Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Western Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 200 (2006) Environmental Assessment, 16825-16826 [E6-4813]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 4, 2006 / Notices 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 200 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 August 16, 2006. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Notice of Sale for Sale 200 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: March 27, 2006. R.M. ‘‘Johnnie’’ Burton, Director, Minerals Management Service. [FR Doc. E6–4812 Filed 4–3–06; 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 200 (2006) Environmental Assessment Minerals Management Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability of an environmental assessment. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (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 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas Lease Sale 200 in the Western Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (Lease Sale 200) scheduled for August 2006. Proposed Lease Sale 200 is the fifth 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 200. The proposal for Lease Sale 200 (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 VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:55 Apr 03, 2006 Jkt 208001 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 200 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 200 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 PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 16825 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) has been conducted to address any new information relevant to that proposed action. After completion of the EA, MMS determines whether to prepare a FONNSI or a Supplemental EIS. The MMS then prepares and sends 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 200 is as follows: 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. 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 200 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 200 EA’’ and mailed (or hand carried) to the Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment E:\FR\FM\04APN1.SGM 04APN1 16826 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 4, 2006 / Notices (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 200. 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, 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 14, 2006. Chris C. Oynes, Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region. [FR Doc. E6–4813 Filed 4–3–06; 8:45 am] DELAWARE IOWA New Castle County Washington County Bellvue Range Rear Light Station (Light Stations of the United States MPS), Christina River N side, 0.3 mi. W of Delaware R, 50 ft. S of Cherry Island, Wilmington, 06000313 Washington County Hospital, S. 4th Ave. And Clara Barton, Washington, 77000565 FLORIDA Holy Family Church, School and Rectory, Kimball and Davison Sts., E. 2nd and E. 3rd Aves., Mitchell, 76001729 St. Johns County Record Building, 154 Cordova St., St. Augustine, 06000315 Municipal Auditorium, 500 Gordon Dr., Sioux City, 06000316 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LOUISIANA National Park Service Orleans Parish National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions Hearn, Lafcadio, House, 1565–67 Cleveland Ave., New Orleans, 06000324 St. Bernard Parish St. Tammany Parish National Park Service Camp Salmen House (Louisiana’s French Creole Architecture MPS), 35122 Camp Salmen Rd., Slidell, 06000323 MARYLAND Baltimore County Nominations for the following properties being considered for listing or related actions in the National Register were received by the National Park Service before March 18, 2006. Pursuant to § 60.13 of 36 CFR part 60 written comments concerning the significance of these properties under the National Register criteria for evaluation may be forwarded by United States Postal Service, to the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, 1849 C St., NW., 2280, Washington, DC 20240; by all other carriers, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, 1201 Eye St., NW., 8th floor, Washington, DC 20005; or by fax, 202–371–6447. Written or faxed comments should be submitted by April 19, 2006. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES CALIFORNIA Sonoma County Temelec, 220 and 221 Temelec Circle, Sonoma, 06000312 St. Francois County Presbyterian Orphanage of Missouri, 412 W. Liberty St., Farmington, 06000322 OHIO Stark County St. Paul’s Reformed Church, 9669 Erie Ave., SW., Navarre, 06000318 John W. Roberts, Acting Chief, National Register/National Historic Landmarks Program. VIRGINIA ARIZONA Rockingham County Maricopa County Breneman—Turner Mill, 5036 Turners Mill Ln., Harrisonburg, 06000325 Glendale High School Auditorium, 6216 W. Myrtle Ave., Glendale, 06000326 WISCONSIN CALIFORNIA Rock County Santa Clara County Hotel Montgomery, 211 SW First St., San Jose, 06000328 Albemarle County Denver County Iliff Hall, 2201 S. University Blvd., Denver, 06000314 Jkt 208001 MISSOURI VIRGINIA COLORADO 18:55 Apr 03, 2006 Jackson, Lillie Carroll, House, 1320 Eutaw Place, Baltimore (Independence City), 06000319 Nominations for the following properties being considered for listing or related actions in the National Register were received by the National Park Service before March 25, 2006. Pursuant to section 60.13 of 36 CFR part 60 written comments concerning the significance of these properties under the National Register criteria for evaluation may be forwarded by United States Postal Service, to the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, 1849 C St., NW., 2280, Washington, DC 20240; by all other carriers, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service,1201 Eye St., NW, 8th floor, Washington DC 20005; or by fax, 202–371–6447. Written or faxed comments should be submitted by April 19, 2006. Bostick Avenue Historic District, 404–436 Bostwick Ave. and 1118 and 1128 Grace St., Janesville, 06000321 In the interest of preservation the comment period for the following resource has been shortened to 3 days: John W. Roberts, Acting Chief, National Register/National Historic Landmarks Program. VerDate Aug<31>2005 [FR Doc. E6–4849 Filed 4–3–06; 8:45 am] Woodbury County DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions Davison County BILLING CODE 4312–51–P IOWA Kenilworth Plantation House (Louisiana’s French Creole Architecture MPS), 2931 Bayou Rd., St. Bernard, 06000317 BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P SOUTH DAKOTA Holt, Charles B., House, 1010 Preston Ave., Charlottesville, 06000320 A request for removal has been made for the following resources: PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 COLORADO Alamosa County Mt. Pleasant School, (Rural School Buildings in Colorado MPS) Jct. of Cty Rd. 3 S and Rd. 103 S, Alamosa, 06000327 Denver County Clayton, George W., Trust and College, 3801 Martin Luther King Blvd., Denver, 06000329 E:\FR\FM\04APN1.SGM 04APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 4, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16825-16826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4813]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Western Planning Area, 
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 200 (2006) Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an environmental assessment.

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

SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (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 Outer 
Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas Lease Sale 200 in the Western Gulf 
of Mexico (GOM) (Lease Sale 200) scheduled for August 2006. Proposed 
Lease Sale 200 is the fifth 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 200. The proposal for Lease Sale 200 (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 200 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 200 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) has been conducted to address any new information 
relevant to that proposed action. After completion of the EA, MMS 
determines whether to prepare a FONNSI or a Supplemental EIS. The MMS 
then prepares and sends 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 200 is as follows: 
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. 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 200 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 200 EA'' and mailed (or hand carried) to 
the Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment

[[Page 16826]]

(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 200.
    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, 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 14, 2006.
Chris C. Oynes,
Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.
 [FR Doc. E6-4813 Filed 4-3-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P

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