Minerals Management Service September 10, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On April 28, 2006, MMS issued a Call for 11 lease sales in the Western and Central GOM planning areas included in the draft proposed 2007-2012 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program. After that Call the Congress enacted a mandate, in the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA) (Pub. L. 109-432, December 20, 2006), that MMS offer, as soon as practicable, approximately 5.8 million acres located in the southeastern part of the Central Planning Area (CPA) referred to as the ``181 South Area.'' Central GOM Sale 208 (March 2009) will be the first sale to include the ``181 South Area.'' The purpose of this Call is to gather information on oil and gas leasing, exploration, and development that might result from the four Central GOM OCS oil and gas lease sales tentatively scheduled in 2009-2012, in particular regarding the ``181 South Area.'' The purpose of this NOI is to announce MMS's intent to prepare a SEIS on the four Central and three Western GOM OCS oil and gas lease sales tentatively scheduled in 2009-2012. Comments received in response to the NOI will assist MMS in developing the scope of the SEIS.