Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Western Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 196 (2005) Environmental Assessment, 18050-18051 [05-6984]
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18050
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 67 / Friday, April 8, 2005 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Williams, Manager, Federal
Onshore Oil and Gas Compliance and
Asset Management, Minerals Revenue
Management, Minerals Management
Service, telephone (303) 231–3403, FAX
(303) 231–3744, e-mail to
mary.williams@mms.gov, PO Box
25165, MS 392B2, Denver, Colorado
80225–0165.
Dated: March 23, 2005.
Lucy Querques Denett,
Associate Director for Minerals Revenue
Management.
[FR Doc. 05–6985 Filed 4–7–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental
Shelf, Western Planning Area, Oil and
Gas Lease Sale 196 (2005)
Environmental Assessment
Minerals Management Service
(MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of an
environmental assessment.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Minerals Management
Service is issuing this notice to advise
the public that MMS has prepared an
environmental assessment (EA) for
proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
oil and gas Lease Sale 196 in the
Western Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (Lease
Sale 196) scheduled for August 2005.
Proposed Lease Sale 196 is the fourth
Western Planning Area (WPA) lease sale
scheduled in the Outer Continental
Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program:
2002–2007 (5-Year Program, OCS EIS/
EA MMS 2002–006). The preparation of
this EA is an important step in the
decisionmaking process for Lease Sale
196. The proposal for Lease Sale 196
(the offering of all available unleased
acreage in the WPA) and its alternatives
(the proposed action excluding the
unleased blocks near biologically
sensitive topographic features and no
action) were identified by the MMS
Director in January 2002 following the
Call for Information and Nominations/
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and were analyzed in the Gulf of Mexico
OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2003–
2007; Central Planning Area Sales 185,
190, 194, 198, and 201; Western
Planning Area Sales 187, 192, 196, and
200—Final Environmental Impact
Statement; Volumes I and II (Multisale
EIS, OCS EIS/EA MMS 2002–052). The
Multisale EIS analyzed the effects of a
typical WPA lease sale by presenting a
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:00 Apr 07, 2005
Jkt 205001
set of ranges for resource estimates,
projected exploration and development
activities, and impact-producing factors
for any of the proposed WPA lease sales.
The level of activities projected for
proposed Lease Sale 196 falls within
these ranges. In this EA, which tiers
from the Multisale EIS and incorporates
that document by reference, MMS
reexamined the potential environmental
effects of the proposed action and its
alternatives based on any new
information regarding potential impacts
and issues that were not available at the
time the Multisale EIS was prepared. No
new significant impacts were identified
for proposed Lease Sale 196 that were
not already assessed in the Multisale
EIS. As a result, MMS determined that
a supplemental EIS is not required and
prepared a Finding of No New
Significant Impact (FONNSI).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Dennis Chew, Minerals Management
Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region,
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, MS
5410, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–
2394. You may also contact Mr. Chew
by telephone at (504) 736–2793.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
November 2002, MMS prepared a
Multisale EIS that addressed nine
proposed Federal actions that offer for
lease areas on the GOM OCS that may
contain economically recoverable oil
and gas resources. Federal regulations
allow for several related or similar
proposals to be analyzed in one EIS (40
CFR 1502.4). Since each proposed lease
sale and its projected activities are very
similar each year for each planning area,
a single EIS was prepared for the nine
Central Planning Area (CPA) and WPA
lease sales scheduled in the 5-Year
Program. Under the 5-Year Program, five
annual areawide lease sales are
scheduled for the CPA (Lease Sales 185,
190, 194, 198, and 201) and five annual
areawide lease sales are scheduled for
the WPA (Lease Sales 184, 187, 192,
196, and 200). Lease Sale 184 was not
addressed in the Multisale EIS; a
separate EA was prepared for that
proposal. The Multisale EIS addressed
CPA Lease Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and
201 scheduled for 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006, and 2007, respectively, and WPA
Lease Sales 187, 192, 196, and 200
scheduled for 2003, 2004, 2005, and
2006, respectively. Although the
Multisale EIS addresses nine proposed
lease sales, at the completion of the EIS
process, decisions were made only for
proposed CPA Lease Sale 185 and
proposed WPA Lease Sale 187. In the
year prior to each subsequent proposed
lease sale, an additional NEPA review
(an EA) will be conducted to address
PO 00000
Frm 00095
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
any new information relevant to that
proposed action. After completion of the
EA, MMS will determine whether to
prepare a FONNSI or a Supplemental
EIS. The MMS will then prepare and
send Consistency Determinations (CD’s)
to the affected States to determine
whether the proposed lease sale is
consistent with their federally-approved
State coastal zone management
programs. Finally, MMS will solicit
comments via the Proposed Notice of
Sale (PNOS) from the governors of the
affected States on the size, timing, and
location of the proposed lease sale. The
tentative schedule for the prelease
decision process for Lease Sale 196 is as
follows: CD’s sent to affected States,
March 2005; PNOS sent to governors of
the affected States, March 2005; Final
Notice of Sale published in the Federal
Register, July 2005; and Lease Sale 196,
August 2005. To obtain single copies of
the Multisale EIS, you may contact the
Minerals Management Service, Gulf of
Mexico OCS Region, Attention: Public
Information Office (MS 5034), 1201
Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394 (1–
800–200–GULF). You may also view the
Multisale EIS or check the list of
libraries that have copies of the
Multisale EIS on the MMS Web site at
https://www.gomr.mms.gov.
Public Comments: Interested parties
are requested to send comments on this
EA/FONNSI within 30 days of this
notice’s publication. Comments may be
submitted in one of the following three
ways:
1. Comments may be submitted using
MMS’s Public Connect on-line
commenting system at https://
ocsconnect.mms.gov. This is the
preferred method for commenting. From
the Public Connect ‘‘Welcome’’ screen,
search for ‘‘WPA Lease Sale 196 EA’’ or
select it from the ‘‘Projects Open for
Comment’’ menu.
2. Written comments may be enclosed
in an envelope labeled ‘‘Comments on
WPA Lease Sale 196 EA’’ and mailed (or
hand carried) to the Regional
Supervisor, Leasing and Environment
(MS 5410), Minerals Management
Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region,
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New
Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394.
3. Comments may be sent to the MMS
e-mail address: environment@mms.gov.
All comments received will be
considered in the decisionmaking
process for Lease Sale 196.
EA Availability: To obtain a copy of
this EA, you may contact the Minerals
Management Service, Gulf of Mexico
OCS Region, Attention: Public
Information Office (MS 5034), 1201
Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114,
E:\FR\FM\08APN1.SGM
08APN1
18051
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 67 / Friday, April 8, 2005 / Notices
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394 (1–
800–200–GULF). You may also view
this EA on the MMS Web site at
https://www.gomr.mms.gov.
Dated: March 7, 2005.
Chris C. Oynes,
Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.
[FR Doc. 05–6984 Filed 4–7–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
values in the Federal Register. The
regulations also require MMS to publish
a due date for industry to pay additional
royalty based on the major portion
value. This notice provides the major
portion values for the 12 months of
2003. The due date to pay is May 31,
2005.
ADDRESSES: See FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section
below.
John
Barder, Indian Oil and Gas Compliance
and Asset Management, MMS;
telephone (303) 231–3702; FAX (303)
231–3755; e-mail to
John.Barder@mms.gov; or Shawna
Hopkins, Indian Oil and Gas
Compliance and Asset Management,
MMS; telephone (303) 231–3817; FAX
(303) 231–3755; e-mail to
Shawna.Hopkins@mms.gov. Mailing
address: Minerals Management Service,
Minerals Revenue Management,
ONCAM, Indian Oil and Gas
Compliance and Asset Management,
P.O. Box 25165, MS 396B2, Denver,
Colorado 80225–0165.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August
10, 1999, MMS published a final rule
titled ‘‘Amendments to Gas Valuation
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
RIN 1010–AB57
Major Portion Prices and Due Date for
Additional Royalty Payments on Indian
Gas Production in Designated Areas
Not Associated With an Index Zone
Minerals Management Service
(MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of major portion prices
for calendar year 2003.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Final regulations for valuing
gas produced from Indian leases,
published on August 10, 1999, require
MMS to determine major portion values
and notify industry by publishing the
Regulations for Indian Leases,’’ (64 FR
43506) with an effective date of January
1, 2000. The gas regulations apply to all
gas production from Indian (tribal or
allotted) oil and gas leases, except leases
on the Osage Indian Reservation.
The rule requires that MMS publish
major portion prices for each designated
area not associated with an index zone
for each production month beginning
January 2000, along with a due date for
additional royalty payments. See 30
CFR 206.174(a)(4)(ii) (2004). If
additional royalties are due based on a
published major portion price, the
lessee must submit an amended Form
MMS–2014, Report of Sales and Royalty
Remittance, to MMS by the due date. If
additional royalties are not paid by the
due date, late payment interest under 30
CFR 218.54 (2004) will accrue from the
due date until payment is made and an
amended Form MMS–2014 is received.
The table below lists the major portion
prices for all designated areas not
associated with an index zone. The due
date is May 31, 2005.
Gas Major Portion Prices and Due Dates
for Designated Areas Not Associated
With an Index Zone
January
2003
(MMBtu)
Blackfeet Reservation ..........................................................................................................................................
Fort Belknap ........................................................................................................................................................
Fort Berthold ........................................................................................................................................................
Fort Peck Reservation .........................................................................................................................................
Navajo Allotted Leases in the Navajo Reservation .............................................................................................
Rocky Boys Reservation .....................................................................................................................................
Ute Allotted Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation .................................................................................
Ute Tribal Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation ....................................................................................
6.63
5.04
4.28
4.43
3.65
4.04
3.19
3.51
6.64
5.08
4.76
4.29
4.02
4.16
4.04
4.39
7.05
5.27
4.83
4.97
4.88
4.57
4.42
4.83
July
2003
(MMBtu)
August
2003
(MMBtu)
September
2003
(MMBtu)
7.09
5.18
4.22
4.69
4.66
4.04
4.60
4.24
5.73
5.03
4.25
4.71
3.87
3.62
4.11
3.94
6.14
5.13
3.93
4.47
4.31
3.76
4.24
4.05
Blackfeet Reservation ............................................................................................................................................
Fort Belknap ..........................................................................................................................................................
Fort Berthold ..........................................................................................................................................................
Fort Peck Reservation ...........................................................................................................................................
Navajo Allotted Leases in the Navajo Reservation ...............................................................................................
Rocky Boys Reservation .......................................................................................................................................
Ute Allotted Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation ...................................................................................
Ute Tribal Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation ......................................................................................
PO 00000
Frm 00096
Fmt 4703
9.53
5.84
6.31
7.96
5.82
6.76
5.05
6.47
June 2003
(MMBtu)
MMS-Designated areas
Jkt 205001
6.48
5.10
5.88
5.25
4.50
4.65
3.21
3.68
May 2003
(MMBtu)
Blackfeet Reservation ......................................................................................................................................
Fort Belknap ....................................................................................................................................................
Fort Berthold ....................................................................................................................................................
Fort Peck Reservation .....................................................................................................................................
Navajo Allotted Leases in the Navajo Reservation .........................................................................................
Rocky Boys Reservation .................................................................................................................................
Ute Allotted Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation .............................................................................
Ute Tribal Leases in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation ................................................................................
19:00 Apr 07, 2005
March
2003
(MMBtu)
April
2003
(MMBtu)
MMS-Designated areas
VerDate jul<14>2003
February
2003
(MMBtu)
5.57
4.97
4.32
3.55
4.37
3.75
2.90
3.20
MMS-Designated areas
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\08APN1.SGM
08APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 67 (Friday, April 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18050-18051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6984]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Western Planning Area,
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 196 (2005) Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of an environmental assessment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service is issuing this notice to
advise the public that MMS has prepared an environmental assessment
(EA) for proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas Lease Sale
196 in the Western Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (Lease Sale 196) scheduled for
August 2005. Proposed Lease Sale 196 is the fourth Western Planning
Area (WPA) lease sale scheduled in the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and
Gas Leasing Program: 2002-2007 (5-Year Program, OCS EIS/EA MMS 2002-
006). The preparation of this EA is an important step in the
decisionmaking process for Lease Sale 196. The proposal for Lease Sale
196 (the offering of all available unleased acreage in the WPA) and its
alternatives (the proposed action excluding the unleased blocks near
biologically sensitive topographic features and no action) were
identified by the MMS Director in January 2002 following the Call for
Information and Nominations/Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and were analyzed in the Gulf of
Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2003-2007; Central Planning Area
Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and 201; Western Planning Area Sales 187,
192, 196, and 200--Final Environmental Impact Statement; Volumes I and
II (Multisale EIS, OCS EIS/EA MMS 2002-052). The Multisale EIS analyzed
the effects of a typical WPA lease sale by presenting a set of ranges
for resource estimates, projected exploration and development
activities, and impact-producing factors for any of the proposed WPA
lease sales. The level of activities projected for proposed Lease Sale
196 falls within these ranges. In this EA, which tiers from the
Multisale EIS and incorporates that document by reference, MMS
reexamined the potential environmental effects of the proposed action
and its alternatives based on any new information regarding potential
impacts and issues that were not available at the time the Multisale
EIS was prepared. No new significant impacts were identified for
proposed Lease Sale 196 that were not already assessed in the Multisale
EIS. As a result, MMS determined that a supplemental EIS is not
required and prepared a Finding of No New Significant Impact (FONNSI).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dennis Chew, Minerals Management
Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, MS
5410, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. You may also contact Mr. Chew
by telephone at (504) 736-2793.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In November 2002, MMS prepared a Multisale
EIS that addressed nine proposed Federal actions that offer for lease
areas on the GOM OCS that may contain economically recoverable oil and
gas resources. Federal regulations allow for several related or similar
proposals to be analyzed in one EIS (40 CFR 1502.4). Since each
proposed lease sale and its projected activities are very similar each
year for each planning area, a single EIS was prepared for the nine
Central Planning Area (CPA) and WPA lease sales scheduled in the 5-Year
Program. Under the 5-Year Program, five annual areawide lease sales are
scheduled for the CPA (Lease Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and 201) and
five annual areawide lease sales are scheduled for the WPA (Lease Sales
184, 187, 192, 196, and 200). Lease Sale 184 was not addressed in the
Multisale EIS; a separate EA was prepared for that proposal. The
Multisale EIS addressed CPA Lease Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and 201
scheduled for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, respectively, and WPA
Lease Sales 187, 192, 196, and 200 scheduled for 2003, 2004, 2005, and
2006, respectively. Although the Multisale EIS addresses nine proposed
lease sales, at the completion of the EIS process, decisions were made
only for proposed CPA Lease Sale 185 and proposed WPA Lease Sale 187.
In the year prior to each subsequent proposed lease sale, an additional
NEPA review (an EA) will be conducted to address any new information
relevant to that proposed action. After completion of the EA, MMS will
determine whether to prepare a FONNSI or a Supplemental EIS. The MMS
will then prepare and send Consistency Determinations (CD's) to the
affected States to determine whether the proposed lease sale is
consistent with their federally-approved State coastal zone management
programs. Finally, MMS will solicit comments via the Proposed Notice of
Sale (PNOS) from the governors of the affected States on the size,
timing, and location of the proposed lease sale. The tentative schedule
for the prelease decision process for Lease Sale 196 is as follows:
CD's sent to affected States, March 2005; PNOS sent to governors of the
affected States, March 2005; Final Notice of Sale published in the
Federal Register, July 2005; and Lease Sale 196, August 2005. To obtain
single copies of the Multisale EIS, you may contact the Minerals
Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Attention: Public
Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF). You may also view
the Multisale EIS or check the list of libraries that have copies of
the Multisale EIS on the MMS Web site at https://www.gomr.mms.gov.
Public Comments: Interested parties are requested to send comments
on this EA/FONNSI within 30 days of this notice's publication. Comments
may be submitted in one of the following three ways:
1. Comments may be submitted using MMS's Public Connect on-line
commenting system at https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. This is the preferred
method for commenting. From the Public Connect ``Welcome'' screen,
search for ``WPA Lease Sale 196 EA'' or select it from the ``Projects
Open for Comment'' menu.
2. Written comments may be enclosed in an envelope labeled
``Comments on WPA Lease Sale 196 EA'' and mailed (or hand carried) to
the Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment (MS 5410), Minerals
Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394.
3. Comments may be sent to the MMS e-mail address:
environment@mms.gov.
All comments received will be considered in the decisionmaking
process for Lease Sale 196.
EA Availability: To obtain a copy of this EA, you may contact the
Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Attention:
Public Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room
114,
[[Page 18051]]
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF). You may also view
this EA on the MMS Web site at https://www.gomr.mms.gov.
Dated: March 7, 2005.
Chris C. Oynes,
Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.
[FR Doc. 05-6984 Filed 4-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
