Bureau of Ocean Energy Management September 30, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

BOEM has prepared a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate potential environmental effects of multiple Geological and Geophysical (G&G) activities on the Gulf of Mexico OCS. These activities include, but are not limited to, seismic surveys, sidescan-sonar surveys, electromagnetic surveys, and geological and geochemical sampling. The Draft PEIS considers G&G activities for the three program areas managed by BOEM: Oil and gas exploration and development; renewable energy; and marine minerals. This notice initiates the public review and comment period and also serves to announce public meetings on the Draft PEIS. After the public meetings and written comments on the Draft PEIS have been reviewed and considered, a Final PEIS will be prepared. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the PEIS was published in the Federal Register on May 10, 2013, and scoping comments were received during a comment period that was initially scheduled to close on June 24, 2013. The closing date of the public comment period was corrected to July 9, 2013, by publication of a Federal Register Notice on June 5, 2013.