Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 198 (2006) Environmental Assessment, 70634-70635 [05-23074]

Download as PDF 70634 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 22, 2005 / Notices 200 is as follows: EA/FONNSI or Supplemental EIS decision, March 2006; CD’s sent to affected States, March 2006; PNOS sent to governors of the affected States, March 2006; Final Notice of Sale published in the Federal Register, July 2006; and Lease Sale 200, August 2006. Public Comments Interested parties are requested to send within 30 days of this Notice’s publication comments regarding any new information or issues that should be addressed in the EA. Comments may be submitted in one of the following three ways: 1. Electronically using MMS’s new 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 200 EA’’ or select it from the ‘‘Projects Open for Comment’’ menu. 2. In written form enclosed in an envelope labeled ‘‘Comments on WPA Lease Sale 200 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. Electronically to the MMS e-mail address: environment@mms.gov. 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. Dated: October 24, 2005. Chris C. Oynes, Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region. [FR Doc. 05–23073 Filed 11–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MP–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 198 (2006) Environmental Assessment Minerals Management Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment. AGENCY: VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:22 Nov 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 SUMMARY: The MMS is issuing this notice to advise the public, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., that MMS has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for proposed OCS oil and gas Lease Sale 198 in the Central Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (Lease Sale 198) scheduled for March 2006. Proposed Lease Sale 198 is the fourth Central Planning Area (CPA) 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 198. The proposal for Lease Sale 198 (the offering of all available unleased acreage in the CPA) and its alternatives (the proposed action excluding the unleased blocks near biologically sensitive topographic features, the proposed action excluding the unleased blocks within 15 miles of the Baldwin County, Alabama, Coast, 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 CPA 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 CPA lease sales. The level of activities projected for proposed Lease Sale 198 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 198 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. James F. Bennett, Minerals Management Service, Minerals Management Service, Headquarters Office, Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Assessment Branch (MS 4042), Parkway Atrium Building, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817. You may also contact Mr. Bennett by telephone at (703) 787–1660. 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 9 of the 10 CPA and Western Planning Area (WPA) lease sales scheduled in the 5Year 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 (NOS) 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 198 is as follows: CD’s sent to affected States, upon publication in the Federal Register of the NOA; proposed NOS sent to governors of the affected States, upon publication in the Federal Register of the NOA; Final Notice of Sale published in the Federal Register, E:\FR\FM\22NON1.SGM 22NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 22, 2005 / Notices February 2006; and Lease Sale 198, March 2006. To obtain single copies of the Multisale EIS, you may contact the MMS, Minerals Management Service, Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental Assessment Branch (MS 4042), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817. 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 written form enclosed in an envelope labeled ‘‘Comments on CPA Lease Sale 198 EA’’ and mailed (or hand carried) to the MMS, Minerals Management Service, Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental Assessment Branch (MS 4042), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170– 4817. All comments received will be considered in the decisionmaking process for Lease Sale 198. EA Availability To obtain a copy of this EA, you may contact the Minerals Management Service, Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental Assessment Branch (MS 4042), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817. You may also view this EA on the MMS Web site at https://www.gomr.mms.gov. Dated: October 31, 2005. Thomas A. Readinger, Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management. [FR Doc. 05–23074 Filed 11–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Minerals Management Service Notice of Availability of the Proposed Notice of Sale for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 198 in the Central Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Minerals Management Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Proposed Notice of Sale for Proposed Sale 198. AGENCY: The MMS announces the availability of the proposed Notice of Sale for proposed Sale 198 in the Central GOM OCS. This Notice is published pursuant to 30 CFR 256.29(c) SUMMARY: VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:22 Nov 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 as a matter of information to the public. With regard to oil and gas leasing on the OCS, the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to section 19 of the OCS Lands Act, provides the affected States the opportunity to review the proposed Notice. The proposed Notice sets forth the proposed terms and conditions of the sale, including minimum bids, royalty rates, and rentals. DATES: Comments on the size, timing, or location of proposed Sale 198 are due from the affected States within 60 days following their receipt of the proposed Notice. The final Notice of Sale will be published in the Federal Register at least 30 days prior to the date of bid opening. Bid opening is currently scheduled for March 15, 2006. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Notice of Sale for Sale 198 and a ‘‘Proposed Sale Notice Package’’ containing information essential to potential bidders may be obtained from the Public Information Unit, Gulf of Mexico Region, Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394. Telephone: (504) 736–2519. Dated: November 10, 2005. R.M. ‘‘Johnnie’’ Burton, Director, Minerals Management Service. [FR Doc. 05–23075 Filed 11–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation California Bay-Delta Public Advisory Committee Public Meeting Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. AGENCY: SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the California Bay-Delta Public Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet on December 7, 2005. The agenda for the Committee meeting will include discussions with State and Federal agency representatives on the CALFED Bay-Delta Program refocusing efforts underway and the 10-Year Action Plan, and a final recommendation to the Secretary on the Annual Statement of Progress and Balance and Annual Report. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 7, 2005, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If reasonable accommodation is needed due to a disability, please contact Colleen Kirtlan at (916) 445–5511 or TDD (800) 735– DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 70635 2929 at least 1 week prior to the meeting. These meetings will be held at the John E. Moss Federal Building located at 650 Capitol Mall, 5th Floor, Sacramento, California. ADDRESSES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Coolidge, California Bay-Delta Authority, at 916–445–0092, or Diane Buzzard, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, at 916–979–5022. The Committee was established to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior on implementation of the CALFED BayDelta Program. The Committee makes recommendations on annual priorities, integration of the eleven Program elements, and overall balancing of the four Program objectives of ecosystem restoration, water quality, levee system integrity, and water supply reliability. The Program is a consortium of State and Federal agencies with the mission to develop and implement a long-term comprehensive plan that will restore ecological health and improve water management for beneficial uses of the San Francisco/Sacramento and San Joaquin Bay Delta. Committee agendas and meeting materials will be available prior to all meetings on the California Bay-Delta Authority Web site at https:// calwater.ca.gov and at the meetings. These meetings are open to the public. Oral comments will be accepted from members of the public at each meeting and will be limited to 3–5 minutes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (Authority: The Committee was established pursuant to the Department of the Interior’s authority to implement the Water Supply, Reliability, and Environmental Improvement Act, P.L. 108–361; the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661 et. seq.; the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et. seq.; and the Reclamation Act of 1902, 43 U.S.C. 391 et. seq., and the acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto, all collectively referred to as the Federal Reclamation laws, and in particular, the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, 34 U.S.C. 3401.) Dated: November 4, 2005. Allan Oto, Special Projects Officer, Mid-Pacific Region, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. [FR Doc. 05–23051 Filed 11–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MN–M E:\FR\FM\22NON1.SGM 22NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70634-70635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23074]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central Planning 
Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 198 (2006) Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment.

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

SUMMARY: The MMS is issuing this notice to advise the public, pursuant 
to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq., that MMS has prepared an environmental assessment 
(EA) for proposed OCS oil and gas Lease Sale 198 in the Central Gulf of 
Mexico (GOM) (Lease Sale 198) scheduled for March 2006. Proposed Lease 
Sale 198 is the fourth Central Planning Area (CPA) 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 198. 
The proposal for Lease Sale 198 (the offering of all available unleased 
acreage in the CPA) and its alternatives (the proposed action excluding 
the unleased blocks near biologically sensitive topographic features, 
the proposed action excluding the unleased blocks within 15 miles of 
the Baldwin County, Alabama, Coast, 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 CPA 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 CPA lease sales. The 
level of activities projected for proposed Lease Sale 198 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 198 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. James F. Bennett, Minerals 
Management Service, Minerals Management Service, Headquarters Office, 
Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental Assessment Branch (MS 
4042), Parkway Atrium Building, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 
20170-4817. You may also contact Mr. Bennett by telephone at (703) 787-
1660.

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 9 of the 10 
CPA and Western Planning Area (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 (NOS) 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 198 is as follows: 
CD's sent to affected States, upon publication in the Federal Register 
of the NOA; proposed NOS sent to governors of the affected States, upon 
publication in the Federal Register of the NOA; Final Notice of Sale 
published in the Federal Register,

[[Page 70635]]

February 2006; and Lease Sale 198, March 2006. To obtain single copies 
of the Multisale EIS, you may contact the MMS, Minerals Management 
Service, Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental Assessment 
Branch (MS 4042), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. 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 written form enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Comments on CPA Lease 
Sale 198 EA'' and mailed (or hand carried) to the MMS, Minerals 
Management Service, Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental 
Assessment Branch (MS 4042), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-
4817.
    All comments received will be considered in the decisionmaking 
process for Lease Sale 198.

EA Availability

    To obtain a copy of this EA, you may contact the Minerals 
Management Service, Attention: Environmental Division, Environmental 
Assessment Branch (MS 4042), 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-
4817. You may also view this EA on the MMS Web site at https://
www.gomr.mms.gov.

    Dated: October 31, 2005.
Thomas A. Readinger,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 05-23074 Filed 11-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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