, although accepted, do not generally provide useful 
information to assist in the development of alternatives, resources, 
and issues to be analyzed, or impacting factors. BOEM does not consider 
anonymous comments; please include your name and address as part of 
your submittal. BOEM makes all comments, including the names and 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that BOEM withhold 
their names and/or addresses from the public record; however, BOEM 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. If you wish your name 
and/or address to be withheld, you must state your preference 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses and from individuals identifying themselves 
as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be 
made available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Authority:  This NOI is published pursuant to the regulations 
(40 CFR 1501. 7) implementing the provisions of NEPA.

     Dated: March 25, 2015.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-07325 Filed 3-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P



                                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 60 / Monday, March 30, 2015 / Notices                                                              16693

                                                                                                Community                                                                              Community map repository address

                                                  Town    of   Dagsboro ....................................................................................        Town Hall, 33134 Main Street, Dagsboro, DE 19939.
                                                  Town    of   Dewey Beach .............................................................................            Town Hall, 105 Rodney Avenue, Dewey Beach, DE 19971.
                                                  Town    of   Fenwick Island ............................................................................          Building Department, 800 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, DE 19944.
                                                  Town    of   Greenwood .................................................................................          Town Hall, 100 West Market Street, Greenwood, DE 19950.
                                                  Town    of   Henlopen Acres ..........................................................................            Henlopen Acres Town Hall, 104 Tidewater Road, Rehoboth Beach, DE
                                                                                                                                                                      19971.
                                                  Town    of   Laurel ..........................................................................................    Code Enforcement Office, 201 Mechanic Street, Laurel, DE 19956.
                                                  Town    of   Millsboro .....................................................................................      Town Center, 322 Wilson Highway, Millsboro, DE 19966.
                                                  Town    of   Millville ........................................................................................   Town Hall, 36404 Club House Road, Millville, DE 19967.
                                                  Town    of   Milton ..........................................................................................    Town Hall, 115 Federal Street, Milton, DE 19968.
                                                  Town    of   Ocean View ................................................................................          Wallace A. Melson Municipal Building, 201 Central Avenue, 2nd Floor,
                                                                                                                                                                      Ocean View, DE 19970.
                                                  Town of Slaughter Beach .........................................................................                 Town Office, Memorial Fire Company Station 89, 2nd Floor, 359 Bay
                                                                                                                                                                      Avenue, Slaughter Beach, DE 19963.
                                                  Unincorporated Areas of Sussex County .................................................                           Sussex County Planning and Zoning Department, 2 The Circle,
                                                                                                                                                                      Georgetown, DE 19947.



                                                  [FR Doc. 2015–07148 Filed 3–27–15; 8:45 am]                                 2013–0118); Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil                             Louisiana 70123–2394, telephone 504–
                                                  BILLING CODE 9110–12–P                                                      and Gas Lease Sales: 2014–2016;                                736–3233.
                                                                                                                              Western Planning Area Lease Sales 238,                         SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August
                                                                                                                              246, and 248, Final Supplemental                               27, 2012, the Secretary of the Interior
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                                                  Environmental Impact Statement (WPA                            approved as final the Proposed Final
                                                                                                                              238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS;                            OCS Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012–
                                                  Bureau of Ocean Energy Management                                           OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2014–009); and Gulf                            2017 (Five-Year Program). This
                                                                                                                              of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales:                         Supplemental EIS will consider the one
                                                  Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of                                            2015 and 2016; Western Planning Area                           remaining WPA lease sale for this 2012–
                                                  Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales,                                            Lease Sales 246 and 248, Final                                 2017 Five-Year Program. The proposed
                                                  Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248                                        Supplemental Environmental Impact                              WPA lease sale area encompasses
                                                  MMAA 104000                                                                 Statement (WPA 246 and 248                                     virtually all of the WPA’s 28.58 million
                                                                                                                              Supplemental EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM                              acres, with the exception of whole and
                                                  AGENCY:  Bureau of Ocean Energy
                                                                                                                              2015–008).                                                     partial blocks within the boundary of
                                                  Management (BOEM), Interior.
                                                                                                                                The WPA 248 Supplemental EIS will                            the Flower Garden Banks National
                                                  ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a                                       supplement the NEPA documents cited
                                                  Supplemental Environmental Impact                                                                                                          Marine Sanctuary.
                                                                                                                              above for the proposed lease sale in                              This Federal Register notice is not an
                                                  Statement and Announcement of                                               order to consider new circumstances
                                                  Scoping Meetings and Comment Period                                                                                                        announcement to hold the proposed
                                                                                                                              and information arising from, among                            lease sale, but it is a continuation of
                                                  for Proposed Gulf of Mexico Outer                                           other things, the Deepwater Horizon
                                                  Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Western                                                                                                      information gathering and is published
                                                                                                                              explosion, oil spill, and response. It will                    early in the environmental review
                                                  Planning Area Lease Sale 248.                                               focus on updating the baseline                                 process in furtherance of the goals of
                                                  SUMMARY:   Consistent with the                                              conditions and any new information on                          NEPA. Once the NEPA process and
                                                  regulations implementing the National                                       the potential environmental effects of                         WPA 248 Supplemental EIS is
                                                  Environmental Policy Act, as amended                                        oil and natural gas leasing, exploration,                      completed, the WPA 248 Supplemental
                                                  (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (NEPA), BOEM                                       development, and production in the                             EIS content will be summarized in
                                                  is announcing its intent to prepare a                                       WPA identified through the Area                                presale documentation prepared during
                                                  Supplemental Environmental Impact                                           Identification procedure as the proposed                       the decisionmaking process for WPA
                                                  Statement (EIS) for proposed Western                                        lease sale area. In addition to the no                         Lease Sale 248. If, after completion of
                                                  Planning Area (WPA) Lease Sale 248 in                                       action alternative (i.e., canceling the                        the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS, the
                                                  the Gulf of Mexico (WPA 248                                                 proposed lease sale), other alternatives                       Department of the Interior’s Assistant
                                                  Supplemental EIS). The WPA 248                                              may be considered for the proposed                             Secretary for Land and Minerals
                                                  Supplemental EIS will update the                                            WPA lease sale, such as deferring                              Management decides to hold the lease
                                                  environmental and socioeconomic                                             certain areas from the proposed lease                          sale, then the lease sale area identified
                                                  analyses in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil                                      sale area.                                                     in the final Notice of Sale may exclude
                                                  and Gas Lease Sales: 2012–2017;                                             DATES: Comments should be submitted                            or defer certain lease blocks from the
                                                  Western Planning Area Lease Sales 229,                                      by April 29, 2015 to the address                               area offered. However, for purposes of
                                                  233, 238, 246, and 248; Central                                             specified above.                                               the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS and to
                                                  Planning Area Lease Sales 227, 231,                                         FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For                           adequately assess the potential impacts
                                                  235, 241, and 247, Final Environmental                                      information on the WPA 248                                     of an areawide lease sale, BOEM will
                                                  Impact Statement (2012–2017 WPA/                                            Supplemental EIS, the submission of                            consider all unleased blocks that may be
                                                                                                                                                                                             offered in proposed WPA Lease Sale
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                                                  CPA Multisale EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM                                          comments, or BOEM’s policies
                                                  2012–019); Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and                                       associated with this notice, please                            248.
                                                  Gas Lease Sales: 2013–2014; Western                                         contact: Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief,                                Scoping Process: This Notice of Intent
                                                  Planning Area Lease Sale 233; Central                                       Environmental Assessment Section,                              (NOI) serves to announce the scoping
                                                  Planning Area Lease Sale 231, Final                                         Office of Environment (GM 623E),                               process for identifying issues and
                                                  Supplemental Environmental Impact                                           Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,                             alternatives to consider in the WPA 248
                                                  Statement (WPA 233/CPA 231                                                  Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201                                Supplemental EIS. Throughout the
                                                  Supplemental EIS; OCS EIS/EA BOEM                                           Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,                           scoping process, Federal, State, Tribal,


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                                                  16694                         Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 60 / Monday, March 30, 2015 / Notices

                                                  and local governments and the general                   between BOEM and any cooperating                      BOEM makes all comments, including
                                                  public have the opportunity to help                     agency. Agencies should also consider                 the names and addresses of
                                                  BOEM determine significant resources                    the ‘‘Factors for Determining                         respondents, available for public review
                                                  and issues, impacting factors,                          Cooperating Agency Status’’ in                        during regular business hours.
                                                  reasonable alternatives, and potential                  Attachment 1 to CEQ’s January 30, 2002,               Individual respondents may request that
                                                  mitigating measures to be analyzed in                   Memorandum for the Heads of Federal                   BOEM withhold their names and/or
                                                  the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS and to                     Agencies: Cooperating Agencies in                     addresses from the public record;
                                                  provide additional information. BOEM                    Implementing the Procedural                           however, BOEM cannot guarantee that
                                                  will also use the NEPA commenting                       Requirements of the National                          we will be able to do so. If you wish
                                                  process to initiate the Section 106                     Environmental Policy Act. These                       your name and/or address to be
                                                  consultation process of the National                    documents are available at the following              withheld, you must state your
                                                  Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.                    locations on the Internet: http://ceq.hss.            preference prominently at the beginning
                                                  470f), as provided for in 36 CFR                        doe.gov/nepa/regs/cooperating/.html;                  of your comment. All submissions from
                                                  800.2(d)(3).                                            and http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/                 organizations or businesses and from
                                                     Pursuant to the regulations                          cooperating/.html.                                    individuals identifying themselves as
                                                  implementing the procedural provisions                    BOEM, as the lead agency, will not                  representatives or officials of
                                                  of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), BOEM                  provide financial assistance to                       organizations or businesses will be
                                                  will hold public scoping meetings in                    cooperating agencies. Even if an                      made available for public inspection in
                                                  Texas and Louisiana on the WPA 248                      organization is not a cooperating                     their entirety.
                                                  Supplemental EIS. The purpose of these                  agency, opportunities will exist to                     Authority: This NOI is published pursuant
                                                  meetings is to solicit comments on the                  provide information and comments to                   to the regulations (40 CFR 1501. 7)
                                                  scope of the WPA 248 Supplemental                       BOEM during the normal public input                   implementing the provisions of NEPA.
                                                  EIS. BOEM’s scoping meetings will be                    stages of the NEPA/EIS process. For
                                                  held at the following places and times:                                                                         Dated: March 25, 2015.
                                                                                                          further information about cooperating
                                                     • Houston, Texas: Tuesday, April 14,                 agencies, please contact Mr. Gary D.
                                                                                                                                                                Abigail Ross Hopper,
                                                  2015, Houston Airport Marriott at                       Goeke at 504–736–3233.                                Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
                                                  George Bush Intercontinental, 18700                                                                           Management.
                                                                                                            Comments: All interested parties,
                                                  John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Houston,                     including Federal, State, Tribal, and                 [FR Doc. 2015–07325 Filed 3–27–15; 8:45 am]
                                                  Texas 77032, one meeting beginning at                   local governments, and other interested               BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
                                                  1:00 p.m. CDT; and                                      parties, may submit written comments
                                                     • New Orleans, Louisiana: Thursday,                  on the scope of the WPA 248
                                                  April 16, 2015, Bureau of Ocean Energy                                                                        DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                                                                                                          Supplemental EIS, significant issues
                                                  Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS
                                                                                                          that should be addressed, alternatives                Fish and Wildlife Service
                                                  Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
                                                                                                          that should be considered, potential
                                                  New Orleans, Louisiana 70123, one
                                                                                                          mitigating measures, and the types of oil
                                                  meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT.                                                                           [FWS–HQ–IA–2015–N061;
                                                     Cooperating Agency: BOEM invites                     and gas activities of interest in the
                                                                                                                                                                FXIA16710900000–156–FF09A30000]
                                                  other Federal, State, Tribal, and local                 proposed WPA 248 lease sale area.
                                                  governments to consider becoming                          Written scoping comments may be                     Endangered Species; Marine
                                                  cooperating agencies in the preparation                 submitted in one of the following ways:               Mammals; Receipt of Applications for
                                                  of the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS. We                     1. In an envelope labeled ‘‘Scoping                   Permit
                                                  invite qualified government entities to                      Comments for the WPA 248
                                                  inquire about cooperating agency status                      Supplemental EIS’’ and mailed (or hand           AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,
                                                  for the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS.                            delivered) to Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief,          Interior.
                                                                                                               Environmental Assessment Section,                ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications
                                                  Following the guidelines from the                            Office of Environment (GM 623E),
                                                  Council on Environmental Quality                                                                              for permit.
                                                                                                               Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
                                                  (CEQ), qualified agencies and                                Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201
                                                  governments are those with                                                                                    SUMMARY:   We, the U.S. Fish and
                                                                                                               Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,             Wildlife Service, invite the public to
                                                  ‘‘jurisdiction by law or special                             Louisiana 70123–2394;
                                                  expertise.’’ Potential cooperating                      2. Through the regulations.gov web portal:
                                                                                                                                                                comment on the following applications
                                                  agencies should consider their authority                     Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov           to conduct certain activities with
                                                  and capacity to assume the                                   and search for ‘‘Oil and Gas Lease Sales:        endangered species, marine mammals,
                                                  responsibilities of a cooperating agency,                    Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf;         or both. With some exceptions, the
                                                  and remember that an agency’s role in                        Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248’’           Endangered Species Act (ESA) and
                                                                                                               (Note: It is important to include the            Marine Mammal Protection Act
                                                  the environmental analysis neither                           quotation marks in your search terms).
                                                  enlarges nor diminishes the final                                                                             (MMPA) prohibit activities with listed
                                                                                                               Click on the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ button to          species unless Federal authorization is
                                                  decisionmaking authority of any other                        the right of the document link. Enter
                                                  agency involved in the NEPA process.                                                                          acquired that allows such activities.
                                                                                                               your information and comment, then
                                                  Upon request, BOEM will provide                              click ‘‘Submit’’; or                             DATES: We must receive comments or
                                                  potential cooperating agencies with a                   3. Through BOEM’s email address: wpa248@              requests for documents on or before
                                                  written summary of ground rules for                          boem.gov.                                        April 29, 2015. We must receive
                                                                                                                                                                requests for marine mammal permit
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                  cooperating agencies, including time                       Petitions, although accepted, do not
                                                  schedules and critical action dates,                    generally provide useful information to               public hearings, in writing, at the
                                                  milestones, responsibilities, scope and                 assist in the development of                          address shown in the ADDRESSES section
                                                  detail of cooperating agencies’                         alternatives, resources, and issues to be             by April 29, 2015.
                                                  contributions, and availability of                      analyzed, or impacting factors. BOEM                  ADDRESSES: Brenda Tapia, U.S. Fish and
                                                  predecisional information. BOEM                         does not consider anonymous                           Wildlife Service, Division of
                                                  anticipates this summary will form the                  comments; please include your name                    Management Authority, Branch of
                                                  basis of a Memorandum of Agreement                      and address as part of your submittal.                Permits, MS: IA, 5275 Leesburg Pike,


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Document Created: 2015-12-18 11:32:43
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 11:32:43
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Announcement of Scoping Meetings and Comment Period for Proposed Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Western Planning Area Lease Sale 248.
ContactFor information on the WPA 248 Supplemental EIS, the submission of comments, or BOEM's policies associated with this notice, please contact: 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, telephone 504-736-3233.
FR Citation80 FR 16693 

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