Minerals Management Service November 14, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On October 24, 2006, the Department of Interior/MMS and the State of Louisiana announced the settlement of the case of Blanco, et al., v. Burton, et al. The District Court approved the settlement and dismissed the case on October 24, 2006. As a result of the settlement agreement, the MMS proposes to expand Lease Sale 205, scheduled in the Proposed 5-Year Program for 2007-2012 and accompanying Draft EIS, from the currently proposed program area (Map 1) to include all available acreage in the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area as proposed in the new program for subsequent Central Gulf sales (Map 2). The MMS is providing a 45-day comment period to specifically address this proposed change. The earlier comment periods on the Proposed 5-Year Program and Draft EIS, remain as announced on August 25, 2006. The comment period on the Program closes on November 24, 2006, and on the Draft EIS on November 22, 2006.