Call for Information and Nominations for Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales for 2024-2029, 67801-67803 [2023-21679]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 189 / Monday, October 2, 2023 / Notices
must re-submit bids in accordance with
the terms and conditions contained in
the revised Final NOS which, in
accordance with the Outer Continental
Shelf Lands Act, BOEM will publish at
least 30 days prior to the sale date.
BOEM intends to publish the revised
Final NOS in the Federal Register and
on its website. The public and
interested bidders are advised that a
lapse in appropriations may preclude
BOEM from publishing the Final NOS
in the Federal Register. In the event of
a partial or full government shutdown,
BOEM will still publish the Final NOS
package (e.g., Final Notice of Sale, Lease
Stipulations, and Information to
Lessees) on its website at least 30 days
prior to the sale date, and that notice
will serve as the official notice of the
sale.
Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1337; 30 CFR
part 556.
Elizabeth Klein,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2023–21714 Filed 9–29–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340–98–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket Number: BOEM–2023–0053]
Call for Information and Nominations
for Western, Central, and Eastern Gulf
of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil
and Gas Lease Sales for 2024–2029
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Interior
ACTION: Call for information and
nominations, request for comments.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) issues this Call for
Information and Nominations (Call)
covering proposed Gulf of Mexico oil
and gas lease sales in the available
portions of the Western, Central, and
Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas
(WPA, CPA, and EPA, respectively).
Those sales are described in the 2024–
2029 National Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program
(2024–2029 National OCS Program),
which BOEM announced on September
29, 2023. This Call solicits industry
nominations of acreage for possible
inclusion in future sales and requests
information from the public on the Call
Area for lease sale planning.
Specifically, BOEM seeks information
on geological conditions, archaeological
sites, potential use conflicts, areas of
special concern, and other
socioeconomic, biological, and
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SUMMARY:
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environmental information. This Call is
not a final decision to lease and does
not prejudge any future secretarial
decisions concerning leasing in the Gulf
of Mexico.
DATES: All nominations and comments
must be received by BOEM or
postmarked no later than November 1,
2023.
ADDRESSES:
Public Comment Procedures: All
public comments should be submitted
through one of the following methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. In the field
entitled, ‘‘Search,’’ enter ‘‘BOEM–2023–
0053’’ and then click ‘‘search.’’ Follow
the instructions to submit public
comments and to view supporting and
related materials available for this
notice.
2. U.S. Postal Service or other delivery
service to the following address: Chief of
Leasing and Financial Responsibility
Section, BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS
Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
Mail Stop GM 266A, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123–2394, telephone (504)
736–7502. Send your comments in an
envelope clearly labeled ‘‘Comments on
the Call for Information and
Nominations for 2024–2029 Gulf of
Mexico Lease Sales.’’
3. Email: BOEMGOMRLeaseSales@
boem.gov
Nominations and Indications of
Interest Procedures: To ensure security
and confidentiality of proprietary
information to the maximum extent
possible, please send nominations,
indications of interest, and other
proprietary information to: Chief of
Leasing and Financial Responsibility
Section, BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS
Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., Mail
Stop GM 266A, New Orleans, LA
70123–2394, telephone (504) 736–7502.
Consistent with subsection 6 in the
‘‘Call for Information and Nominations’’
section of this Call below, you should
mark all documents and every page
containing such information with
‘‘Confidential—Contains Proprietary
Information.’’ Send your nominations in
an envelope clearly labeled
‘‘Nominations for 2024–2029 Gulf of
Mexico Lease Sales.’’ Do not send
nominations, indications of interest, or
other proprietary information through
the Federal eRulemaking Portal or to the
email address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bridgette Duplantis, Chief of Leasing
and Financial Responsibility Section,
BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region,
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Mail
Stop GM 266A, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394, telephone (504) 736–7502,
PO 00000
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67801
email: BOEMGOMRLeaseSales@
boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
2024–2029 National OCS Program
Development: Information on the
development of the 2024–2029 National
OCS Program and its programmatic
environmental impact statement (PEIS)
is available on BOEM’s website at:
https://www.boem.gov/National-OCSProgram/.
Environmental Review Process: BOEM
intends to prepare a PEIS, in accordance
with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA), analyzing a representative
Gulf of Mexico proposed lease sale and
reasonable alternatives. The PEIS will
be supplemented as necessary for
individual decisions on all future Gulf
of Mexico lease sales included in the
2024–2029 National OCS Program.
The PEIS will evaluate the potential
effects that oil and gas activities
resulting from a lease sale could have on
the human, marine, and coastal
environments. The PEIS may propose
measures and lease stipulations to
mitigate adverse impacts for the
alternatives being analyzed.
Consultations will be conducted, as
appropriate. Consultation with Tribal
Nations, States, and Federal agencies
address BOEM obligations under the
Coastal Zone Management Act,
Endangered Species Act, the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act, and
Executive Order 13175, ‘‘Consultation
and Coordination with Indian Tribal
Governments.’’ The results of these
consultations assist the Secretary in
leasing decisions.
BOEM’s Leasing Process: BOEM’s
regulations for planning and holding an
oil and gas lease sale are found at 30
CFR 556.300-.309. These regulations
include the following steps:
(1) Call for Information and
Nominations: See section below.
(2) Area Identification: Based on the
information and nominations submitted
in response to this Call, BOEM will
recommend an area for further leasing
consideration and environmental
analysis. Upon approval by the
Secretary, BOEM will announce the
proposed area identified for leasing in
the Federal Register, in accordance with
30 CFR 556.302(a)(3).
(3) Proposed Notice of Sale (PNOS): If
BOEM proceeds with the leasing
process after Area Identification and
environmental analysis, it will publish
a Notice of Availability of a PNOS in the
Federal Register. BOEM also will send
the PNOS to the Governors of affected
States for comment and
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67802
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 189 / Monday, October 2, 2023 / Notices
recommendations on the size, timing,
and location of the proposed sale. The
PNOS describes the size, timing, and
location of the proposed sale; provides
additional information on the areas
proposed for leasing; lists proposed
lease terms and conditions of the sale;
and provides proposed stipulations to
mitigate potential adverse impacts on
the environment and other uses of the
area.
(4) Final Notice of Sale (FNOS): If
BOEM decides to proceed with leasing,
it will publish a FNOS in the Federal
Register at least 30 days before the date
of the lease sale. The FNOS describes
the place, time, and methods for filing,
opening, and publicly announcing bids.
It also contains a description of the
areas offered for lease, the lease terms
and conditions of the sale, and
stipulations to mitigate potential
adverse impacts on the environment
and other uses of the area.
Call for Information and Nominations
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1. Authority
This Call is published pursuant to the
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
(OCSLA), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331–
1356) and the implementing regulation
at 30 CFR 556.301.
2. Purpose of the Call
The purpose of this Call is twofold.
First, this Call solicits industry
nominations for areas of leasing interest.
Second, this Call requests comments
and information from the public on the
areas that should be included in the
proposed oil and gas lease sales in the
Gulf of Mexico included in the 2024–
2029 National OCS Program. Pursuant
to 30 CFR 556.301, BOEM seeks
comments from industry and the public
on:
(a) industry interest in the Call Area,
including nominations or indications of
interest in specific blocks within the
Call Area;
(b) geological conditions, including
bottom hazards;
(c) archaeological sites on the seabed
or near shore;
(d) potential use conflicts in the Call
Area, including navigation, recreation,
and fisheries;
(e) areas that should receive special
concern and analysis; and
(f) other socioeconomic, biological,
and environmental information.
BOEM will consider information
submitted in response to this Call to:
• inform the Area Identification
process under 30 CFR 556.302;
• prioritize areas with higher
potential for oil and gas development;
• develop potential lease terms and
conditions;
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• identify potential use conflicts and
potential mitigation measures; and
• assist in BOEM’s planning and
environmental review process.
3. Description of the Call Area
The Call Area is identical to the Gulf
of Mexico (GOM) area included in the
2024–2029 National OCS Program and
includes the entire WPA, CPA, and
EPA, except areas withdrawn by the
President. The Call Area excludes areas
withdrawn pursuant to section 12 of
OCSLA (43 U.S.C. 1341) by Presidential
memoranda dated September 8, 2020,
(withdrawing the bulk of the EPA and
a portion of the CPA) and July 17, 2008,
(withdrawing the Flower Garden Banks
National Marine Sanctuary within the
boundaries that existed on July 14,
2008).
The WPA is bound on the west and
north by the Federal-State boundary
offshore Texas. The eastern boundary
begins at the offshore boundary between
Texas and Louisiana and proceeds
southeasterly to 28.43° N latitude,
thence south-southwesterly to 27.49° N
latitude, thence south-southeasterly to
25.80° N latitude. The WPA is bound on
the south by the maritime boundary
with Mexico as established by treaties
between the United States and Mexico.
BOEM is seeking nominations and
comments on the entire WPA, which
consists of approximately 28.58 million
acres, of which approximately 26.45
million acres are currently unleased.
The CPA is bound on the west by the
WPA’s eastern boundary and on the
north by the Federal-State boundaries
offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and
Alabama. The eastern boundary of the
CPA begins at the offshore boundary
between Alabama and Florida and
proceeds southeasterly to 26.19° N
latitude, thence southwesterly to 25.6°
N latitude. The CPA is bound on the
south by the maritime boundary with
Mexico as established by the ‘‘Treaty
between the Government of the United
States of America and the Government
of the United Mexican States on the
Delimitation of the Continental Shelf in
the Western Gulf of Mexico beyond 200
Nautical Miles,’’ which took effect in
January 2001. BOEM is seeking
nominations and comments on the area
within the CPA not subject to
Presidential withdrawal (approximately
64.47 million acres, of which
approximately 56.86 million acres are
currently unleased).
The Call Area includes two small
sections of the EPA not subject to the
2020 Presidential withdrawal. See
https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/
leasing/areas-under-restriction/ for a
map and description of the areas under
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restriction. The first section of the EPA
included in the Call and not subject to
withdrawal is bound on the west and
north by the CPA, on the east by the
Military Mission Line (86.68° W
longitude), and on the south by blocks
that are beyond the U.S. Exclusive
Economic Zone in the area known as the
northern portion of the Eastern Gap. The
second section of the EPA included in
the Call and not subject to withdrawal
is a triangular-shaped area bound on the
north by the southern boundary of the
Lease Sale 181 area, on the east by the
Military Mission Line (86.68° W
longitude), and to the south and west by
the CPA boundary. All blocks in both
sections are more than 125 miles
offshore. BOEM is seeking nominations
and comments on these two sections of
the EPA. Together, these two sections
comprise approximately 1.05 million
acres, all of which are currently
unleased.
A map depicting the Call Area is
available for download on the BOEM
website at: https://www.boem.gov/20242029/Call-for-Information/. Copies of
Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs)
also are available for download on the
BOEM website at: https://
www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.
4. Targeted Leasing
BOEM requests comments and
nominations for the entire Call Area.
However, the GOM hosts many other
uses of the OCS, some of which may
conflict with oil and gas leasing or
associated activities. Therefore,
consideration of a targeted leasing
approach is warranted.
Under a targeted leasing approach,
GOM areas proposed for leasing could
be further refined and narrowed based
on public input and analysis during the
planning and environmental review
stages. A targeted leasing approach
could, for example, remove biologically
sensitive areas, areas that serve as
unique habitat, and areas that conflict
with other uses of the marine
environment, such as those areas used
for commercial fishing, sand resources,
or future wind energy development.
This targeted approach could also offer
lease sales in areas with the highest
resource potential while appropriately
weighing environmental protection and
other uses of the ocean and seabed,
consistent with OCSLA. A targeted
approach could also be considered in
light of section 50265(b)(2) of the
Inflation Reduction Act. That section
requires BOEM to offer at least 60
million OCS acres for oil and gas leasing
within the 12 months prior to issuing an
offshore wind lease.
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 189 / Monday, October 2, 2023 / Notices
BOEM seeks comments on
implementing targeted leasing and
information on areas of specific interest
within the Call Area as it continues
analyzing areas most suitable for oil and
gas leasing.
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5. Instructions on Responding to the
Call
BOEM requests parties interested in
leasing any whole or partial blocks
within the Call Area to indicate their
interest in, and comment on, blocks that
they would like included in a proposed
lease sale. Parties should explicitly
nominate whole or partial blocks and
rank them using the following
indicators: 1 [high], 2 [medium], or 3
[low]. Parties are encouraged to be as
specific as possible in prioritizing
blocks and supporting nominations with
detailed information, such as relevant
geologic, geophysical, and economic
data. BOEM will consider as low
priority areas where interest has been
indicated but not prioritized.
Parties may also nominate blocks by
OPD and leasing map designations to
ensure correct interpretation of their
nominations. OPDs and leasing maps
are available on BOEM’s website at
https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GISData/.
See subsection 6, ‘‘Protection of
Privileged, Proprietary, and Personal
Information,’’ regarding protection and
release of information and how to
submit proprietary information.
BOEM also seeks comments from the
public regarding particular geological,
environmental, biological,
archaeological, and socioeconomic
conditions, potential use conflicts, or
other information about conditions that
could affect the potential leasing and
development of particular areas.
Comments may refer to broad areas or
particular OCS blocks.
6. Protection of Privileged, Proprietary,
and Personal Information
BOEM will protect privileged or
proprietary information in accordance
with the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) and OCSLA requirements. To
avoid inadvertent release of such
information, you should mark all
documents and every page containing
such information with ‘‘Confidential—
Contains Proprietary Information.’’ To
the extent a document contains a mix of
proprietary and nonproprietary
information, you should clearly mark
the document to indicate which portion
of the document is proprietary and
which is not. Exemption 4 of FOIA
applies to trade secrets and commercial
or financial information that you submit
that is privileged or confidential. BOEM
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considers nominations of specific blocks
to be proprietary. Therefore, BOEM will
not release information that identifies
any particular nomination with any
particular party, so as not to
compromise the competitive position of
any participants.
Please be aware that BOEM’s practice
is to make all other comments,
including the names and addresses of
individuals, available for public
inspection. Before including your
address, phone number, email address,
or other personally identifiable
information in your comment, please be
advised that your entire comment,
including your personally identifiable
information, may be made publicly
available at any time. For BOEM to
consider withholding from disclosure
your personally identifiable
information, you must identify, in a
cover letter, any information contained
in your comments that, if released,
would constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of your personal privacy. You
must also briefly describe any possible
harmful consequences of the disclosure
of information, such as embarrassment,
injury, or other harm.
Even if BOEM withholds your
information in the context of this Call,
your submission is subject to the FOIA.
If your submission is requested under
the FOIA, your information will only be
withheld if BOEM determines that one
of the FOIA exemptions to disclosure
applies. Such a determination will be
made in accordance with the
Department’s FOIA regulations and
applicable law.
BOEM will make available for public
inspection all comments, in their
entirety, submitted by organizations and
businesses (except as provided above for
proprietary information) or by
individuals identifying themselves as
representatives of organizations or
businesses.
Elizabeth Klein,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2023–21679 Filed 9–29–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
67803
Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare
a programmatic environmental impact
statement (PEIS); request for comments.
ACTION:
Consistent with the
regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
BOEM announces its intent to prepare a
Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Regional Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (GOM Oil and Gas PEIS). The
GOM Oil and Gas PEIS will analyze the
potential impacts of a representative oil
and gas lease sale in available OCS areas
of the Western, Central, and Eastern
Planning Areas (Proposed Action) and
the associated potential site and
activity-specific approvals resulting
from a sale. This NOI announces the
scoping process BOEM will use to
identify significant issues and potential
alternatives for consideration in the
GOM Oil and Gas PEIS. The draft PEIS
will include a summary of all
alternatives, information, and analyses
submitted during the scoping process
for consideration by BOEM and the
cooperating agencies.
SUMMARY:
BOEM will consider comments
received by November 1, 2023. BOEM
will hold two virtual public scoping
meetings for the GOM Oil and Gas PEIS.
The first will be held on October 17,
2023, at 6 p.m. CDT, and the second on
October 19, 2023, at 1 p.m. CDT.
Additional information and
registration for the public meetings may
be found here: https://www.boem.gov/
Gulf-of-Mexico-Oil-and-Gas-PEIS or by
calling 1–800–200–4853.
DATES:
Detailed information can be
found on BOEM’s website at: https://
www.boem.gov/Gulf-of-Mexico-Oil-andGas-PEIS.
Written comments can be submitted
through the regulations.gov web portal:
Navigate to https://www.regulations.gov
and search for Docket No. BOEM–2023–
0046. Select the document in the search
results on which you want to comment,
click on the ‘‘Comment’’ button, and
follow the online instructions for
submitting your comment. A
commenter’s checklist is available on
the comment web page. Enter your
information and comment, then click
‘‘Submit.’’
ADDRESSES:
[Docket No. BOEM–2023–0046]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Gulf of
Mexico Regional Outer Continental
Shelf Oil and Gas Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
AGENCY:
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Helen Rucker, BOEM New Orleans
Office, Office of Environment, 1201
Elmwood Park Blvd., New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123, telephone (504) 736–
2421, or email helen.rucker@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 189 (Monday, October 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67801-67803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21679]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket Number: BOEM-2023-0053]
Call for Information and Nominations for Western, Central, and
Eastern Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales
for 2024-2029
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior
ACTION: Call for information and nominations, request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issues this Call
for Information and Nominations (Call) covering proposed Gulf of Mexico
oil and gas lease sales in the available portions of the Western,
Central, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas (WPA, CPA, and EPA,
respectively). Those sales are described in the 2024-2029 National
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (2024-2029
National OCS Program), which BOEM announced on September 29, 2023. This
Call solicits industry nominations of acreage for possible inclusion in
future sales and requests information from the public on the Call Area
for lease sale planning. Specifically, BOEM seeks information on
geological conditions, archaeological sites, potential use conflicts,
areas of special concern, and other socioeconomic, biological, and
environmental information. This Call is not a final decision to lease
and does not prejudge any future secretarial decisions concerning
leasing in the Gulf of Mexico.
DATES: All nominations and comments must be received by BOEM or
postmarked no later than November 1, 2023.
ADDRESSES:
Public Comment Procedures: All public comments should be submitted
through one of the following methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the
field entitled, ``Search,'' enter ``BOEM-2023-0053'' and then click
``search.'' Follow the instructions to submit public comments and to
view supporting and related materials available for this notice.
2. U.S. Postal Service or other delivery service to the following
address: Chief of Leasing and Financial Responsibility Section, BOEM,
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Mail Stop GM
266A, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-7502. Send
your comments in an envelope clearly labeled ``Comments on the Call for
Information and Nominations for 2024-2029 Gulf of Mexico Lease Sales.''
3. Email: [email protected]
Nominations and Indications of Interest Procedures: To ensure
security and confidentiality of proprietary information to the maximum
extent possible, please send nominations, indications of interest, and
other proprietary information to: Chief of Leasing and Financial
Responsibility Section, BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood
Park Blvd., Mail Stop GM 266A, New Orleans, LA 70123-2394, telephone
(504) 736-7502. Consistent with subsection 6 in the ``Call for
Information and Nominations'' section of this Call below, you should
mark all documents and every page containing such information with
``Confidential--Contains Proprietary Information.'' Send your
nominations in an envelope clearly labeled ``Nominations for 2024-2029
Gulf of Mexico Lease Sales.'' Do not send nominations, indications of
interest, or other proprietary information through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal or to the email address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bridgette Duplantis, Chief of Leasing
and Financial Responsibility Section, BOEM, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region,
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Mail Stop GM 266A, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-7502, email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
2024-2029 National OCS Program Development: Information on the
development of the 2024-2029 National OCS Program and its programmatic
environmental impact statement (PEIS) is available on BOEM's website
at: https://www.boem.gov/National-OCS-Program/.
Environmental Review Process: BOEM intends to prepare a PEIS, in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), analyzing
a representative Gulf of Mexico proposed lease sale and reasonable
alternatives. The PEIS will be supplemented as necessary for individual
decisions on all future Gulf of Mexico lease sales included in the
2024-2029 National OCS Program.
The PEIS will evaluate the potential effects that oil and gas
activities resulting from a lease sale could have on the human, marine,
and coastal environments. The PEIS may propose measures and lease
stipulations to mitigate adverse impacts for the alternatives being
analyzed. Consultations will be conducted, as appropriate. Consultation
with Tribal Nations, States, and Federal agencies address BOEM
obligations under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Endangered Species
Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act,
section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and Executive
Order 13175, ``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal
Governments.'' The results of these consultations assist the Secretary
in leasing decisions.
BOEM's Leasing Process: BOEM's regulations for planning and holding
an oil and gas lease sale are found at 30 CFR 556.300-.309. These
regulations include the following steps:
(1) Call for Information and Nominations: See section below.
(2) Area Identification: Based on the information and nominations
submitted in response to this Call, BOEM will recommend an area for
further leasing consideration and environmental analysis. Upon approval
by the Secretary, BOEM will announce the proposed area identified for
leasing in the Federal Register, in accordance with 30 CFR
556.302(a)(3).
(3) Proposed Notice of Sale (PNOS): If BOEM proceeds with the
leasing process after Area Identification and environmental analysis,
it will publish a Notice of Availability of a PNOS in the Federal
Register. BOEM also will send the PNOS to the Governors of affected
States for comment and
[[Page 67802]]
recommendations on the size, timing, and location of the proposed sale.
The PNOS describes the size, timing, and location of the proposed sale;
provides additional information on the areas proposed for leasing;
lists proposed lease terms and conditions of the sale; and provides
proposed stipulations to mitigate potential adverse impacts on the
environment and other uses of the area.
(4) Final Notice of Sale (FNOS): If BOEM decides to proceed with
leasing, it will publish a FNOS in the Federal Register at least 30
days before the date of the lease sale. The FNOS describes the place,
time, and methods for filing, opening, and publicly announcing bids. It
also contains a description of the areas offered for lease, the lease
terms and conditions of the sale, and stipulations to mitigate
potential adverse impacts on the environment and other uses of the
area.
Call for Information and Nominations
1. Authority
This Call is published pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356) and the
implementing regulation at 30 CFR 556.301.
2. Purpose of the Call
The purpose of this Call is twofold. First, this Call solicits
industry nominations for areas of leasing interest. Second, this Call
requests comments and information from the public on the areas that
should be included in the proposed oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf
of Mexico included in the 2024-2029 National OCS Program. Pursuant to
30 CFR 556.301, BOEM seeks comments from industry and the public on:
(a) industry interest in the Call Area, including nominations or
indications of interest in specific blocks within the Call Area;
(b) geological conditions, including bottom hazards;
(c) archaeological sites on the seabed or near shore;
(d) potential use conflicts in the Call Area, including navigation,
recreation, and fisheries;
(e) areas that should receive special concern and analysis; and
(f) other socioeconomic, biological, and environmental information.
BOEM will consider information submitted in response to this Call
to:
inform the Area Identification process under 30 CFR
556.302;
prioritize areas with higher potential for oil and gas
development;
develop potential lease terms and conditions;
identify potential use conflicts and potential mitigation
measures; and
assist in BOEM's planning and environmental review
process.
3. Description of the Call Area
The Call Area is identical to the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) area
included in the 2024-2029 National OCS Program and includes the entire
WPA, CPA, and EPA, except areas withdrawn by the President. The Call
Area excludes areas withdrawn pursuant to section 12 of OCSLA (43
U.S.C. 1341) by Presidential memoranda dated September 8, 2020,
(withdrawing the bulk of the EPA and a portion of the CPA) and July 17,
2008, (withdrawing the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
within the boundaries that existed on July 14, 2008).
The WPA is bound on the west and north by the Federal-State
boundary offshore Texas. The eastern boundary begins at the offshore
boundary between Texas and Louisiana and proceeds southeasterly to
28.43[deg] N latitude, thence south-southwesterly to 27.49[deg] N
latitude, thence south-southeasterly to 25.80[deg] N latitude. The WPA
is bound on the south by the maritime boundary with Mexico as
established by treaties between the United States and Mexico. BOEM is
seeking nominations and comments on the entire WPA, which consists of
approximately 28.58 million acres, of which approximately 26.45 million
acres are currently unleased.
The CPA is bound on the west by the WPA's eastern boundary and on
the north by the Federal-State boundaries offshore Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama. The eastern boundary of the CPA begins at the
offshore boundary between Alabama and Florida and proceeds
southeasterly to 26.19[deg] N latitude, thence southwesterly to
25.6[deg] N latitude. The CPA is bound on the south by the maritime
boundary with Mexico as established by the ``Treaty between the
Government of the United States of America and the Government of the
United Mexican States on the Delimitation of the Continental Shelf in
the Western Gulf of Mexico beyond 200 Nautical Miles,'' which took
effect in January 2001. BOEM is seeking nominations and comments on the
area within the CPA not subject to Presidential withdrawal
(approximately 64.47 million acres, of which approximately 56.86
million acres are currently unleased).
The Call Area includes two small sections of the EPA not subject to
the 2020 Presidential withdrawal. See https://www.boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing/areas-under-restriction/ for a map and description of
the areas under restriction. The first section of the EPA included in
the Call and not subject to withdrawal is bound on the west and north
by the CPA, on the east by the Military Mission Line (86.68[deg] W
longitude), and on the south by blocks that are beyond the U.S.
Exclusive Economic Zone in the area known as the northern portion of
the Eastern Gap. The second section of the EPA included in the Call and
not subject to withdrawal is a triangular-shaped area bound on the
north by the southern boundary of the Lease Sale 181 area, on the east
by the Military Mission Line (86.68[deg] W longitude), and to the south
and west by the CPA boundary. All blocks in both sections are more than
125 miles offshore. BOEM is seeking nominations and comments on these
two sections of the EPA. Together, these two sections comprise
approximately 1.05 million acres, all of which are currently unleased.
A map depicting the Call Area is available for download on the BOEM
website at: https://www.boem.gov/2024-2029/Call-for-Information/. Copies
of Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) also are available for download
on the BOEM website at: https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.
4. Targeted Leasing
BOEM requests comments and nominations for the entire Call Area.
However, the GOM hosts many other uses of the OCS, some of which may
conflict with oil and gas leasing or associated activities. Therefore,
consideration of a targeted leasing approach is warranted.
Under a targeted leasing approach, GOM areas proposed for leasing
could be further refined and narrowed based on public input and
analysis during the planning and environmental review stages. A
targeted leasing approach could, for example, remove biologically
sensitive areas, areas that serve as unique habitat, and areas that
conflict with other uses of the marine environment, such as those areas
used for commercial fishing, sand resources, or future wind energy
development. This targeted approach could also offer lease sales in
areas with the highest resource potential while appropriately weighing
environmental protection and other uses of the ocean and seabed,
consistent with OCSLA. A targeted approach could also be considered in
light of section 50265(b)(2) of the Inflation Reduction Act. That
section requires BOEM to offer at least 60 million OCS acres for oil
and gas leasing within the 12 months prior to issuing an offshore wind
lease.
[[Page 67803]]
BOEM seeks comments on implementing targeted leasing and
information on areas of specific interest within the Call Area as it
continues analyzing areas most suitable for oil and gas leasing.
5. Instructions on Responding to the Call
BOEM requests parties interested in leasing any whole or partial
blocks within the Call Area to indicate their interest in, and comment
on, blocks that they would like included in a proposed lease sale.
Parties should explicitly nominate whole or partial blocks and rank
them using the following indicators: 1 [high], 2 [medium], or 3 [low].
Parties are encouraged to be as specific as possible in prioritizing
blocks and supporting nominations with detailed information, such as
relevant geologic, geophysical, and economic data. BOEM will consider
as low priority areas where interest has been indicated but not
prioritized.
Parties may also nominate blocks by OPD and leasing map
designations to ensure correct interpretation of their nominations.
OPDs and leasing maps are available on BOEM's website at https://www.boem.gov/Maps-and-GIS-Data/.
See subsection 6, ``Protection of Privileged, Proprietary, and
Personal Information,'' regarding protection and release of information
and how to submit proprietary information.
BOEM also seeks comments from the public regarding particular
geological, environmental, biological, archaeological, and
socioeconomic conditions, potential use conflicts, or other information
about conditions that could affect the potential leasing and
development of particular areas. Comments may refer to broad areas or
particular OCS blocks.
6. Protection of Privileged, Proprietary, and Personal Information
BOEM will protect privileged or proprietary information in
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and OCSLA
requirements. To avoid inadvertent release of such information, you
should mark all documents and every page containing such information
with ``Confidential--Contains Proprietary Information.'' To the extent
a document contains a mix of proprietary and nonproprietary
information, you should clearly mark the document to indicate which
portion of the document is proprietary and which is not. Exemption 4 of
FOIA applies to trade secrets and commercial or financial information
that you submit that is privileged or confidential. BOEM considers
nominations of specific blocks to be proprietary. Therefore, BOEM will
not release information that identifies any particular nomination with
any particular party, so as not to compromise the competitive position
of any participants.
Please be aware that BOEM's practice is to make all other comments,
including the names and addresses of individuals, available for public
inspection. Before including your address, phone number, email address,
or other personally identifiable information in your comment, please be
advised that your entire comment, including your personally
identifiable information, may be made publicly available at any time.
For BOEM to consider withholding from disclosure your personally
identifiable information, you must identify, in a cover letter, any
information contained in your comments that, if released, would
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You
must also briefly describe any possible harmful consequences of the
disclosure of information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other
harm.
Even if BOEM withholds your information in the context of this
Call, your submission is subject to the FOIA. If your submission is
requested under the FOIA, your information will only be withheld if
BOEM determines that one of the FOIA exemptions to disclosure applies.
Such a determination will be made in accordance with the Department's
FOIA regulations and applicable law.
BOEM will make available for public inspection all comments, in
their entirety, submitted by organizations and businesses (except as
provided above for proprietary information) or by individuals
identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or
businesses.
Elizabeth Klein,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2023-21679 Filed 9-29-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
