81 FR 55480 - Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Oil and Gas Lease Sales for 2018

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 161 (August 19, 2016)

Page Range		55480-55481
FR Document		2016-19861

Consistent with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), BOEM is announcing its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 (2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS) as scheduled in the 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program (2017-2022 Proposed Program). This Notice of Intent (NOI) serves to announce the EIS scoping process for the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS. The 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS will tier from the 2017-2022 GOM Multisale EIS. Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) requires the development of an OCS oil and gas leasing program every five years. The Program sets forth a schedule of lease sales designed to best meet the Nation's energy needs. The lease sales proposed in the GOM in the 2017- 2022 Proposed Program are areawide sales encompassing both the Western and Central Planning Areas, and a portion of the Eastern Planning Area not subject to Congressional moratorium. These planning areas are located off the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. By proposing lease sales that offer all available GOM acreage, BOEM seeks to provide more opportunity for industry to bid on rejected, relinquished, or expired OCS lease blocks and facilitate better planning to explore resources that straddle the U.S./Mexico boundary. During the pre-lease sale process, the size of any individual lease sale could be reduced, and a smaller area offered for leasing, should circumstances warrant. For example, an individual lease sale could be focused on a single GOM Planning Area as in the 2012-2017 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 161 (Friday, August 19, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 161 (Friday, August 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55480-55481]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19861]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2016-0047; MMAA104000]

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Oil and Gas
Lease Sales for 2018

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Consistent with the regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), BOEM is
announcing its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for proposed GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 (2018 GOM
Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS) as scheduled in the 2017-2022
OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program (2017-2022 Proposed Program).
This Notice of Intent (NOI) serves to announce the EIS scoping process
for the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS. The 2018 GOM
Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS will tier from the 2017-2022
GOM Multisale EIS.
Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1344) requires the
development of an OCS oil and gas leasing program every five years. The
Program sets forth a schedule of lease sales designed to best meet the
Nation's energy needs. The lease sales proposed in the GOM in the 2017-
2022 Proposed Program are areawide sales encompassing both the Western
and Central Planning Areas, and a portion of the Eastern Planning Area
not subject to Congressional moratorium. These planning areas are
located off the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and
Florida. By proposing lease sales that offer all available GOM acreage,
BOEM seeks to provide more opportunity for industry to bid on rejected,
relinquished, or expired OCS lease blocks and facilitate better
planning to explore resources that straddle the U.S./Mexico boundary.
During the pre-lease sale process, the size of any individual lease
sale could be reduced, and a smaller area offered for leasing, should
circumstances warrant. For example, an individual lease sale could be
focused on a single GOM Planning Area as in the 2012-2017 OCS Oil and
Gas Leasing Program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing NEPA encourage
agencies to analyze similar or related proposals in one EIS (40 CFR
1508.25). Since both lease sales would be held in 2018 and the ensuing
OCS activities are similar, BOEM will prepare a single Supplemental EIS
for two lease sales proposed to be held in the GOM in 2018 (Lease Sales
250 and 251). The 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS
will tier from the 2017-2022 GOM Multisale EIS and focus on new
information released since the publication of the 2017-2022 GOM
Multisale EIS. This EIS approach allows for subsequent NEPA analyses to
focus on changes in the proposed lease sales and on new issues and
information. Analyzing two proposed lease sales within one Supplemental
EIS will eliminate the repetition of annual Supplemental EISs for each
proposed lease sale. The resource estimates and scenario information
for the Supplemental EIS will include a range that encompasses the
resources and activities estimated for either or both of the proposed
lease sales. At the completion of this Supplemental EIS process, a
decision will be made for Lease Sale 250. Thereafter, a separate
decision will be made for Lease Sale 251. No final decision will be
made on any individual lease sale until the end of the Supplemental EIS
process to allow for full consultation with Federal agencies, affected
states, and the public.
The 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS analysis will
focus on the potential environmental effects from oil and natural gas
leasing, exploration, development, and

[[Page 55481]]

production on all available acreage in the GOM, including the Western
and Central Planning Areas, and the portion of the Eastern Planning
Area not subject to Congressional moratorium. In addition to the no
action alternative (i.e., cancel the lease sale), other alternatives
will be considered for each proposed lease sale, such as offering
individual or multiple planning areas for lease or deferring certain
areas from the proposed lease sales in addition to those alternatives
considered in the 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program.
Scoping Process: This NOI serves to announce the scoping process
for identifying issues and potential alternatives for consideration in
the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS. Throughout the
scoping process, Federal agencies, state, tribal, and local
governments, and the general public have the opportunity to help BOEM
determine significant resources and issues, impact-producing factors,
reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigating measures to be
analyzed in the Supplemental EIS and to provide additional information.
BOEM will also use the NEPA commenting process to initiate the section
106 consultation process under the National Historic Preservation Act
(54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.), as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3).
Pursuant to the regulations implementing the provisions of NEPA (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), BOEM will hold public scoping meetings for the
2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS. BOEM's scoping
meetings will be held at the following places and times:
Gulfport, Mississippi: Tuesday, September 6, 2016,
Courtyard by Marriott, Gulfport Beachfront MS Hotel, 1600 East Beach
Boulevard, Gulfport, Mississippi 39501; one meeting, beginning at 4:00
p.m. CDT and ending at 7:00 p.m. CDT;
Mobile, Alabama: Wednesday, September 7, 2016, Renaissance
Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, 64 South Water Street, Mobile, Alabama
36602; one meeting, beginning at 4:00 p.m. CDT and ending at 7:00 p.m.
CDT;
Houston, Texas: Tuesday, September 13, 2016, Houston
Marriott North, 255 North Sam Houston Pkwy East, Houston, Texas 77060;
one meeting, beginning at 4:00 p.m. CDT and ending at 7:00 p.m. CDT;
and
New Orleans, Louisiana: Thursday, September 15, 2016,
Wyndham Garden New Orleans Airport, 6401 Veterans Memorial Blvd.,
Metairie, Louisiana 70003; one meeting, beginning at 4:00 p.m. CDT and
ending at 7:00 p.m. CDT.
Cooperating Agencies: BOEM invites other Federal agencies, and
state, tribal, and local governments to consider becoming cooperating
agencies in the preparation of the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251
Supplemental EIS. BOEM invites qualified government entities to inquire
about cooperating agency status for this 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 should 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 expectations 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 for 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. This document is
available on the Internet at: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/nepapub/nepa_documents/RedDont/G-CEQ-CoopAgenciesImplem.pdf.
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 process.
Comments: Federal agencies, tribal, state, and local governments,
and other interested parties are requested to comment on the scope of
the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS, significant
issues that should be addressed, and alternatives that should be
considered. Comments can be submitted in any of the following ways:
1. In written form enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Comments on
the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS'' and mailed (or
hand carried) to Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief, Environmental Assessment
Section, Office of Environment (GM 623E), BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS
Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394;
or
2. Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2016-0047. Click on
the ``Comment Now!'' button to the right of the document link. Enter
your information and comment, then click ``Submit.''
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 it 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.

DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than September 19, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the 2018 GOM Lease
Sales 250 and 251 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), BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone 504-736-3233.

Authority: This NOI is published pursuant to the regulations (40
CFR 1501.7) implementing the provisions of NEPA.

Dated: August 12, 2016.
Abigail Ross Hopper,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2016-19861 Filed 8-18-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P

55480 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 161 / Friday, August 19, 2016 / Notices

Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ The lease sales proposed in the GOM in
Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. az/st/en/res/rac.html. Additionally, the 2017–2022 Proposed Program are
Department of the Interior, Bureau of directions to the meeting site and areawide sales encompassing both the
Land Management (BLM), Arizona parking information may be found on Western and Central Planning Areas,
Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will the BLM Web site at: http:// and a portion of the Eastern Planning
meet in Phoenix, Arizona, as indicated www.blm.gov/az/st/en/res/pub_room/ Area not subject to Congressional
below. location.html. Individuals who need moratorium. These planning areas are
DATES: The Arizona RAC business special assistance, such as sign language located off the States of Texas,
meeting will take place on September interpretation or other reasonable Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and
15, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. accommodations, should contact the Florida. By proposing lease sales that
The RAC working group meeting will RAC Coordinator listed above no later offer all available GOM acreage, BOEM
take place on September 14, 2016 from than two weeks before the start of the seeks to provide more opportunity for
8:30 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Both meetings meeting. industry to bid on rejected,
are open to the public. Under the Federal Lands Recreation relinquished, or expired OCS lease
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Enhancement Act, the RAC has been blocks and facilitate better planning to
the BLM Arizona State Office located at designated as the Recreation RAC and explore resources that straddle the U.S./
One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, has the authority to review all BLM and Mexico boundary. During the pre-lease
Phoenix, Arizona 85004. Forest Service recreation fee proposals sale process, the size of any individual
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: in Arizona. The Recreation RAC will lease sale could be reduced, and a
Adam Eggers, Arizona RAC Coordinator review the Paria Canyon Business Plan smaller area offered for leasing, should
at the Bureau of Land Management, at this meeting. circumstances warrant. For example, an
Arizona State Office, One North Central individual lease sale could be focused
Raymond Suazo,
Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, Arizona on a single GOM Planning Area as in the
Arizona State Director. 2012–2017 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing
85004–4427, 602–417–9500. Persons
[FR Doc. 2016–19818 Filed 8–18–16; 8:45 am] Program.
who use a telecommunications device
BILLING CODE 4310–32–P
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– Regulations implementing NEPA
800–877–8339 to contact the above encourage agencies to analyze similar or
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
individual during normal business related proposals in one EIS (40 CFR
hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 1508.25). Since both lease sales would
day, 7 days a week, to leave a message be held in 2018 and the ensuing OCS
or question with the above individual. [Docket No. BOEM–2016–0047; activities are similar, BOEM will
You will receive a reply during normal MMAA104000]
prepare a single Supplemental EIS for
business hours. two lease sales proposed to be held in
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Gulf of
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15- the GOM in 2018 (Lease Sales 250 and
Mexico (GOM), Oil and Gas Lease
member Council advises the Secretary 251). The 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250
Sales for 2018
of the Interior, through the BLM, on a and 251 Supplemental EIS will tier from
variety of planning and management AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy the 2017–2022 GOM Multisale EIS and
issues associated with public land Management (BOEM), Interior. focus on new information released since
management in Arizona. Planned ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a the publication of the 2017–2022 GOM
agenda items include a welcome and Supplemental Environmental Impact Multisale EIS. This EIS approach allows
introduction of Council members; BLM Statement. for subsequent NEPA analyses to focus
State Director’s update on BLM on changes in the proposed lease sales
programs and issues; commercial SUMMARY: Consistent with the and on new issues and information.
recreation leases outreach update; fire regulations implementing the National Analyzing two proposed lease sales
and aviation update; BLM ‘‘Balance Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 within one Supplemental EIS will
Point: Managing the health, diversity, U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), BOEM is eliminate the repetition of annual
and productivity of America’s public announcing its intent to prepare a Supplemental EISs for each proposed
lands for the use and enjoyment of Supplemental Environmental Impact lease sale. The resource estimates and
present and future generations’’ Statement (EIS) for proposed GOM scenario information for the
presentation; RAC committee reports; Lease Sales 250 and 251 (2018 GOM Supplemental EIS will include a range
RAC questions on BLM District Manager Lease Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental that encompasses the resources and
reports and other items of interest to the EIS) as scheduled in the 2017–2022 OCS activities estimated for either or both of
RAC. Members of the public are Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Program the proposed lease sales. At the
welcome to attend the RAC meetings. A (2017–2022 Proposed Program). This completion of this Supplemental EIS
public comment period is scheduled for Notice of Intent (NOI) serves to process, a decision will be made for
September 15 from 2:30–3:00 p.m. for announce the EIS scoping process for Lease Sale 250. Thereafter, a separate
any interested members of the public the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 decision will be made for Lease Sale
who wish to address the Council on Supplemental EIS. The 2018 GOM Lease 251. No final decision will be made on
BLM programs and business. Depending Sales 250 and 251 Supplemental EIS any individual lease sale until the end
on the number of persons wishing to will tier from the 2017–2022 GOM of the Supplemental EIS process to
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

speak and time available, the time for Multisale EIS. allow for full consultation with Federal
individual comments may be limited. Section 18 of the OCS Lands Act (43 agencies, affected states, and the public.
Written comments may also be U.S.C. 1344) requires the development The 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and
submitted during the meeting for the of an OCS oil and gas leasing program 251 Supplemental EIS analysis will
RAC’s consideration. The final meeting every five years. The Program sets forth focus on the potential environmental
agenda will be available two weeks a schedule of lease sales designed to effects from oil and natural gas leasing,
prior to the meeting and posted on the best meet the Nation’s energy needs. exploration, development, and

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Document Created: 2016-08-19 01:35:29
Document Modified: 2016-08-19 01:35:29

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.
Dates		Comments should be submitted no later than September 19, 2016.
Contact		For information on the 2018 GOM Lease Sales 250 and 251 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), BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone 504-736-3233.
FR Citation		81 FR 55480

81 FR 55480 - Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Oil and Gas Lease Sales for 2018

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Ocean Energy Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 161 (August 19, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management