Outer Continental Shelf, Central Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales 169, 172, 175, 178, and 182

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Outer Continental Shelf, Central Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas

Lease Sales 169, 172, 175, 178, and 182

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Call for Information and Nominations, and Notice of Intent

(Call/NOI) to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Call for Information and Nominations

1. Authority

This Call is published pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf

(OCS) Lands Act as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, (1994)) (OCSLA), and

the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR Part 256).

2. Purpose of Call

The purpose of the Call is to gather information for the following

tentatively scheduled Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Sales in the

Central Gulf of Mexico (CGOM):

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

Sale No. Tentative sale date

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

169....................................... March, 1998.

172....................................... March, 1999.

175....................................... March, 2000.

178....................................... March, 2001.

182....................................... March, 2002.

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

Information and nominations on oil and gas leasing, exploration,

and development and production within the CGOM are sought from all

interested parties. This early planning and consultation step is

important for ensuring that all interests and concerns are communicated

to the Department of the Interior for future decisions in the leasing

process pursuant to the OCSLA, and regulations at 30 CFR part 256.

Please note this is the first issuance of a multi-sale Call by MMS

and the first Call in the Proposed 1997-2002 5-Year Program. Responses

are requested relative to all sales included herein. The MMS has

modified its prelease planning and decision process for proposed

Central and Western Gulf lease sales. This multi-sale process is based

on over a dozen years of leasing at an annual pace which have shown

that the sale proposals in the CGOM (and the WGOM) are very similar

from year to year. The multi-sale process in the Central Gulf will

incorporate planning and analysis for 5 sales: sales 169, 172, 175,

178, and 182. From the initial step in the process (the Call for

Information and Nominations) through the final EIS/Consistency

Determination (CD) step, this process will cover multiple sale

proposals. There will also be complete NEPA, OCSLA, and CZMA coverage

for each sale after the first sale--either an Environmental Assessment

(EA) or Supplemental EIS and a CD, focusing primarily on new issues or

changes in a State's Federally-approved coastal management plan, will

be prepared for each subsequent sale. A proposed and final Notice of

Sale will be prepared for each proposed sale. (The multi-sale process

in the Western Gulf will incorporate planning and analysis for 4 sales:

sales 171, 174, 177, and 180. A Call for that multi-sale process is

expected to be issued later this year.)

This Call does not indicate a preliminary decision to lease in the

area described below. Final delineation of the area for possible

leasing will be made at a later date and in compliance with applicable

laws including all requirements of the NEPA and OCSLA. Establish

departmentall procedures will be employed.

3. Description of Area

The general area of this Call covers the entire CGOM. The CGOM is

bounded on the east by approximately 88 degrees W. longitude. Its

western boundary begins at the offshore boundary between Texas and

Louisiana and proceeds southeasterly to approximately 28 degrees N.

latitude, thence east to approximately 92 degrees W. longitude, thence

sough to the provisional maritime boundary with Mexico which

constitutes the southern boundary of the area. The northern part of the

area is bounded by the Federal-State boundary offshore Louisiana,

Mississippi, and Alabama. The area available for nominations and

comments at this time consists of approximately 47.8 million acres.

A standard Call for Information Map depicting the CGOM on a block-

by-

[[Page 40246]]

block basis is available without charge from: Minerals Management

Service, Public Information Unit (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park

Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, Telephone: 1-800-200-

GULF.

4. Area Excluded from this Call. The entire CGOM is proposed for

possible leasing and no areas are excluded from this Call.

5. Instructions on Call

Indications of interest and comments must be received no later than

45 days following publication of this document in the Federal Register

in envelopes labeled ``Nominations for Proposed 1998-2002 Lease Sales

in the Central Gulf of Mexico'' or ``Comments on the Call for

Information and Nominations for Proposed 1998-2002 Lease Sales in the

Central Gulf of Mexico.'' The standard Call for Information Map and

indications of interest and/or comments must be submitted to the

Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment, Gulf of Mexico OCS

Region, at the above address.

The standard Call for Information Map delineates the Call area, all

of which has been identified by the MMS as having potential for the

discovery of accumulations of oil and gas. Respondents are requested to

indicate interest in and comment on any or all of the Federal acreage

within the boundaries of the Call area that they wish to have included

in each of the proposed sales in the CGOM.

Although individual indications of interest are considered to be

privileged and proprietary information, the names of persons or

entities indicating interest or submitting comments will be of public

record. Those indicating such interest are required to do so on the

standard Call for Information Map by outlining the areas of interest

along block lines.

Respondents should rank areas in which they have expressed interest

according to priority of their interest (e.g., priority 1 [high], 2

[medium], or 3 [low]). Respondents are encouraged to be specific in

indicating blocks by priority, as blanket nominations on large areas

are not useful in the analysis of industry interest. Areas where

interest has been indicated but on which respondents have not indicated

priorities will be considered priority 3 (low).

Respondents may also submit a detailed list of blocks nominated (by

Official Protraction Diagram and Leasing Map designations) to ensure

correct interpretation of their nominations. Specific questions may be

directed to the Chief, Leasing Activities Section at (504) 736-2761.

Official Protraction Diagrams and Leasing Maps can be purchased from

the Public Information Unit referred to above.

Comments are sought from all interested parties about particular

geological, environmental, biological, archaeological and socioeconomic

conditions or conflicts, or other information that might bear upon the

potential leasing and development of particular areas. Comments are

also sought on possible conflicts between future OCS oil and gas

activities that may result from the proposed sales and State Coastal

Management Programs (CMP's). If possible, these comments should

identify specific CMP policies of concern, the nature of the conflict

foreseen, and steps that the MMS could take to avoid or mitigate the

potential conflict. Comments may either be in terms of broad areas or

restricted to particular blocks of concern. Those submitting comments

are requested to list block numbers or outline the subject area on the

standard Call for Information Map.

6. Use of Information From Call

Information submitted in response to this Call will be used for

several purposes. First, responses will be used to identify the areas

of potential for oil and gas development. Second, comments on possible

environmental effects and potential use conflicts will be used in the

analysis of environmental conditions in and near the Call area. This

information will be used to make a preliminary determination of the

potential advantages and disadvantages of oil and gas exploration and

development to the region and the Nation. A third purpose for this Call

is to use the comments collected in the scoping process for the

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and to develop proposed actions

and alternatives. Fourth, comments may be used in developing lease

terms and conditions to ensure safe offshore operations. And, fifth,

comments may be used to assess potential conflicts between offshore gas

and oil activities and a State CMP.

7. Existing Information

The MMS routinely assesses the status of information acquisition

efforts and the quality of the information base for potential decisions

on tentatively scheduled lease sales. As a result of this continually

ongoing assessment, it has been determined that the status of the

existing data available for planning, analysis, and decisionmaking is

adequate and extensive.

An extensive environmental studies program has been underway in the

CGOM since 1973. The emphasis, including continuing studies, has been

on environmental characterization of biologically sensitive habitats,

physical oceanography, ocean-circulation modeling, and ecological

effects of oil and gas activities. A complete listing of available

study reports, and information for ordering copies, can be obtained

from the Public Information Unit referenced above. The reports may also

be ordered, for a fee, from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National

Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield,

Virginia 22161, or telephone (703) 487-4650. In addition, a program

status report for continuing studies in this area can be obtained from

the Chief, Environmental Studies Section, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

(see address under ``Description of Area''), or telephone (540) 736-

2896.

Summary Reports and Indices and technical and geological reports

are available for review at the MMS, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region. Copies

of the Gulf of Mexico OCS Regional Summary Reports may be obtained from

the Technical Communication Service, Minerals Management Service, at

381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170, phone: (703) 787-1080.

8. Tentative Schedule

The following is a list of tentative milestone dates applicable to

sales covered by this Call:

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

Multi-sale process milestones

for proposed 1998-2002 CGOM

sales

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

Call/NOI Published..................... July 1996.

Comments due on Call/NOI............... September 1996.

Area Identification.................... September 1996.

Draft EIS published.................... June 1997.

Public Hearings........................ July 1997.

Final EIS and CD published............. November 1997.

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

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

Sale-specific process

milestones for proposed 1998-

2002 CGOM sales

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

Request for Information to Begin Sale- 12 months before each sale.

Specific Process.

Environmental Review (EA/FONSI/SEIS) 4 to 7 months before each

published. sale.

Proposed Notice and Consistency 4 months before each sale.

Determination.

Final Notice of Sale...................... 1 month before each sale.

Tentative Sale Date....................... March of each year.

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

[[Page 40247]]

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

1. Authority

The NOI is published pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1501.7)

implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of

1969 as amended (42 USC 4321 et seq. (1988))(NEPA).

2. Purpose of Notice of Intent

Pursuant to the regulations implementing the procedural provisions

of the NEPA, the MMS is announcing its intent to prepare a multi-sale

EIS on the tentatively scheduled 1998-2002 oil and gas leasing

proposals in the CGOM, off the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and

Alabama. The NOI also serves to announce the scoping process that will

be followed for this EIS. Throughout the scoping process, Federal

Agencies and State and local governments and other interested parties

have the opportunity to aid the MMS in determining the significant

issues and alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS.

The EIS analysis will focus on the potential environmental effects

of leasing, exploration, and development of the blocks included in the

areas defined in the Area Identification procedure as the proposed

areas of the Federal actions. Alternatives to the proposals which may

be considered for each sale are to delay the sale, cancel the sale, or

modify the sale.

3. New EIS procedure

MMS is proposing to prepare a single EIS for all five CGOM sales in

the proposed 1998-2002 period. The resource estimates and scenario

information on which the EIS analyses are based will be presented as a

range of resources and activities that would encompass any of the five

proposed sales in the CGOM.

The proposal will provide several benefits. It will focus the NEPA

process by making impact types and levels that change between sales

more easily recognizable. New issues will be more easily highlighted

for the decision- makers and public. For sales after 1998, the process

will allow for presale planning that spans only one year, rather than

the current two-year process which causes confusion because of the

overlap in planning for sales in successive years and makes it

difficult for the decisionmaker, industry, and the public to keep track

of which sale process is being referred to for any given decision

point. It will also eliminate the repetitive issuance of a complete EIS

for each sale, a practice that has resulted in ``review burnout'' in

Federal, State, and local governments, and the public.

The proposed actions analyzed in the EIS will be each of the sales

on the 5-year schedule for the central Gulf of Mexico planning area.

The EIS will include an analysis of the environmental effects of

holding one sale, a sale ``typical'' of any in the planning area, which

may be held in the remainder of the 5-year program. The scenario will

cover a range of resources and activities that will encompass any of

the four follow-up proposed actions. Later sales can then be compared

to the initial analysis in an environmental assessment or supplemental

environmental impact statement. Formal consultation with the public

will be initiated in subsequent years to obtain input to assist in the

determination of whether or not the information and analyses in the

original multisale EIS are still valid. An Information Request would be

issued that will specifically describe the action for which we are

requesting input.

4. Instructions on NOI to Prepare an EIS

Federal Agencies and State and local governments and other

interested parties are requested to send their written comments on the

scope of the EIS, significant issues which should be addressed, and

alternatives that should be considered to the Regional Supervisor,

Leasing and Environment, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, at the address

stated under ``Description of Area.'' Comments should be enclosed in an

envelope labeled ``Comments on the NOI to Prepare an EIS on the

proposed 1998-2002 Lease Sales in the Central Gulf of Mexico.''

Comments on the NOI should be submitted no later than 45 days from

publication of this Notice. Scoping meetings will be held in

appropriate locations to obtain additional comments and information

regarding the scope of the EIS.

Dated: July 26, 1996.

Cynthia Quarterman,

Director, Minerals Management Service.

[FR Doc. 96-19547 Filed 7-31-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-MR-M