Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Central Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 216/222, 29682-29683 [2012-11999]

Download as PDF 29682 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 97 / Friday, May 18, 2012 / Notices FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Orange County Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Central Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 216/222 Orlando Utilities Commission Administration Building, 500 S. Orange St., Orlando, 12000321 ILLINOIS Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Record of Decision (ROD) on a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale: 2012 Central Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sale 216/222 of exploring and developing the domestic energy resources available in the CPA, including job creation, it is appropriate to hold a sale in this area at this time. BOEM resource assessments for the CPA indicate that the area contains over 30 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and over 133 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas which are undiscovered and technically recoverable. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AGENCY: Boone County Belvidere North State Street Historic District, State St. between Hurlbut St. & Kishwaukee R., Belvidere, 12000324 Belvidere South State Street Historic District, State St. between Logan Ave. & Madison St., Belvidere, 12000325 Jackson County Liberty Theater, 1333 Walnut, Murphysboro, 12000322 Riverside Park Bandshell, 22nd & Commercial Sts., Murphysboro, 12000323 IOWA Authority: This NOA is published pursuant to the regulations (40 CFR 1506) implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. [1988]) (NEPA). Des Moines County SUMMARY: Manufacturing and Wholesale Historic District, Roughly 209 N. 3rd to 231 S. 3rd & 219 to 425 Valley Sts., Burlington, 12000326 Harrison County Siebels’ Department Store—Boyer Valley Bank, 501–505 Walker St., Woodbine, 12000327 NEW YORK Monroe County Michelsen, George J. Furniture Factory, 182 Ave. D, Rochester, 12000328 New York County Hotel Albert, 23 E. 10th St., Manhattan, 12000329 OHIO Franklin County United States Post Office and Courthouse, 85 Marconi Blvd., Columbus, 12000330 PUERTO RICO Ponce Municipality Ponce YMCA Building, (Rafael Rios Rey MPS) 7843 Calle Nazaret Urbanizacion Santa Maria, Ponce, 12000331 RHODE ISLAND Providence County Heaton and Cowing Mill, 1115 Douglas Ave., Providence, 12000332 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES WISCONSIN Bayfield County Lake Owen Archeological District, Address Restricted, Drummond, 12000333 [FR Doc. 2012–12023 Filed 5–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312–51–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:21 May 17, 2012 Jkt 226001 BOEM has prepared a ROD following the completion of the Final SEIS for CPA Consolidated Lease Sale 216/222, the final lease sale in the 2007–2012 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program (Five-Year Program), which is scheduled for June 20, 2012. In preparing the ROD, BOEM considered alternatives to the proposed action and the impacts as presented in the Final SEIS and all comments received throughout the NEPA process. The Final SEIS updates two previous environmental and socioeconomic analyses for CPA Lease Sale 216/222. The GOM OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2007–2012; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222, Final Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007–018) (Multisale EIS), completed in April 2007, originally analyzed CPA Lease Sale 216/222. The Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2009–2012; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 208, 213, 216, and 222; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 210, 215, and 218; Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2008–041) (2009–2012 Supplemental EIS), completed in September 2008, updated the socioeconomic and environmental analyses for CPA Lease Sale 216/222. BOEM developed the Final SEIS for CPA Lease Sale 216/222 in order to consider new circumstances and information arising from, among other things, the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill. After careful consideration, BOEM has determined that in light of significant safety and environmental reforms since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the economic and energy security benefits PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 In this Final SEIS, BOEM evaluated four alternatives, which are summarized below. Alternative A—The Proposed Action: Alternative A is BOEM’s preferred alternative. This alternative would offer for lease all unleased blocks within the CPA for oil and gas operations, except: (1) Blocks that were previously included within the GOM’s Eastern Planning Area (EPA) and are within 100 miles (mi) (161 kilometers [km]) of the Florida coast; (2) Blocks east of the Military Mission line (86 degrees, 41 minutes West longitude) under an existing moratorium until 2022, as a result of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub. Law 109–432); (3) Blocks that are beyond the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the area known as the northern portion of the Eastern Gap; and (4) Whole and partial blocks that lie within the former Western Gap and are within 1.4 nautical miles north of the continental shelf boundary between the United States and Mexico. The CPA lease sale area encompasses about 63 million acres. Approximately 38.6 million acres (61%) of the CPA lease sale area is currently unleased. The estimated amount of resources projected to be developed as a result of the proposed CPA lease sale is 0.801– 1.624 BBO and 3.332–6.560 Tcf of gas. Alternative B—The Proposed Action Excluding the Unleased Blocks Near Biologically Sensitive Topographic Features: This alternative would offer for lease all unleased blocks in the CPA, as described for the proposed action (Alternative A), with the exception of any unleased blocks subject to the Topographic Features Stipulation, as presented in the Final SEIS, which is designed to offer additional environmental protections in these areas, if they are leased. Alternative C— The Proposed Action Excluding the Unleased Blocks within 15 Miles of the Baldwin County, Alabama, Coast: This alternative would offer for lease all unleased blocks in the CPA, as described for the proposed action (Alternative A), with the E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM 18MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 97 / Friday, May 18, 2012 / Notices exception of any unleased blocks within 15 mi (24 km) of the Baldwin County, Alabama coast. Alternative D—No Action: This alternative would cancel the proposed CPA lease sale and is the environmentally preferred alternative. BOEM has determined that the economic and energy security benefits of exploring and developing the domestic energy resources available in the GOM, including job creation, merit holding a sale in this area at this time. Lost production from cancellation of the sale would likely result in substitution of resources that would also have negative environmental impacts. Moreover, given the long history of exploration and development in this area, as well as significant current activity, the GOM has significant onshore and offshore infrastructure to support continuing oil and gas activity. This infrastructure includes advanced oil spill response infrastructure that has been enhanced since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill due to strengthened safety and environmental standards and efforts on the part of industry to comply with new regulatory requirements and provide additional resources, including for example, the readiness of equipment necessary to contain a subsea spill. After careful consideration, BOEM has selected Alternative A, the Proposed Action. Record of Decision Availability: To obtain a single printed or CD–ROM copy of the Record of Decision for CPA Lease Sale 216/222, you may contact BOEM, GOM OCS Region, Public Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 250, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394 (1–800–200– GULF). An electronic copy of the Record of Decision is available on BOEM’s Internet Web site at https:// www.boem.gov/EnvironmentalStewardship/EnvironmentalAssessment/NEPA/nepaprocess.aspx. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the Record of Decision, you may contact Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief, Regional Assessment Section, Office of Environment, BOEM, GOM OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard (MS 5410), New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394, You may also contact Mr. Goeke by telephone at (504) 736–3233. Dated: May 10, 2012. Tommy P. Beaudreau, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. [FR Doc. 2012–11999 Filed 5–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:21 May 17, 2012 Jkt 226001 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Consolidated Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area Sale; 216/222 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior. ACTION: Final Notice of Sale. AGENCY: On Wednesday, June 20, 2012, BOEM will open and publicly announce bids received for the blocks offered in Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area (CPA) Sale 216/222, in accordance with provisions of the OCS Lands Act (OCSLA) (43 U.S.C. 1331– 1356, as amended) and the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR part 556). The CPA Sale 216/222 Package contains information essential to potential bidders, and bidders are charged with the knowledge of the documents contained in that package. DATES: Public bid reading for CPA Sale 216/222 will begin at 9 a.m., Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, 1500 Sugarbowl Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112. The lease sale will be held in the St. Charles Club Room on the second floor (Loge Level). Entry to the Superdome will be on the Poydras Street side of the building through Gate A on the Ground Level, and parking will be available at Garage 6. All times referred to in this document are local New Orleans time, unless otherwise specified. SUMMARY: Interested parties may obtain a CPA Sale 216/222 Package by writing, calling or visiting the Web site: Gulf of Mexico Region Public Information Office, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394, (504) 736– 2519 or (800) 200–GULF. BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region Internet Web site at: https://www.boem.gov/ About-BOEM/BOEM-Regions/Gulf-ofMexico-Region/Index.aspx. Filing of Bids: Bidders must submit sealed bids to the address below, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on normal working days, and from 8 a.m. to the Bid Submission Deadline of 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, the day before the lease sale. If bids are mailed, please address the envelope containing all of the sealed bids as follows: Attention: Leasing and Financial Responsibility Section, BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394. ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 29683 Contains Sealed Bids for CPA Oil and Gas Lease Sale 216/222. Please Deliver to Ms. Nancy Kornrumpf, Ms. Cindy Thibodeaux, or Ms. Kasey Couture, 6th Floor, Immediately. Please note: 1. Bidders mailing bid(s) are advised to call Ms. Nancy Kornrumpf at (504) 736–2726, Ms. Cindy Thibodeaux at (504) 736–2809, or Ms. Kasey Couture at (504) 736–2909 immediately after putting their bid(s) in the mail. If BOEM receives bids later than the Bid Submission Deadline, the BOEM -Regional Director (RD) will return those bids unopened to bidders. Should an unexpected event such as flooding or travel restrictions be significantly disruptive to bid submission, BOEM may extend the Bid Submission Deadline. Bidders may call (504) 736–0557 or access the BOEM Gulf of Mexico Internet Web site at: https://www.boem.gov/AboutBOEM/BOEM-Regions/Gulf-of-MexicoRegion/Index.aspx for information about the possible extension of the Bid Submission Deadline due to such an event. 2. Blocks or portions of blocks beyond the United States (U.S.) Exclusive Economic Zone are offered based upon provisions of the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention. 3. Blocks near the U.S.-Mexico maritime and continental shelf boundaries could become subject to the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Concerning Transboundary Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico (Agreement). Bidders are advised to refer to the Bids on Blocks Near U.S.-Mexico Maritime and Continental Shelf Boundary portion of this document for detailed information pertaining to the opening of bids affecting blocks in this area. Area Offered for Leasing: In CPA Sale 216/222, BOEM is offering to lease all blocks and partial blocks listed in the document ‘‘List of Blocks Available for Leasing’’ included in the CPA Sale 216/ 222 Package. All of these blocks are shown on the following leasing maps and Official Protraction Diagrams (OPD’s): Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Maps—Louisiana Map Numbers 1 Through 12 (These 30 maps sell for $2.00 each.) LA1 West Cameron Area (Revised July 1, 2011) LA1A West Cameron Area, West Addition (Revised February 28, 2007) LA1B West Cameron Area, South Addition (Revised February 28, 2007) LA2 East Cameron Area (Revised November 1, 2000) LA2A East Cameron Area, South Addition (Revised November 1, 2000) LA3 Vermilion Area (Revised November 1, 2000) LA3A South Marsh Island Area (Revised November 1, 2000) LA3B Vermilion Area, South Addition (Revised November 1, 2000) LA3C South Marsh Island Area, South Addition (Revised November 1, 2000) LA3D South Marsh Island Area, North Addition (Revised November 1, 2000) E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM 18MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 97 (Friday, May 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29682-29683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11999]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management


Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Central Planning Area, 
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 216/222

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Record of Decision (ROD) on a 
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Gulf of 
Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale: 
2012 Central Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sale 216/222

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

    Authority: This NOA is published pursuant to the regulations (40 
CFR 1506) implementing the provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. [1988]) 
(NEPA).
SUMMARY: BOEM has prepared a ROD following the completion of the Final 
SEIS for CPA Consolidated Lease Sale 216/222, the final lease sale in 
the 2007-2012 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program (Five-Year Program), 
which is scheduled for June 20, 2012. In preparing the ROD, BOEM 
considered alternatives to the proposed action and the impacts as 
presented in the Final SEIS and all comments received throughout the 
NEPA process. The Final SEIS updates two previous environmental and 
socioeconomic analyses for CPA Lease Sale 216/222. The GOM OCS Oil and 
Gas Lease Sales: 2007-2012; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 204, 207, 
210, 215, and 218; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 205, 206, 208, 
213, 216, and 222, Final Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 
2007-018) (Multisale EIS), completed in April 2007, originally analyzed 
CPA Lease Sale 216/222. The Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 
2009-2012; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 208, 213, 216, and 222; 
Western Planning Area Lease Sales 210, 215, and 218; Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2008-041) (2009-2012 
Supplemental EIS), completed in September 2008, updated the 
socioeconomic and environmental analyses for CPA Lease Sale 216/222. 
BOEM developed the Final SEIS for CPA Lease Sale 216/222 in order to 
consider new circumstances and information arising from, among other 
things, the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill. After careful 
consideration, BOEM has determined that in light of significant safety 
and environmental reforms since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the 
economic and energy security benefits of exploring and developing the 
domestic energy resources available in the CPA, including job creation, 
it is appropriate to hold a sale in this area at this time. BOEM 
resource assessments for the CPA indicate that the area contains over 
30 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and over 133 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) 
of natural gas which are undiscovered and technically recoverable.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In this Final SEIS, BOEM evaluated four 
alternatives, which are summarized below.
    Alternative A--The Proposed Action: Alternative A is BOEM's 
preferred alternative. This alternative would offer for lease all 
unleased blocks within the CPA for oil and gas operations, except:
    (1) Blocks that were previously included within the GOM's Eastern 
Planning Area (EPA) and are within 100 miles (mi) (161 kilometers [km]) 
of the Florida coast;
    (2) Blocks east of the Military Mission line (86 degrees, 41 
minutes West longitude) under an existing moratorium until 2022, as a 
result of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub. Law 109-
432);
    (3) Blocks that are beyond the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the 
area known as the northern portion of the Eastern Gap; and
    (4) Whole and partial blocks that lie within the former Western Gap 
and are within 1.4 nautical miles north of the continental shelf 
boundary between the United States and Mexico.
    The CPA lease sale area encompasses about 63 million acres. 
Approximately 38.6 million acres (61%) of the CPA lease sale area is 
currently unleased. The estimated amount of resources projected to be 
developed as a result of the proposed CPA lease sale is 0.801-1.624 BBO 
and 3.332-6.560 Tcf of gas.
    Alternative B--The Proposed Action Excluding the Unleased Blocks 
Near Biologically Sensitive Topographic Features: This alternative 
would offer for lease all unleased blocks in the CPA, as described for 
the proposed action (Alternative A), with the exception of any unleased 
blocks subject to the Topographic Features Stipulation, as presented in 
the Final SEIS, which is designed to offer additional environmental 
protections in these areas, if they are leased.
    Alternative C-- The Proposed Action Excluding the Unleased Blocks 
within 15 Miles of the Baldwin County, Alabama, Coast: This alternative 
would offer for lease all unleased blocks in the CPA, as described for 
the proposed action (Alternative A), with the

[[Page 29683]]

exception of any unleased blocks within 15 mi (24 km) of the Baldwin 
County, Alabama coast.
    Alternative D--No Action: This alternative would cancel the 
proposed CPA lease sale and is the environmentally preferred 
alternative.
    BOEM has determined that the economic and energy security benefits 
of exploring and developing the domestic energy resources available in 
the GOM, including job creation, merit holding a sale in this area at 
this time. Lost production from cancellation of the sale would likely 
result in substitution of resources that would also have negative 
environmental impacts. Moreover, given the long history of exploration 
and development in this area, as well as significant current activity, 
the GOM has significant onshore and offshore infrastructure to support 
continuing oil and gas activity. This infrastructure includes advanced 
oil spill response infrastructure that has been enhanced since the 
Deepwater Horizon oil spill due to strengthened safety and 
environmental standards and efforts on the part of industry to comply 
with new regulatory requirements and provide additional resources, 
including for example, the readiness of equipment necessary to contain 
a subsea spill. After careful consideration, BOEM has selected 
Alternative A, the Proposed Action.
    Record of Decision Availability: To obtain a single printed or CD-
ROM copy of the Record of Decision for CPA Lease Sale 216/222, you may 
contact BOEM, GOM OCS Region, Public Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 
Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 250, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-
800-200-GULF). An electronic copy of the Record of Decision is 
available on BOEM's Internet Web site at https://www.boem.gov/Environmental-Stewardship/Environmental-Assessment/NEPA/nepaprocess.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the Record of 
Decision, you may contact Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief, Regional Assessment 
Section, Office of Environment, BOEM, GOM OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park 
Boulevard (MS 5410), New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, You may also 
contact Mr. Goeke by telephone at (504) 736-3233.

    Dated: May 10, 2012.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-11999 Filed 5-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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