OCS EIS/EA 

MMS 2008-003 

Proposed Gulf of Mexico OCS 

Oil and Gas Lease Sale 207 

Western Planning Area 

Environmental Assessment 

U.S. Department of the Interior

Minerals Management Service 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region 
OCS EIS/EA 

MMS 2008-003 

Proposed Gulf of Mexico OCS 

Oil and Gas Lease Sale 207 

Western Planning Area 

Environmental Assessment 

Author 

Minerals Management Service 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region 

Published by 

U.S. Department of the Interior

Minerals Management Service 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region 

New Orleans

March 2008 

Environmental Assessment iii 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page 

FIGURES ....................................................................................................................................................v 

TABLES ....................................................................................................................................................v 

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ............................................................1

2. PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION.............................................................3

3. ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION .............................................................3

3.1. Alternative A—Proposed Action ................................................................................................3

3.2. Alternatives to the Proposed Action ...........................................................................................4

3.3. Mitigation Measures ...................................................................................................................5

3.3.1. Summary of Stipulations Discussed in the Multisale EIS............................................5

3.3.2. Existing Mitigations.....................................................................................................7

3.3.3. Notices to Lessees and Operators.................................................................................8

3.3.4. Monitoring....................................................................................................................8

4. RESOURCES AND IMPACT ANALYSIS.........................................................................................13

4.1. Update of Projections of Potential Activity from the Proposed Action....................................13

4.1.1. Offshore Impact-Producing Factors and Scenario .....................................................13

4.1.2. Coastal Impact-Producing Factors and Scenario........................................................15

4.1.3. Hurricanes ..................................................................................................................16

4.2. Environmental and Socioeconomic Resources.........................................................................18

4.2.1. Air Quality..................................................................................................................18

4.2.2. Water Quality .............................................................................................................21

4.2.3. Sensitive Coastal Environments.................................................................................23

4.2.3.1. Coastal Barrier Beaches and Associated Dunes........................................23

4.2.3.2. Wetlands....................................................................................................25

4.2.3.3. Seagrass Communities..............................................................................29

4.2.4. Sensitive Offshore Benthic Resources .......................................................................30

4.2.4.1. Continental Shelf Benthic Resources........................................................30

4.2.4.2. Continental Slope and Deepwater Resources............................................32

4.2.5. Marine Mammals .......................................................................................................35

4.2.6. Sea Turtles..................................................................................................................38

4.2.7. Coastal and Marine Birds...........................................................................................41

4.2.8. Fish Resources and Essential Fish Habitat.................................................................43

4.2.9. Commercial Fishing ...................................................................................................45

4.2.10. Recreational Fishing...................................................................................................46

4.2.11. Recreational Resources ..............................................................................................49

4.2.12. Archaeological Resources..........................................................................................52

4.2.13. Human Resources and Land Use................................................................................54

4.2.13.1. Land Use and Coastal Infrastructure.........................................................54

4.2.13.2. Demographics ...........................................................................................56

4.2.13.3. Economic Factors......................................................................................58

4.2.13.4. Environmental Justice ...............................................................................60
iv Table of Contents

5. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION ......................................................................................63

5.1. Scoping and Activities in Support of the Environmental Assessment for the Western Planning 

Area’s Proposed Lease Sale 207...............................................................................................63

5.2. Consultation and Coordination Calendar..................................................................................64

6. REFERENCES CITED.........................................................................................................................67

7. PREPARERS ........................................................................................................................................79
Environmental Assessment v 

FIGURES 

 Page 

Figure 1. Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Planning Areas, Proposed Lease Sale Area, 

and Locations of Major Cities.................................................................................................3

Figure 2. Location of Proposed Stipulations and Deferrals....................................................................4 

Figure 3. Subareas of the Western Planning Area Zoned by Depth.....................................................14 

Figure 4. Status of Ozone Attainment in the Coastal Counties and Parishes of the Central and 

Western Gulf of Mexico (USEPA, 2007b). ..........................................................................19 

Figure 5. Area of Hypoxia on the Outer Continental Shelf in 2002.....................................................23 

Figure 6. Named Topographic Features in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. ...........................................31 

Figure 7. Known Chemosynthetic Communities in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. .............................33 

Figure 8. Economic Impact Areas in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.....................................................56 

TABLES 

Page 

Table 1. Offshore Scenario Information Related to Proposed Lease Sale 207 over 40 Years............14

Table 2. Aggregate Average Lag in Months from Sales to First Spud for Leases Issued from 

1983 to 1999 .........................................................................................................................15

Table 3. Aggregate Average Lag in Months from Sales to First Production for Leases Issued 

from 1983 to 1999.................................................................................................................15

Table 4. U.S. Domestic Landings for the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf States, 2005 and 2006...............46

Table 5. Top Species Commonly Caught by Recreational Fishers in the Marine Recreational 

Fisheries Statistics Gulf Coast States (except Texas) (2006)................................................47

Table 6. Recreational Fishing Participation in the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics 

Gulf Coast States (2006).......................................................................................................47

Table 7. Mode of Fishing in the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Gulf Coast States 

(except Texas) 2006..............................................................................................................48

Table 8. Employment and Establishments in Tourism Related Industries in 2005 by Coastal 

County and Parish .................................................................................................................51

Table 9. Participation in Wildlife-Associated Recreation by State Residents Inside and 

Outside Their Resident State: 2006......................................................................................52

Table 10. Projected Employment Associated with Proposed Lease Sale 207 by Economic 

Impact Area...........................................................................................................................59
Environmental Assessment 1 

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 

This environmental assessment (EA) addresses one proposed Federal action: oil and gas Lease Sale 

207 in the proposed lease sale area of the Western Planning Area (WPA) of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) 

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) as scheduled in the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program 

2007-2012 (5-Year Program) (USDOI, MMS, 2007b). This EA incorporates by reference all of the 

relevant material in the multisale environmental impact statement (EIS) from which it tiers (i.e., Gulf of 

Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2007-2012; Western Planning Area Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 

218; Central Planning Area Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222—Final Environmental Impact 

Statement; Volumes I and II (Multisale EIS) (USDOI, MMS, 2007a)). The EA has been prepared to aid 

in the determination of whether or not new available information indicates that the proposed lease sale 

would result in new significant impacts not addressed in the Multisale EIS. 

In preparation for this EA, the U.S. Department of the Interior (USDOI), Minerals Management 

Service (MMS) reexamined the potential environmental effects of proposed Lease Sale 207 and the 

alternatives based on any new information regarding potential impacts and issues not available at the time 

MMS published the Multisale EIS in April 2007. New information was reviewed to determine if any 

resources should be reevaluated or if the new information would alter conclusions of the Multisale EIS. 

No new information was found that would necessitate a reanalysis of the impacts of proposed Lease Sale 

207 upon any of the environmental or socioeconomic resources. The analyses and potential impacts 

detailed in the Multisale EIS apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. New information was found that further 

supports or elaborates on the analyses or information presented in the Multisale EIS, but it does not 

change the conclusions of any of the analyses in the Multisale EIS. 

Federal regulations allow for an agency to analyze related or similar proposals in one EIS (40 CFR 

1502.4). The MMS prepared a single EIS for the five WPA lease sales because Lease Sales 204, 207, 

210, 215, and 218 and their projected activities are very similar, especially with respect to impactproducing factors. The Multisale EIS approach focuses the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

EIS process on the differences between the proposed lease sales and new information and issues. 

Although the Multisale EIS addressed five proposed WPA lease sale actions, the Secretary of the Interior 

(Secretary) makes a separate decision for each lease sale. 

The Multisale EIS can be obtained from the Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS 

Region, Attention: Public Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, 

New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 (1-800-200-GULF) or viewed on the MMS website at 

http://www.gomr.mms.gov. A list of libraries and other repositories that have copies of the Multisale EIS 

and their locations is also available on the MMS Internet website at 

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/libraries.html. 
Environmental Assessment 3 

2. PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION 

Purpose of the Proposed Action 

The purpose of this proposed action (WPA Lease Sale 207) is to offer for lease all unleased blocks in 

the proposed lease sale area (Figure 1) that may contain economically recoverable oil and natural gas 

resources. The proposed lease sale would provide qualified bidders the opportunity to bid upon and lease 

acreage in the proposed lease sale area in order to explore, develop, and produce oil and natural gas. 

Figure 1. Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Planning Areas, Proposed Lease Sale Area, and Locations of 

Major Cities. 

Need for the Proposed Action 

The GOM constitutes one of the world’s major oil- and gas-producing areas and has proved to be a 

steady and reliable source of crude oil and natural gas for more than 50 years. Oil from the GOM would 

help reduce the quantity of oil imported from distant and volatile oil-producing regions of the world and 

would help reduce the environmental risks associated with overseeing the transport of oil in tankers. 

Natural gas is not transported easily, making domestic production especially desirable. Gas is generally 

considered to be an environmentally preferable alternative to oil for generating electricity, a common and 

growing use for natural gas. 

3. ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION 

3.1. ALTERNATIVE A—PROPOSED ACTION

Alternative A (Preferred Alternative)—The Proposed Action: This alternative would offer for lease 

all unleased blocks within the WPA for oil and gas operations (Figure 2), with the following exceptions: 

(1) whole and partial blocks that are within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine 
4 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action

Sanctuary; and (2) whole and partial blocks that lie within the 1.4-nautical mile (nmi) buffer zone north of 

the continental shelf boundary between the U.S. and Mexico for Sales 204, 207, 210, and 215 only. 

Figure 2. Location of Proposed Stipulations and Deferrals. 

The WPA sale area encompasses about 28.6 million ac located 3 leagues (9 mi) offshore Texas and 

extends to the limits of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf where water depths are up to 10,978 ft (3,346 m) 

deep. The estimated amount of resources projected to be developed as a result of one proposed WPA 

lease sale is 0.242-0.423 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and 1.644-2.647 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas 

(USDOI, MMS, 2007a; Table 4-1). 

The analyses of impacts summarized below and described in detail in Chapters 4.2.1.1and 4.4 of the 

Multisale EIS are based on the development scenario, which is a set of assumptions and estimates on the 

amounts, locations, and timing for OCS exploration, development, and production operations and 

facilities, both offshore and onshore. A detailed discussion of the development scenario and major related 

offshore, coastal, and accidental impact-producing factors is included in Chapters 4.1.1, 4.1.2, and 4.3 of 

the Multisale EIS. 

3.2. ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTION

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 WPA, as 

described for the proposed action for Alternative A, and in addition exclude all other blocks in the WPA 

subject to the Topographic Features stipulation. A detailed analysis of Alternative B is presented in 

Chapter 4.2.1.2 of the Multisale EIS. 

Alternative C—Use of a Nomination and Tract Selection Leasing System: A detailed analysis of 

Alternative C is presented in Chapter 4.2.1.4 of the Multisale EIS. This alternative addressed a very 
Environmental Assessment 5 

specific scenario that would limit the number of blocks offered for lease for proposed Lease Sale 207, 

potentially reducing the total number of blocks leased. 

Since the publication of the Multisale EIS, MMS has awarded a contract to an outside contractor to 

study alternative approaches to leasing that may serve better the many goals of the OCSLA. This MMSfunded study, in conjunction with MMS review and assessment of its policy implications, is expected to 

take 2-3 years. The MMS will provide the contractor with all of the comments received on alternatives to 

areawide leasing. If it is determined that one or more alternative approaches to leasing is preferable, the 

5-Year Program could be adjusted accordingly or it can be incorporated into the subsequent 5-Year 

Program. 

Until the study and its assessment are complete, MMS must be cautious regarding the effects that any 

policy changes might have on the achievement of other statutory and implicit goals of the Federal OCS 

Program. Among these goals are expeditious and orderly development of the natural resources of the 

OCS and maintaining a diverse and competitive industry. Areawide leasing allows smaller independent 

companies to timely acquire and rapidly produce low-resource, low-risk fields, while inducing larger 

companies to develop state-of-the-art technology to explore and develop deepwater prospects. It also 

encourages strong and innovative seismic exploration and geophysical contracting and processing 

industries. In addition, a sudden change in policy that restricts access to oil and gas resources or that 

alters the timetables the offshore industry has come to expect and depend upon may lead to undesirable 

socioeconomic disruptions in local coastal economies. 

Alternative D—No Action: This alternative is the cancellation of WPA Lease Sale 207. The 

opportunity for development of the estimated 0.242-0.432 BBO and 1.644-2.647 Tcf of gas that could 

have resulted from a proposed WPA lease sale would be precluded or postponed. Any potential 

environmental impacts resulting from a proposed lease sale would not occur or would be postponed. 

Other sources of energy would substitute for the lost production. Principal substitutes would be 

additional imports, conservation, additional domestic production, and switching to other fuels. These 

alternatives, except conservation, have significant negative environmental impacts of their own, which are 

analyzed in the Final EIS for the 5-Year Program (USDOI, MMS, 2007c). 

3.3. MITIGATION MEASURES

Proposed Lease Sale 207 and all subsequent activities resulting from it are subject to the existing 

regulations and proposed lease stipulations designed to reduce environmental risks. Lease stipulations are 

legally binding restrictions and operating requirements that, if adopted, become part of lease contracts. 

Chapter 4.3.1.3 of the Multisale EIS analyzed four environmental or military stipulations proposed to be 

applied to leases resulting from WPA Lease Sale 207: Topographic Features; the Military Areas; the 

Protected Species; and the Operations in the Naval Mine Warfare Area. The Law of the Sea Convention 

Royalty Payment stipulation is also applicable to Lease Sale 207, although it is not an environmental or 

military stipulation. 

Chapter 2.4.1.3 of the Multisale EIS discusses the effectiveness of these stipulations. Additional 

stipulations or mitigation requirements to be included in Lease Sale 207 will be described in the Final 

Notice of Sale for Lease Sale 207. 

3.3.1. Summary of Stipulations Discussed in the Multisale EIS 

Four environmental and military mitigations, referred to as lease stipulations, were included for 

analysis in the Multisale EIS. These stipulations were developed as the result of scoping efforts over a 

number of years for the continuing OCS Program in the GOM and are expected to be part of the proposed 

action if Sale 207 goes forward. These stipulations and their effectiveness are described in more detail in 

Chapter 2 of the Multisale EIS. Any stipulations or mitigation requirements to be included in Lease Sale 

207 will be described in detail in the Final Notice of Sale for Lease Sale 207. Stipulations or mitigation 

requirements, in addition to those analyzed in the Multisale EIS, can also be developed and applied, and 

they will also be described in the Final Notice of Sale. The following environmental and military 

stipulations are applicable to Lease Sale 207: 
6 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action

• The Topographic Features Stipulation explains what blocks are excluded from 

Alternative A and why (Chapter 2.3.1.3.1 of the Multisale EIS). 

• The Operations in the Naval Mine Warfare Area includes blocks considered 

crucial to the Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command operations that 

were at one time deferred from leasing. The MMS has been informed by the Navy 

that these blocks are still used for testing equipment and for training mine warfare 

personnel; however, the Navy does not object to these blocks being offered for lease 

under the condition of no surface occupancy. Parts of blocks in the Mustang Island 

Area include Blocks 768, 769, 775, 777, 778, 790, 791, 793, 798, 799, 815, 816, 821, 

and 822; and Mustang Island Area East Addition Blocks 732, 733, and 734. The no 

surface occupancy condition could change; however, a consultation with the 

Commander, Mine Warfare Command, would be required prior to the submission of 

an Exploration Plan or Development Operations Coordination Document and a 

revision to the applicable stipulation would follow. Therefore, MMS proposes to 

offer Mustang Island Blocks 793, 799, and 816 for lease in WPA Lease Sale 207. 

See Chapter 2.3.1.3.3 of the Multisale EIS for more information on this stipulation. 

• The Military Areas Stipulation has been applied to all blocks leased in military 

areas since 1977 and reduces potential impacts, particularly in regards to safety, but 

does not reduce or eliminate the actual physical presence of oil and gas operations in 

areas where military operations are conducted. The lessee agrees to control its own 

electromagnetic emissions and those of its agents, employees, invitees, and 

independent contractors to prevent damage to, or unacceptable interference with, 

Department of Defense flight, testing, or operational activities, conducted within 

individual designated warning areas. The stipulation contains a “hold harmless” 

clause (holding the U.S. Government harmless in case of an accident involving 

military operations) and requires lessees to enter into an agreement with the 

commander of the individual command headquarters to coordinate their activities 

with appropriate contacts. See Chapter 2.3.1.3.2 of the Multisale EIS for more 

information on this stipulation. 

• The Protected Species Stipulation has been applied to all blocks leased in the GOM 

since December 2001. This stipulation was developed in consultation with the U.S. 

Department of Commerce (USDOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (FWS) in accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973 (ESA) and is designed to minimize or avoid potential adverse impacts on 

federally protected species. See Chapter 2.3.1.3.4 of the Multisale EIS for more 

information on this stipulation. 

• The Law of the Sea Convention Royalty Payment includes whole blocks and 

portions of blocks that lie within the former Western Gap portion of the 1.4 nautical 

mile buffer zone north of the continental shelf boundary between the United States 

and Mexico and includes the following blocks: Keathley Canyon (Map Number 

NG15-05), portions of Blocks 978 through 980; Sigsbee Escarpment (Map Number 

NG15-08), whole Blocks 11, 57, 103, 148, 149, 194 and portions of Blocks 12 

through 14, 58 through 60, 104 through 106, and 150. 

Although not a military or environmental stipulation, the Law of the Sea Convention 

Royalty Payment stipulation was included in the Final Notice of Sale for Western 

Lease Sales 204 and 206, and for CPA Lease Sale 205. For completeness, it is 

mentioned here as applicable to Lease Sale 207. 
Environmental Assessment 7 

3.3.2. Existing Mitigations 

Chapter 2.2.2.2 of the Multisale EIS discusses mitigations that would be applied by MMS. 

Mitigations have been identified, evaluated, or developed through previous MMS lease sale NEPA review 

and analysis. Many of these mitigations have been adopted and incorporated into regulations and/or 

guidelines governing OCS exploration, development, and production activities. The MMS rigorously 

reviews all plans for OCS activities (e.g., exploration and development plans, pipeline applications, and 

structure-removal applications) to ensure compliance with established laws and regulations. Existing 

mitigations must be incorporated and documented in plans submitted to MMS. The MMS enforces 

operational compliance with these mitigations through the MMS on-site inspection program. 

Mitigations that are a standard part of the MMS program ensure that the operations are always 

conducted in an environmentally sound manner. For example, mitigations ensure that site-clearance 

procedures eliminate potential snags to commercial fishing nets and require surveys to detect and avoid 

archaeological sites and biologically-sensitive areas such as topographic features and chemosynthetic 

communities. 

Mitigations identified by MMS are incorporated into OCS operations through cooperative agreements 

or efforts with industry and various State and Federal agencies. These mitigations include NMFS’s 

Observer Program to protect marine mammals and sea turtles during explosive removals, labeling 

operational supplies to track possible sources of accidental debris loss, development of methods of 

pipeline landfall to eliminate impacts on barrier beaches, and semiannual beach cleanup events. 

Site-specific mitigations are also applied by MMS during plan reviews. The MMS determined that 

many of these site-specific mitigations were consistently applied and used these to develop a list of 

“standard” mitigations. There are currently over 120 standard mitigations. The wording of a standard 

mitigation is developed by MMS in advance and may be applied whenever conditions warrant. Standard 

mitigation text is revised as often as necessary (e.g., to reflect changes in regulatory citations, 

agency/personnel contact numbers, and internal policy). Site-specific mitigation categories include air 

quality, archaeological resources, artificial reef material, chemosynthetic communities, Flower Garden 

Banks, topographic features, military warning areas, Naval mine warfare areas, hydrogen sulfide, drilling 

hazards, remotely operated vehicle surveys, geophysical survey reviews, and general safety concerns. 

Site-specific mitigation types include advisories, conditions of approval, hazard survey reviews, 

inspection requirements, notifications, post-approval submittals, reminders, and safety precautions. In 

addition to standard mitigations, MMS may also apply nonrecurring mitigations that are developed on a 

case-by-case basis. 

Compensatory mitigation does exist for OCS-related impacts as discussed in Chapter 3.3.5.2 of the 

Multisale EIS. In addition to over $1 billion Louisiana has received from Federal offshore 8(g) revenues 

from Fiscal Years (FY) 1986-2005, the State received millions of dollars from the Land and Water 

Conservation Fund ($469,166 in FY 2006) and the National Historic Preservation Fund ($629,567 in FY 

2006). 

Section 384 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 established the Coastal Impact Assistance Program 

(CIAP), which authorizes funds to be distributed to OCS oil- and gas-producing states to mitigate the 

impacts of OCS oil and gas activities. Under CIAP, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to 

distribute $250 million for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2010 to producing States and coastal 

political subdivisions. Although CIAP will be a funding source administered by MMS, it is the 

responsibility of local and State agencies to submit projects for funding consideration. This money will 

be shared among Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas and shall be used for 

one or more of the following purposes: 

• projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal areas, 

including wetlands; 

• mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources; 

• planning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with this section; 

• implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive 

conservation management plan; and 
8 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action

• mitigation of the impact of OCS activities through funding of onshore infrastructure 

projects and public service needs. 

Beginning in 2017, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA) provides for the 

sharing of qualified OCS revenues from all Gulf leases issued after December 20, 2006. In accordance 

with GOMESA, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama will receive additional OCS revenues from 

leases issued as a result of WPA Lease Sale 207 beginning in 2017. The Act states these funds are also to 

be used for the purposes listed above. 

The MMS requested an opinion from the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor (SOL), 

regarding MMS’s authority to collect fees from OCS leaseholders and operators for use in mitigating 

onshore impacts of OCS activities. The SOL determined that MMS does not have the regulatory 

authority to assess fees for compensatory mitigation nor has it had this authority in the past. Unless 

Congress specifically earmarks funds for such purposes (e.g., GOMESA (revenue sharing), the Energy 

Policy Act of 2005 (CIAP funding), the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the National Historic 

Preservation Fund), revenue collected by MMS must go to the general fund. 

The MMS participates in the Louisiana Sand Management Working Group (LA-SMWG), which is 

composed of representatives from Federal, State, and local governments, academia, and industry, and 

serves to assist all parties in planning and decisionmaking for the use of Federal sand for beach 

nourishment, coastal restoration, and wetlands protection projects along the Louisiana coast. Since the 

first meeting in 2003, the LA-SMWG has evolved to act as a general forum to discuss issues related to 

coastal restoration and OCS sand resources. Although LA-SMWG does not distribute compensatory 

mitigation for coastal impacts, it does serve as a means for parties that are planning projects under CIAP 

(e.g., to better understand the requirements for accessing OCS sand). The last meeting of the group was 

on November 29, 2007, at the Lindy Boggs Center at the University of New Orleans. 

3.3.3. Notices to Lessees and Operators 

The MMS issues Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTL’s) to provide clarification, description, or 

interpretation of a regulation; to provide guidelines on the implementation of a special lease stipulation or 

regional requirement; or to convey administrative information. A detailed listing of current GOM OCS 

Region NTL’s is available through the MMS, GOM OCS Region’s Internet website at 

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/regs/ntls/ntl_lst.html or through the Region’s Public 

Information Office at (504) 736-2519 or 1-800-200-GULF. The MMS issued several NTL’s related to 

the 2007 hurricane season, which are discussed in Chapter 4.1.3. Several NTL’s provide guidance on 

monitoring requirements and are described in the following section. 

3.3.4. Monitoring 

The MMS requires post-activity submittals for several activities, including seismic surveys and 

installation and decommissioning operations. Post-activity submittals allow MMS to monitor compliance 

with mitigations and to determine the effectiveness of those mitigations. The MMS is continually 

revising applicable mitigations to allow the GOM Region to more easily and routinely track mitigation 

compliance and effectiveness. A primary focus of this effort is requiring post-approval submittal of 

information within a specified timeframe after a triggering event that is currently tracked by MMS (e.g., 

end of operations reports for plans, construction reports for pipelines, and removal reports for structure 

removals). 

In addition to compliance monitoring, MMS’s Environmental Studies and Research Monitoring 

involves a repeated sampling of the environment over time to establish baseline conditions, determine 

natural variability, and assess changes and trends due to human activities. The MMS conducts this type 

of monitoring through its Environmental Studies Program to determine the extent to which activities 

caused by or permitted by MMS, such as development of offshore oil and gas, sand and gravel, and 

methane hydrate resources, affect the human, marine, and coastal environments. As a part of the 

Environmental Studies Program, the GOM Region has funded more than 350 completed or ongoing 

environmental studies. 

The following describes some of these monitoring activities. 
Environmental Assessment 9 

Protected Species NTL’s 

The Protected Species Stipulation is embodied in NTL’s 2007-G02, 2007-G03, and 2007-G04, which 

instruct lessees and operators on how to implement these mitigations.

Implementation of Seismic Survey Mitigation Measures and Protected Species Observer 

Program (NTL 2007-G02) 

NTL 2007-G02, “Implementation of Seismic Survey Mitigation Measures and Protected Species 

Observer Program,” details information on ramp-up procedures, observation methods, and reporting 

requirements to be followed by the seismic industry during certain geological and geophysical survey 

operations. The conditions prescribed under the NTL aid in reducing the chance of harassment to nearby 

marine mammals and sea turtles. The report data received from the companies is being used by MMS to 

monitor the effectiveness of current mitigations. 

Marine Trash and Debris Awareness and Elimination (NTL 2007-G03) 

NTL 2007-G03, “Marine Trash and Debris Awareness and Elimination,” provides guidance to 

prevent intentional and/or accidental introduction of debris into the marine environment. Operators are 

prohibited from deliberately discharging containers and other similar materials (i.e., trash and debris) into 

the marine environment (30 CFR 250.300(a) and (b)(6)) and are required to make durable identification 

markings on equipment, tools, containers (especially drums), and other material (30 CFR 250.300(c)). 

An annual report that describes the marine trash and debris awareness training process and certifies that 

the training process has been followed for the previous calendar year is to be provided to MMS by 

January 31 of each year.

Vessel Strike Avoidance and Injured/Dead Protected Species Reporting (NTL 2007-G04) 

NTL 2007-G04, “Vessel Strike Avoidance and Injured/Dead Protected Species Reporting,” explains 

how operators must implement measures to minimize the risk of vessel strikes to protected species and 

report observations of injured or dead protected species. Vessel operators and crews must maintain a 

vigilant watch for marine protected species and slow down or stop their vessel to avoid striking protected 

species. Crews must report sightings of any injured or dead protected species (marine mammals and sea 

turtles) immediately, regardless of whether the injury or death is caused by their vessel, to the Marine 

Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline or the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. In addition, if it 

was their own vessel that collided with a protected species, MMS must be notified within 24 hours of the 

strike. 

The importance of accurate and complete reporting of the results of the mitigations cannot be 

overstated. Only through diligent and careful reporting can MMS, and subsequently NMFS, determine 

the need for and effectiveness of mitigations. Information on observer effort and seismic operations are 

as important as animal sighting and behavior data. 

Biologically Sensitive Areas of the Gulf of Mexico (NTL 2004-G05) 

The Topographic Features Stipulation is embodied in the comprehensive NTL 2004-G05, 

“Biologically Sensitive Areas of the Gulf of Mexico.” In addition to existing stipulated areas for 

biological features, this NTL establishes a new category of protected area termed “Potentially Sensitive 

Biological Features.” These are hard-bottom features not protected by a biological lease stipulation that 

are of moderate to high relief (about 8 ft (2.4 m) or higher), provide surface area for the growth of sessile 

invertebrates, and have the potential to attract large numbers of fish. These features would be located 

outside any “No Activity Zone” of any of the named topographic features (banks) stipulated blocks. 

Following the completion of any activity that proposed disturbance of the seafloor within a specified 

distance of topographic features or potentially sensitive biological features, operators must submit a map 

showing the location of the seafloor disturbance relative to these features. 
10 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action

Site Clearance (NTL 98-26) 

NTL 98-26, “Minimum Interim Requirements for Site Clearance (and Verification) of Abandoned Oil 

and Gas Structures in the GOM,” provides the requirements and guidelines for removing bottom debris 

and gear after structure decommissioning and removal operations. These mitigations ensure that siteclearance procedures eliminate potential snags to commercial fishing nets and require surveys to detect 

and avoid archaeological sites and biologically-sensitive areas such as topographic features and 

chemosynthetic communities. 

Once all bottom-founded components are severed and the structures/wells are removed, operators 

must verify that the seafloor is clear of obstructions and the site has been returned to prelease conditions. 

Platforms are cleared within a 1,320-foot-radius circle (400 m) centered on the platform geometric center. 

Single well caisson and well protectors are cleared within an area of a 600-foot-radius circle (183 m) 

centered on the well. 

Site-clearance verification must take place within 60 days after structure-removal operations have 

been conducted. Procedures include sonar surveys and/or trawling the cleared site by a licensed “shrimp” 

trawler to ensure that no “hangs” exist. 

Remotely Operated Vehicle Surveys (NTL 2003-G03) 

On January 23, 2003, MMS issued NTL 2003-G03, “Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Surveys in 

Deepwater.” The NTL provides guidance for ROV surveys and reports in water depths greater than 

400 m (1,312 ft). Eighteen grid areas were developed to ensure a broad and systematic analysis of deep 

water and to depict areas of biological similarity, primarily on the basis of benthic communities. The grid 

areas cover the WPA sale area and CPA sale area, with the exception of the easternmost portion. 

Operators must submit a ROV survey plan with each exploration plan submitted in each grid area and 

with the Development Operations Coordination Document for the first surface structure proposed in each 

grid area. The ROV surveys will serve several purposes. In addition to monitoring the effects of the 

particular plans for which they are required, the surveys will improve our overall knowledge of benthic 

habitats in deep water and provide more information on the seafloor in deep water. The surveys will also 

provide information on the distribution and accumulation of mud and cuttings and thereby possibly help 

us to develop and refine mitigations.

Seafloor Monitoring 

The Seafloor Monitoring Program in the GOM Region began in 1997 as a way to assess industry 

compliance with mitigations applied to offshore activities, which typically consist of avoidance criteria of 

seafloor features. The Seafloor Monitoring Program Team is comprised of a pool of scientific divers 

from MMS that, since its inception, has ranged in number from five to eight members. At present, the 

team consists of three biologists, two archaeologists, and one geophysicist. In addition to monitoring 

industry compliance with environmental mitigations, the Seafloor Monitoring Team also supports the 

MMS Environmental Studies Program by conducting contract inspections and oversight of fieldwork. 

Over the last 10 years (1997 through 2006), the Seafloor Monitoring Team has completed 53 field 

investigations to verify archaeological and biological mitigations, to inspect industry activity on pipeline 

and well-site construction, and to support the MMS Environmental Studies Program. 

Long-term Monitoring at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 

Following the designation of the Flower Garden Banks as a National Marine Sanctuary in 1992, 

MMS, in a partnership with NMFS and through consultation with academia and industry, implemented a 

program to monitor changes in coral populations and growth, as well as explore other important factors 

associated with these reefs. These monitoring studies have demonstrated that the shunting requirements 

of the Topographic Features Stipulation are effective in preventing the muds and cuttings from impacting 

the biota of the banks. Through establishment of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 

MMS made substantial progress in implementing many of the recommendations of previous monitoring 

reports. 
Environmental Assessment 11 

During the 1998-2001 period, analysis of monitoring data indicated that the Flower Garden Banks 

were healthy and productive (Dokken et al., 2003). This monitoring effort was designed to assess the 

health of the coral reefs, evaluate changes in coral population levels, measure coral and algae cover and 

growth rates, and investigate other community characteristics. The goal of the program is to address 

concerns related to both gradual and punctuated degradation of these unique offshore ecosystems. Such 

data are useful in assessing the impacts of industrial activities, as well as their value to resource 

management. No significant impact from oil/gas production activity has been documented after 

Sanctuary designation. 

Long-term monitoring has continued on a yearly basis at both banks through an equal partnership 

with MMS and NMFS. This monitoring not only expands MMS’s knowledge and understanding of the 

Flower Garden Banks ecosystem, but it also improves the foundation from which management decisions 

are made. 

In addition, another MMS study, Post-Hurricane Assessment of Sensitive Habitats of the Flower 

Garden Banks Vicinity (Precht et al., in preparation (a)), is investigating hurricane effects at the East 

Flower Garden, Sonnier, McGrail, Geyer, and Bright Banks. 

Inspection Program 

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) authorizes and requires MMS to provide for both 

an annual scheduled inspection and a periodic unscheduled (unannounced) inspection of all oil and gas 

operations on the OCS. The GOM Region has an extensive, detailed inspection program to ensure safe 

and environmentally sound offshore oil and gas operations. This program places MMS inspectors 

offshore on drilling rigs and production platforms on a daily basis on weekdays, weather permitting, as 

well as on weekends on an as-needed basis, to assure compliance with all regulatory constraints that 

allowed commencement of the operation. 
Environmental Assessment 13 

4. RESOURCES AND IMPACT ANALYSIS 

4.1. UPDATE OF PROJECTIONS OF POTENTIAL ACTIVITY FROM THE PROPOSED 

ACTION

In order to describe the level of activity that could reasonably result from a proposed lease sale, MMS 

develops exploration and development scenarios of onshore and offshore activity. These scenarios 

provide a framework for detailed analyses of potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of a 

proposed lease sale. Any potential effects on Louisiana’s coastal zone would be the result of exploration, 

production, and transportation activities that may be undertaken as a result of the exploration and 

development of leases obtained in the lease sale. Assumptions are made about the kinds and levels of 

such activities. These assumptions are analyzed in the Multisale EIS and in this EA for Lease Sale 207 

they are incorporated by reference. Projections of the number, probability, and size of accidental spills 

can be found in Chapter 4.3.1.5.1 of the Multisale EIS. 

The MMS recently published a report that examined previous exploration and development activity 

scenarios (USDOI, MMS, 2007d). The MMS compared forecasted activity with the actual activity that 

has resulted in 14 WPA and 14 CPA lease sales between 1992 and 2005. The report shows that many 

lease sales contribute to the present level of OCS activity, and any single lease sale accounts for only a 

small percentage of the total OCS activities. Like other lease sales, Lease Sale 207 would contribute to 

maintaining the present level of OCS activity in the Gulf of Mexico. For example, in 2006 over half of 

the oil and gas production was the result of lease sales before 1992. An average lease in the WPA 

contributed 2 percent of oil production and 2 percent of gas production. For wells drilled annually, the 

contribution that resulted from lease sales before 1999 exceeded the contribution from leases in sales after 

1999. For the installation of production structures in the WPA, the contribution of installations that 

resulted from lease sales after 1999 have greatly exceeded the contribution from lease sales that occurred 

before 1999. Exploration and development activity, including service-vessel trips, helicopter trips, and 

construction, that would result from Lease Sale 207 would replace activity resulting from existing leases 

that have reached or are near the end of their economic life. 

4.1.1. Offshore Impact-Producing Factors and Scenario 

The Multisale EIS discusses projections for activities associated with a typical proposed WPA lease 

sale. The estimated amounts of resources projected to be leased, discovered, developed, and produced as 

a result of proposed WPA Lease Sale 207 are 0.242-0.432 BBO and 1.644-2.647 Tcf of gas. Table 1

provides a summary of the major scenario elements of proposed Lease Sale 207 based upon offshore, 

subarea water depths (Figure 3) and includes related impact-producing factors. Chapter 4.1.1 of the 

Multisale EIS describes the offshore infrastructure and activities (impact-producing factors) associated 

with the proposed lease sales and with the OCS Program that could potentially affect the biological, 

physical, and socioeconomic resources of the GOM. 

The analyses of environmental and socioeconomic impacts in past EIS’s (for example, the 2002-2007 

Multisale EIS) were based on exploration and development activity scenarios that, in most cases, were 

overestimated. If the level of activity was overestimated, the environmental and socioeconomic impacts 

of a lease sale may have been overstated. Based on a recent analysis prepared by MMS, slightly over half 

of the time the actual activity fell below the lowest level of forecasted activity (USDOI, MMS, 2007d). 

When within the forecasted range, the majority of time the actual activity was at or near the low end of 

the forecasted range. In addition, a single lease sale accounts for only a small percentage of the total OCS 

activities. 

The examination of previously forecasted activity did not include the proposed lease sales addressed 

in the Multisale EIS. In late 2002, MMS contracted with Innovation & Information Consultants, Inc. 

(IIC, Inc.) to develop a model that would estimate oil and gas exploration and discovery, development, 

and production activity in the Gulf of Mexico. The Exploration, Development, and Production (EDP) 

model was delivered to MMS in 2004. The activity scenario presented in the Multisale EIS was the first 

developed with the EDP model. 
14 Resources and Impact Analysis

Table 1 

 

Offshore Scenario Information Related to Proposed Lease Sale 207 over 40 Years 

Offshore Subareas* Activity 0-60 60-200 200-400 400-800 800-1600 1600-2400 >2400 

Total WPA**

Wells Drilled 

Exploration and Delineation Wells 23-36 5-7 1 3-4 5-10 2-3 3-5 42-66 

Development Wells 64-89 13-15 6-7 9-13 48-75 9-15 6-8 155-221 

Oil Wells 3-5 2-2 1-2 6-8 29-45 6-9 3-5 51-76 

Gas Wells 61-84 10-13 5-5 3-5 20-30 3-6 2-3 105-146 

Workovers and Other Well Activities 392-539 77-91 35-42 56-77 294-455 56-91 35-49 945-1,344 

Production Structures 

Installed 21-31 2 1 1 1-3 1-2 1 28-41 

Removed Using Explosives 9-15 1 0 0 0 0 0 11-17 

Total Removed 13-22 2 1 1 1-3 1 1 20-31 

Method of Oil Transportation*** 

Percent Piped 99% 100% 100% 100% 0% -50% 0% -100% 0 -100% 41% -> 99%

Percent Barged 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% < 1% 

Percent Tankered 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% -50% 0% -100% 0% -100% 0% -59% 

Length of Installed Pipelines (km)# 60-420 NA NA NA NA NA NA 130-760 

Blowouts 1 0 0 0 0-1 0 0 1-2 

Service-Vessel Trips (1,000 round trips) 23-33 3 1 16-17 18-51 16-33 16-17 94-155 

Helicopter Operations (1,000 

operations) 300-680 30-44 14-22 14-22 14-66 14-44 14-22 400-900 

*See Figure 3. 

**Subareas divided by water depth range in meters. Activity totals may not add up to the planning area total because of 

rounding. 

***100% of gas is assumed to be piped. 

#—Projected length of OCS pipelines does not include length in State waters. 

NA means that information is not available. 

Figure 3. Subareas of the Western Planning Area Zoned by Depth. 
Environmental Assessment 15 

Documentation of the EDP model and its subcomponents can be found in Ashton et al. (2004). As 

stated in the model’s documentation, the EDP model “incorporates actual historical data, and allows easy 

comparison between the actual historical data, and the future model years.” As the model was developed, 

modifications were made so that the model more accurately portrayed historical precedent. 

The EDP model relies on more factors than previous modeling methods (Upton and Ashton, 2005). 

Constraints include leasing policy, rig availability, and resource assessment. Inputs include prices, costs, 

field characteristics, reserve growth, and policy variables. The production function is based on historical 

production data by field size and location. Another improvement over previously used modeling methods 

is that the EDP model defines undiscovered resources by field instead of a Gulfwide undiscovered 

resource volume. 

A recently published MMS study to estimate physical and economic performance measures to 

characterize lease sales and development in the Gulf of Mexico can be used to further refine the scenario 

presented in the Multisale EIS (Iledare and Kaiser, 2007). The average lag of exploration and production 

from leases issued from 1983 to 1999 increased by water depth and decreased over time as shown in the 

Tables 2 and 3. Due to variation by water depth, exploration and production activity is staggered over 

time taking on average 1.9-4.5 years after a lease sale before exploration begins and 3.4-8.3 years before 

first production. Therefore if activity as the result of a lease sale is assumed to be staggered over time, 

then the impacts and any strain on coastal infrastructure would also be staggered over time. 

Table 2 

 

Aggregate Average Lag in Months from Sales to First Spud for Leases Issued from 1983 to 1999 

Water Depth 1983-1987 1985-1989 1990-1994 1995-1999 

< 60m 29.3 27.8 25.8 22.9 

60m - 200m 30.5 31.0 36.0 27.2 

200m - 900m 40.4 46.4 42.9 30.0 

>900m 84.9 93.3 84.2 53.6 

 Source: Iledare and Kaiser, 2007. 

Table 3 

 

Aggregate Average Lag in Months from Sales to First Production for Leases Issued from 1983 to 1999 

Water Depth 1983-87 1985-1989 1990-1994 1995-1999 

< 60m 59.0 53.2 49.5 41.1 

60m - 200m 74.7 65.7 60.3 47.5 

200m900m 128.1 123.0 70.2 54.1 

>900m 180.6 176.9 105.9 99.6 

 Source: Iledare and Kaiser, 2007. 

No new information has been found that necessitates a change to the offshore scenario presented in 

the Multisale EIS; therefore, the scenario still applies for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.1.2. Coastal Impact-Producing Factors and Scenario 

Chapter 4.1.2 of the Multisale EIS describes the onshore infrastructure and activities (impactproducing factors) associated with the proposed lease sales and with the OCS Program that could 

potentially affect the biological, physical, and socioeconomic resources of the GOM. Up to one new 

pipeline landfall and up to one new gas processing plant are projected as a result of an individual 

proposed lease sale. The MMS projected no other new coastal infrastructure as a result of a proposed 

lease sale. 

The analyses of coastal infrastructure presented in the Multisale EIS and other previous EIS’s and 

EA’s concluded that no new solid waste facilities would be built as a result of a single lease sale or as a 

result of the OCS Program. Recent research further supports these past conclusions that existing solid-
16 Resources and Impact Analysis

waste disposal infrastructure is adequate to support both existing and projected offshore oil and gas 

drilling and production needs (Dismukes et al., 2007). 

The MMS projected the number of Federal OCS landfalls that may result from proposed lease sales in 

order to analyze the potential impacts on wetlands and other coastal habitats. In the Multisale EIS and 

other previous EIS’s and EA’s, MMS assumed that the majority of new Federal OCS pipelines would 

connect to the existing infrastructure in Federal and State waters and that very few would result in new 

pipeline landfalls. Therefore, MMS projected up to one pipeline landfall per lease sale; however, recent 

MMS analysis showed that even one landfall as a result of an individual lease sale may be unlikely 

(USDOI, MMS, 2007e). Although there will be some instances where new pipelines may need to be 

constructed, there is nothing to suggest any dramatic shifts in the trends in new Federal OCS landfalls 

given the current outlook for Gulf of Mexico development, particularly in coastal Louisiana (Dismukes, 

personal communication, 2007). While there are some opportunities for new pipeline landfalls from 

increased production activity, many of those will be limited due to a number of factors associated with 

basic pipeline economics. 

Much of the coastal infrastructure presented in the Multisale EIS was from the OCS-Related 

Infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico Fact Book (The Louis Berger Group, Inc., 2004). An update of the 

fact book is currently in progress. No new information has been found that necessitates a change to the 

onshore scenario presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, the scenario still applies for proposed Lease 

Sale 207. 

4.1.3. Hurricanes 

Spills Resulting from Hurricanes 

Chapter 4.1.3.4.4.2 of the Multisale EIS discusses the cause and volume of spills that resulted from 

the 2004-2005 hurricanes. Since the publication of the Multisale EIS, MMS has revised information and 

quantities of oil spillage resulting from damages caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 (USDOI, 

MMS, 2007f). The following is a summary of the revisions. 

As of July 2007, MMS has identified 154 spills of petroleum products of ≥1 barrel (bbl), totaling 

17,077 bbl that were lost from platforms, rigs, and pipelines on the Federal OCS. This is an increase from 

MMS’s January 2007 report that had identified 125 spills, totaling 16,302 bbl (USDOI, MMS, 2007g). 

The July 2007 report also discussed spills of <1 bbl. Between October 2005 and June 2007, there 

were approximately 600 petroleum spills of <1 bbl on the Federal OCS related to the 2005 hurricanes 

reported to the National Response Center (NRC). These NRC reports totaled to <50 bbl and averaged 

approximately 3 gallons each in volume. These spills of <1 bbl dissipate quickly due to evaporation, 

dispersion by the winds and currents, and dilution by the ocean waters. Three gallons of crude oil can 

briefly create an oil sheen over an area the size of an acre (43,560 ft2

) or more on the ocean surface. 

These small releases generally do not cause identifiable environmental impacts out in the open ocean. 

Unchanged from the earlier report, there were no accounts of environmental consequences resulting 

from spills from facilities: 

• no spill contacts to the shoreline; 

• no oiling of marine mammals, birds, or other wildlife; 

• no large volumes of oil on the ocean surface to be collected or cleaned up; and 

• no identified environmental impacts from any OCS spills from Hurricanes Katrina or 

Rita. 

The final estimation of the total spillage associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will not be 

complete until all operators have completed recovery efforts associated with the repair and/or have 

completed decommissioning of all the damaged structures. These activities will continue through 2008. 
Environmental Assessment 17 

Damage to Offshore Infrastructure Resulting from Hurricanes 

During the past few years, the Gulf Coast States and GOM oil and gas activities have been impacted 

by several major hurricanes. Chapter 3.3.5.7.3 of the Multisale EIS summarized the latest reports by 

MMS on the damage to the OCS-related platforms, rigs, and pipelines caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, 

and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. In 2006, however, the only hurricane making landfall in the 

northern Gulf was Hurricane Humberto near Houston, Texas, on September 13, 2006. The 2007 

hurricane season had no storm landfalls in the northern Gulf. 

In preparation for the 2007 hurricane season, MMS announced operational and administrative 

improvements that had been implemented to prepare oil and gas infrastructure in the GOM for the 

possibility of hurricanes during the 2007 season (USDOI, MMS, 2007h). Both MMS and industry had to 

reassess what possible weather conditions could occur with a major hurricane moving through the GOM. 

The reassessment was done through American Petroleum Institute (API) committees in which MMS was 

an active participant. The committees revised and updated the best practices and standards using the new 

information that had been collected following the 2005 hurricanes. 

Notices to Lessees 

In addition to several NTL’s that were specifically issued for the 2006 and 2007 hurricane seasons, 

MMS issued NTL 2007-G27 (“Assessment of Existing OCS Platforms and Related Structures for 

Hurricane Conditions”) and NTL 2007-G26 (“Design of New OCS Platforms and Related Structures for 

Hurricane Conditions”) to ensure that the assessment of existing and the design of new OCS platforms 

and related structures consider the specific environmental conditions, including hurricane metocean 

conditions, at the platform location as required by 30 CFR 250.900(a). 

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Effects Reports (NTL 2007-G16) 

The MMS issued NTL 2007-G16, “Hurricane and Tropical Storm Effects Reports,” on May 14, 2007. 

The NTL provides clarification on using MMS’s e-Well Permitting and Reporting System to report 

hurricane and tropical storm effects by specifying the information included in the various hurricane and 

tropical storm reports, updating contact information, and updating a regulatory citation. Under 30 CFR 

250.192, operators must submit statistics to MMS regarding the evacuation of personnel and the 

curtailment of production because of hurricanes and tropical storms. The MMS has established the 

Facility Shut-in Report, three facility damage reports, and the Pollution Report to supplement and provide 

more detail about the required evacuation and production shut-in statistics. The MMS uses these data and 

information to work interactively with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) on rescue needs and to notify the 

news media and interested public entities that monitor shut-in production and hurricane and tropical storm 

damage. The MMS uses the data from the pollution report to identify environmental and manmade assets 

at risk, provide background data for natural resource damage assessments, assist the USCG in 

prioritization and coordination of oil-spill-response operations, and for status reports to public and private 

entities. 

Pipeline Risers Subject to the Platform Verification Program (NTL 2007-G14) 

The MMS issued NTL 2007-G14, “Pipeline Risers Subject to the Platform Verification Program,” on 

May 7, 2007. The MMS has determined that new pipeline risers are subject to a separate verification 

process that necessitates the use of an independent Certified Verification Agent (CVA) specifically for the 

pipeline riser. These pipeline risers are a critical component of any floating platform proposal and must 

meet stringent requirements for design, fabrication, and installation. Accordingly, MMS has developed 

the guidelines for the pipeline riser verification process as part of the platform verification program. The 

CVA responsibilities include performance of an independent stress analysis, including extreme storm 

response for critical design conditions. 
18 Resources and Impact Analysis

Contact with District Offices and the Pipeline Section Outside Regular Work Hours (NTL 

2007-G12) 

The MMS issued NTL 2007-G12, “Contact with District Offices and the Pipeline Section Outside 

Regular Work Hours,” on April 4, 2007. The purpose of the NTL is to describe procedures that operators 

can use when contacting an MMS, GOM Region, District Office or the MMS, GOM Region, Pipeline 

Section outside of regular office hours. As required by 30 CFR 254.46(a), the National Response Center 

at (800) 424-8802 must immediately be notified if an offshore oil spill is observed. 

4.2. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC RESOURCES

A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of a typical WPA lease 

sale, which is representative of proposed Lease Sale 207, on environmental and socioeconomic resources 

can be found in Chapters 4.2.1, 4.4, and 4.5 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following chapters 

provide a summary of these potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on each environmental and 

socioeconomic resource and the conclusions of the analyses. The cumulative analysis considers 

environmental and socioeconomic impacts that may result from the incremental impact of proposed Lease 

Sale 207 when added to all past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future human activities, including 

non-OCS activities, as well as all OCS activities (OCS Program). 

New information discovered since publication of the Multisale EIS is also presented below. This 

information was evaluated to determine if reanalysis of the impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 was 

necessary. No new information was found that would necessitate a reanalysis of the impacts of proposed 

Lease Sale 207 upon environmental or socioeconomic resources. The analyses and potential impacts 

detailed in the Multisale EIS apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. New information was found that further 

supports or elaborates on analyses or information presented in the Multisale EIS, but it does not change 

the conclusions of any of the analyses in the Multisale EIS. 

4.2.1. Air Quality 

The description of air quality in the Gulf of Mexico can be found in Chapter 3.1.1 of the Multisale 

EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease 

Sale 207 on air quality can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.1.1, 4.4.1, and 4.5.1 of the Multisale EIS, 

respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the 

Multisale EIS. Figure 3-1 of the Multisale EIS presents the air quality status (i.e., ozone nonattainment) 

in the Gulf Coast as of September 2005. Figure 4 shows the current status of these coastal counties as of 

June 20, 2007 (USEPA, 2007b). 
Environmental Assessment 19 

Figure 4. Status of Ozone Attainment in the Coastal Counties and Parishes of the Central and Western 

Gulf of Mexico (USEPA, 2007b). 

The following routine activities associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 would potentially affect air 

quality: platform construction and emplacement; platform operations; drilling activities; flaring; seismicsurvey and support-vessel operations; pipeline laying and burial operations; evaporation of volatile 

petroleum hydrocarbons during transfers and from surface oil slicks; and fugitive emissions. Supporting 

materials and discussions are presented in the Multisale EIS in Chapters 3.1.1 (description of the coastal 

air quality status of the Gulf coastal area), 4.1.1.6 (air emissions), and 4.1.1.9 (hydrogen sulfide). The 

parameters of this analysis are emission rates, surface winds, atmospheric stability, and the mixing height. 

Emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere from the routine activities associated with proposed 

Lease Sale 207 are projected to have minimal impacts on onshore air quality because of the prevailing 

atmospheric conditions, emission heights, emission rates, and the distance of these emissions from the 

coastline. Impacts from proposed Lease Sale 207 activities are expected to be well within the National 

Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). 

Portions of the Gulf Coast have ozone levels that exceed the Federal air quality standard, but the 

cumulative contribution from proposed Lease Sale 207 is very small. Ozone levels are on a declining 

trend because of air pollution control measures that have been implemented by States. This downward 

trend is expected to continue as a result of local as well as nationwide air pollution control efforts. 

Proposed Lease Sale 207 would have only a small effect on ozone levels in ozone nonattainment areas 

and would not interfere with the States’ schedule for compliance with the NAAQS. 

Accidents involving high concentrations of H2S could result in deaths as well as environmental 

damage. Other emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere from accidental events as a result of proposed 

Lease Sale 207 are not projected to have significant impacts on onshore air quality because of the 

prevailing atmospheric conditions, emissions height, emission rates, and the distance of these emissions 

from the coastline. These emissions are not expected to have concentrations that would change onshore 

air quality classifications. 

Emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere from the activities associated with the cumulative 

scenario are not projected to have significant effects on onshore air quality because of the prevailing 

atmospheric conditions, emission rates and heights, and the resulting pollutant concentrations. Onshore 
20 Resources and Impact Analysis

impacts on air quality from emissions from cumulative OCS activities are estimated to be within Class II 

PSD allowable increments. 

The Offshore and Coastal Dispersion modeling results show that increases in onshore annual average 

concentrations of NOx, SO2, and PM10 are estimated to be less than the maximum increases allowed in the 

PSD Class II areas. 

The modeling results indicate that all concentrations are below the maximum allowable PSD 

increments except 24-hr SO2 and annual NO2 for the Class I area. The impacts from proposed Lease Sale 

207 are well within the PSD Class I allowable increment. The incremental contribution of emissions 

resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 (as analyzed in Chapter 4.2.1.1 in the Multisale EIS) to the 

cumulative impacts is not significant and is not expected to alter onshore air quality classifications. 

The Gulf Coast has significant visibility impairment from anthropogenic emission sources. Area 

visibility would be expected to improve somewhat as a result of regional and national programs to reduce 

emissions. The cumulative contribution to visibility impairment from proposed Lease Sale 207 is also 

expected to remain very small. 

The conclusions above only consider the impact on air quality from OCS sources. If the onshore 

sources are considered, there may be considerable adverse effects on ozone concentration and on 

visibility (see also the Final EIS on the proposed OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program, 2007-2012; USDOI, 

MMS, 2007c). Thus, the OCS contribution to the air quality problem in the coastal areas is small, but 

total impact from onshore and offshore emissions may be significant to the ozone nonattainment areas in 

southeast Texas and the parishes near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

The MMS is responsible for assessing the potential impacts of air pollutant emissions from offshore 

oil and gas exploration, development, and production sources in the OCS. This responsibility is driven by 

the OCS Lands Act, which directs the MMS to regulate OCS emission sources to assure that they do not 

significantly affect onshore air quality. The MMS air quality regulations are contained in 30 CFR 

250.302 through 304. In particular, MMS is responsible for determining if air pollutant emissions from 

oil and natural gas platforms and other sources in the Gulf of Mexico influence the ozone attainment (and 

nonattainment) status of onshore areas. This responsibility was mandated by the Clean Air Act 

Amendments of 1990 (CAAA). 

In addition, the CAAA requires MMS to coordinate air pollution control activities with USEPA. 

Thus, there will be a continuing need for emission inventories and modeling in the future, especially with 

the implementation of the 8-hour ozone standard. The future area of interest is not only Louisiana and 

Texas but it also includes Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Under provisions of the CAAA, the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of the 

Interior and the Commandant of the Coast Guard, will establish the requirements to control air pollution 

in OCS areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and eastward of 87o 30' W. longitude in the Gulf of Mexico. 

To assess the emissions of offshore oil and gas platforms and their associated emissions, MMS first 

conducted emission inventories in the GOM in the early 1990’s, resulting in the Gulf of Mexico Air 

Quality Study (GMAQ) (Systems Applications International et al., 1995). To develop a base year 2000 

inventory of criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions for all OCS oil and gas production-related 

sources in the Gulf of Mexico, MMS collected activity data from platform operators during the year 2000 

(Wilson et al., 2004). Inventory data has been collected for 2005 and is now being used (USDOI, MMS, 

2007k). An emission inventory study has recently been awarded so that more inventory data will be 

collected for 2008. 

Additionally, a 5-year meteorological database will be completed soon. This database will be used by 

industry and MMS in point-source modeling in plans analysis to ensure there are no significant impacts 

on onshore areas (Haney and Douglas, in preparation). The MMS is conducting an ongoing synthesis 

study (Haney and Douglas, ongoing) that will consolidate all MMS air quality studies, meteorological 

studies, and emissions studies into one database to determine links between parts. The USEPA has 

proposed a new ozone 8-hour standard and they will issue final standards by March 12, 2008 (USEPA, 

2007a). 

The MMS is coordinating with the University of Alabama, Huntsville (UAH) on the MMS’s Satellite 

Data Assimilation project to test a newly developed, physically consistent, method for assimilating 

satellite temperatures into Mesoscale Model 5 (MM5) meteorological model preprocessors. Since the 

MM5 meteorological model is too complex and time consuming to test software algorithms, a onedimensional model has been developed to quickly test the new formulation and isolate the results. The 
Environmental Assessment 21 

UAH continues to coordinate with USEPA on the new algorithm development and model enhancements 

as the transition proceeds from MM5 to Weather Research and Forecast (WRF). The UAH is 

collaborating with NOAA/USEPA’s Atmospheric Modeling Division to make this project’s satellite data 

and assimilation techniques available to the air quality modeling community. The satellite assimilation 

technique will be implemented in the latest version of WRF and will likely result in meteorological 

improvements, which translate into air quality model improvements, resulting in better air quality model 

assessments of OCS impacts on adjacent onshore areas. The MMS’s support of UAH research has 

resulted in one published technical article with two others in preparation. Likewise, MMS has funded the 

operating cost for two radar wind profilers to provide additional meteorological data to use in MM5, 

which in return will yield more accurate regional air quality modeling. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for air quality presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the 

additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that would alter 

the impact conclusion for air quality presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the 

potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on air quality is not required. The analysis and potential 

impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.2. Water Quality 

A description of water quality in coastal and marine waters can be found in Chapter 3.1.2 of the 

Multisale EIS. An analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 

on water quality can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.2, 4.4.2, and 4.5.2 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The 

following information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

The primary impacting sources to water quality in coastal waters from routine operations are pointsource and storm-water discharges from land-based support facilities, maintenance dredging of navigation 

canals, pipeline installations, and vessel discharges while in coastal waters. The impacts on coastal water 

quality from proposed Lease Sale 207 should be minimal as long as all existing regulatory requirements 

are met. 

The primary impacting sources to marine water quality during exploratory activities are discharges of 

drilling fluids and cuttings. During installation activities, the primary impacting sources to water quality 

are sediment disturbance and turbidity. Impacting discharges during production activities include 

produced water and supply-vessel discharges. Regulations are in place to limit the levels of contaminants 

in these discharges. During platform removal, sediment disturbance, gaseous by-products of explosives, 

or abrasive grit from cutting are the impacting discharges. Impacts on marine waters from routine 

activities associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 should be minimal as long as regulatory requirements 

are followed. 

Accidental events associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 that could impact water quality include 

spills of oil and refined hydrocarbons, spills of chemicals or drilling fluids, and collisions and loss of well 

control that result in spills. Water quality is altered and degraded by oil spills through the increase of 

petroleum hydrocarbons and their various transformation/degradation products in the water. The extent 

of impact from a spill depends on the behavior and fate of oil in the water column (e.g., movement of oil 

and rate and nature of weathering), which, in turn, depends on oceanographic and meteorological 

conditions at the time. Smaller spills (<1,000 bbl) are not expected to significantly impact water quality 

in marine and coastal waters. Larger spills, however, could impact water quality, especially in coastal 

waters. Chemical spills, the accidental release of synthetic-based fluids, and blowouts are expected to 

have temporary localized impacts on water quality. 

Coastal water quality can be cumulatively impacted by inputs, which are transported through river 

inflows. These inputs include hydrocarbons, trace metals, sediment, and nutrients from human activities. 

Cumulative impacts on the water quality of the marine environment result from the addition of discharges 

from exploratory and production activities to a relatively pristine environment. The incremental 

contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 to the cumulative impacts on marine water quality is not 

expected to be significant as long as all regulations are followed. 

A search for the most recent information took place during preparation of this EA for Lease Sale 207. 

An Internet search for relevant scientific journal articles was conducted using a publicly available search 

engine. In addition, the websites for Federal and State agencies, and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance were 

reviewed for newly released information. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, a partnership between the Gulf 
22 Resources and Impact Analysis

States, was organized in 2005 as a collaborative means to solve regional problems to implement the U.S. 

Ocean Action Plan. 

Although new research and ongoing monitoring information is continuously available from many 

sources about various water quality parameters in the Gulf of Mexico, the new information located was 

related to issues that have already been summarized in this EA; therefore, it was not incorporated (Ache, 

written communication, 2007; USEPA, 2007d-e; LADEQ, 2007a; Texas Commission on Environmental 

Quality, 2007). 

In June 2007, USEPA issued the National Estuary Program Coastal Condition Report (USEPA, 

2007f). This report was the third in a series of coastal environmental assessments. The first two reports 

covered all U.S. coastal waters, whereas the third report assessed just those estuaries that are part of the 

National Estuary Program. These include Mobile Bay, Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary, Galveston Bay, and 

Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries (Corpus Christi Bay Estuary). A water quality rating was determined 

and Coastal Bend Bays, Barataria Terrebonne Estuary, and Mobile Bay were rated fair, but Galveston 

Bay was rated poor due to elevated dissolved phosphorus and higher turbidity. 

The USEPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permit for the 

Western Gulf of Mexico (GMG290000, which authorizes discharges to surface water during drilling and 

production) was reissued on October 1, 2007 (USEPA, 2007g). The USEPA was a cooperating agency 

on the Multisale EIS, and USEPA relied on the Multisale EIS in reissuing the permit. The reissued 

permit includes several more stringent limitations than its predecessors. It requires submittal of the 

sublethal effects on growth and reproduction from the produced-water toxicity testing. It also imposes the 

new cooling water intake structure requirements on new offshore facilities that intake more than 2 million 

gallons per day, of which at least 25 percent is used for cooling purposes (Wilson, personal 

communication, 2007). 

The zone of hypoxia on the Louisiana-Texas shelf occurs seasonally from nutrient-laden waters 

discharged from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. The boundary of the WPA is on the distal 

western edge of the hypoxic zone that was identified in 2002 (Rabalais et al., 2002) and is shown in 

Figure 5. The zone is defined by waters with lower than normal oxygen content caused by the 

decomposition of algae and plankton that bloom in nutrient-enriched water discharged from the rivers. 

The hypoxic conditions last until local wind-driven circulation sufficiently mixes the water. The Action 

Plan to understand and reduce hypoxia is reassessed every 5 years. As part of the 2006 reassessment, an 

independent panel, the Science Advisory Board (SAB) Hypoxia Panel, was convened, and in November 

2007 a draft version of the 2008 Action Plan became available for public comment (USEPA, 2007h). The 

2008 Action Plan increases the responsibilities of State and Federal bodies and acknowledges that the 

goal to reduce the size of the zone by 2015 may not be met. 

In July 2007, a 1,750 mi2

 (4,532 km2) dead zone was discovered in Texas coastal waters, extending as 

far as 10 mi (16 km) offshore from just south of Galveston Bay to Matagorda Bay. The zone was thought 

to be a temporary phenomenon, resulting from heavy rains in June and July and high discharge of 

nutrient-laden water from the Brazos River. The zone of oxygen-deficient bottom water was expected to 

gradually dissipate with decreasing discharge from the Brazos River (Associated Press, 2007). 

The contribution of produced water to hypoxic conditions is minimal. The amount of oxygendemanding pollutants in produced water was determined for produced water discharged into the hypoxic 

zone (Veil et al., 2005) as a requirement for the reissued NPDES general permit. Existing hypoxia 

models were used to analyze the potential incremental impacts on the hypoxia from produced-water 

discharges. The USEPA determined that the potential impact of the hypoxia from produced-water 

discharges was insignificant (USEPA, 2007e). In May 2007, a large area (20,000-21,000 km2

, 7,722-

8,108 mi2

) was forecasted for the hypoxic zone (LUMCON, 2007a). During the mapping cruise of 

July 21-28, 2007, the hypoxic zone measured 20,500 km2

 (7,915 mi2) (LUMCON, 2007b), which is 

within 10 percent of the maximum area measured in 2002. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for water quality presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the 

additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that would alter 

the impact conclusion for water quality presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the 

potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on water quality is not required. The analysis and potential 

impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 
Environmental Assessment 23 

Figure 5. Area of Hypoxia on the Outer Continental Shelf in 2002. 

4.2.3. Sensitive Coastal Environments 

4.2.3.1. Coastal Barrier Beaches and Associated Dunes 

The description, physical location, and formative processes that create the various coastal beaches and 

barrier island complexes are described in Chapter 3.2.1.1 of the Multisale EIS. A description of 

integrated shoreline environments, the barrier islands, and the dune zones that comprise and delineate the 

various vegetated habitats along these mainland and barrier beaches can also be found in Chapter 3.2.1.1 

of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of 

proposed Lease Sale 207 on barrier islands and coastal beaches can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.3.1, 

4.4.3.1, and 4.5.3.1 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following information is a summary of the 

impact analysis incorporated from the Multisale EIS, and this analysis addresses the impacts of proposed 

Lease Sale 207. 

A variety of activities required to support proposed Lease Sale 207 include pipeline emplacements, 

navigation channel use and dredging, and construction or continued use of oil and gas infrastructure. 

These activities are expected to be restricted to temporary and localized disturbances of the coastal barrier 

beaches and associated dunes. The 0-1 pipeline landfalls projected in support of proposed Lease Sale 207 

are not expected to cause significant impacts on barrier beaches because of the use of non-intrusive 

installation methods. The projected 0-1 gas processing plant would not be expected to be constructed on 

barrier beaches. The use of existing facilities built inland may, through natural storm driven erosion and 

shoreline recession, be located in the barrier beach and dune zone and may contribute to the erosion there. 

Proposed Lease Sale 207 may contribute to the extended use of these facilities. No facilities are expected 

to be constructed on barrier beaches. Channel and inlet maintenance that is needed, as well as erosion 

protection works (jetties) required to assure access to the production and supply facilities, may contribute 

to minor and localized impacts on adjacent barrier beaches due to sediment deprivation. This would 

likely occur in the sediment starved coasts of Louisiana. Based on use, proposed Lease Sale 207 would 

account for a very small percentage of these impacts, which would occur whether proposed Lease Sale 

207 is implemented or not. Strategic placement of dredged material from channel maintenance, channel 

deepening, or related actions can mitigate adverse impacts upon those localized areas. Proposed Lease 

Sale 207 is not expected to adversely alter barrier beach configurations significantly beyond existing, 

ongoing impacts in localized areas downdrift of artificially jettied and maintained channels. 

No significant impacts on the physical shape and structure of the barrier beaches are expected as a 

result of accidental events associated with proposed Lease Sale 207. The primary accidental impacts that 
24 Resources and Impact Analysis

may be associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 would be the probability of offshore or coastal oil spills 

contacting the barrier or coastal beaches. The probabilities of proposed-action-related spills occurring in 

OCS waters and contacting various parishes and counties are provided in Chapter 4.3.1 of the Multisale 

EIS. The risk of offshore spills ≥1,000 bbl occurring and contacting barrier beaches within 10 days is 

discussed in Chapter 4.3.1.8 of the Multisale EIS. Generally, the coastal, deltaic parishes of Louisiana 

have the highest risk of being contacted by an offshore spill resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207; 

Plaquemines Parish has the highest probability at 10-15 percent. Should a slick from such a spill make 

landfall, the volume of oil remaining in the slick is expected to be small and its condition degraded. 

Coastal spills in offshore coastal waters or in the vicinity of Gulf tidal inlets present a greater potential 

risk to barrier beaches because of their close proximity. Inland spills that occur away from Gulf tidal 

inlets are generally not expected to significantly impact barrier beaches and dunes. The passage of two 

powerful hurricanes in 2005 (Katrina and Rita) resulted in changes in barrier island topography, lowering 

beach elevation and, therefore, potentially increasing the probability for beach oiling farther up the beach 

in some locations. Due to the now more gentle slopes and, in some cases, cuts into the mainland barrier 

beaches left by the storms, more of the transition zone between the water and beach ridge may be 

vulnerable to spills. Should a spill contact a barrier beach, oiling is expected to be light and sand removal 

during cleanup activities should be minimized. No significant impacts on the physical shape and structure 

of barrier beaches and associated dunes are expected to occur as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207. 

Under the cumulative scenario, river channelization, sediment deprivation, tropical and extra-tropical 

storm activity, sea-level rise, and subsidence will continue to result in severe, rapid erosion of most 

shoreline landforms along the Louisiana coast. The barrier system of coastal Mississippi and Alabama is 

well supported on a coastal barrier platform of sand. The Texas coast has experienced landloss because 

of a decrease in the volume of sediment delivered to the coast caused by dams on coastal rivers, a natural 

decrease in sediment supply as a result of climatic changes during the past several thousand years, and 

subsidence along the coast. Louisiana is currently continuing to initiate ongoing, State- and federallysponsored coastal programs and projects through the Coastal Wetlands, Planning, Protection and 

Restoration Act (CWPPRA), GOMESA, CIAP, and Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) programs, along with 

the federally-funded CIAP initiatives being finalized and managed by MMS. All of these programs will 

cumulatively protect, build, restore, and enhance coastal ecosystems, and they will attempt to reduce 

coastal landloss in general and will include assistance in coastal and barrier beach rehabilitation or 

restoration. Beach stabilization projects that involve the construction of seawalls, groins, and jetties are 

considered by some coastal geomorphologists and engineers to accelerate coastal erosion (Pilkey and 

Dixon, 1996). Beneficial use of maintenance dredged materials could be required to mitigate some of 

these impacts. 

The impacts of oil spills from both OCS and non-OCS sources to the sand-starved Louisiana coast 

should not result in long-term alteration if the beaches are cleaned using techniques that do not 

significantly remove sand from the beach or dunes. The region around Galveston, Texas, and the Chenier 

Plain of Louisiana have the greatest risk of sustaining impacts from oil-spill landfalls because of their 

very high concentrations of oil production within 31 mi (50 km) of the coast. The cleanup impacts of 

these spills could result in short-term (up to 2 years) adjustments in beach profiles and configurations as a 

result of sand removal and disturbance during cleanup operations. Some contact to lower areas of sand 

dunes would be expected. These contacts would not result in significant destabilization of the dunes. The 

long-term stressors to barrier beach communities caused by the physical effects and chemical toxicity of 

an oil spill may lead to decreased primary production, plant dieback, and hence further erosion. Under 

the cumulative scenario, new OCS-related and non-OCS pipeline landfalls are projected. These pipelines 

are expected to be installed using modern techniques, which cause little to no impacts on the barrier 

islands and beaches. Existing pipelines, in particular those parallel and landward of beaches and placed 

on barrier islands using older techniques that left canals or shore protection structures, have caused and 

will continue to cause barrier beaches to narrow and breach. 

Coastal barrier beaches have experienced severe adverse cumulative impacts from natural processes 

and human activities. Natural processes are generally considered the major contributor to these impacts, 

whereas human activities cause both severe local impacts as well as the acceleration of natural processes 

that deteriorate coastal barriers. Human activities that have caused the greatest adverse impacts are river 

channelization and damming, pipeline canals, navigation channel stabilization and maintenance, and 

beach stabilization structures. The deterioration of Gulf barrier beaches is expected to continue in the 
Environmental Assessment 25 

future. Federal, State, and parish governments have made efforts over the last 10 years to slow the 

landward retreat of Louisiana’s Gulf shorelines. Proposed Lease Sale 207 is not expected to adversely 

alter barrier beach configurations beyond existing, ongoing impacts in localized areas downdrift of 

artificially jettied and maintained channels. Proposed Lease Sale 207 may extend the life and presence of 

facilities in eroding areas, which would prolong erosion in those areas. Strategic placement of dredged 

material from channel maintenance, channel deepening, and related actions can mitigate adverse impacts 

upon those localized areas. Thus, the incremental contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 to the 

cumulative impacts on coastal barrier beaches and dunes is expected to be very small. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. 

Various Internet sources were examined or revisited to determine any new information regarding barrier 

islands (FDEP, 2005 and 2007; Leadon, 2004; TGLO, 2007; USDOI, GS, 2006 and 2007a; White et al., 

2005 and 2007). No new information was discovered from these information sources. A web search of 

available literature and agency Internet sites and personal interviews with various Federal and State 

agency researchers and mangers responsible for these coastal resources was conducted. The search found 

no additional information pertaining to Louisiana or Texas. The Texas Bureau of Economic Geology 

confirmed no further studies had been initiated by the State of Texas post-Rita (Tremplay, personal 

communication, 2007). Prior to Hurricane Rita, the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology had conducted a 

series of studies on the barrier islands, which is comprised of five different reports. The bureau is 

currently preparing a report on the Upper Strand Plain near Clam Lake and Padre Island. These studies 

are in the formative stages and drafts have not been released. Aerial photography of the flooded Texas 

coastal area following Hurricane Rita was examined, and previously flooded sites were visited post-Rita. 

Based on these observations, the majority of the flooded marshes are naturally reestablishing themselves 

and the sediment distribution along the barrier island fringe seems to appear stable. 

In addition, The MMS has reexamined the analysis for coastal beaches and barrier island complexes 

presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the additional information presented above. While there was 

some refinement of post-storm data and working drafts of various storm impacts, no new significant 

information was discovered that would alter the impact conclusion for coastal beaches and barrier island 

complexes presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed 

Lease Sale 207 on coastal beaches and barrier island complexes is not required. The analysis and 

potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.3.2. Wetlands 

A detailed description of coastal wetlands can be found in Chapter 3.2.1.2 of the Multisale EIS. A 

detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on 

coastal wetlands can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.3.2, 4.4.3.2, and 4.5.3.2 of the Multisale EIS, 

respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the 

Multisale EIS. A detailed explanation of the routine and accidental impact-producing factors can be 

found in Chapters 4.1 and 4.3 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. 

The primary impacts resulting from routine activities associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 that 

could affect wetlands and marshes include pipeline emplacement, construction and maintenance, 

navigation channel use (vessel traffic), maintenance dredging, disposal of OCS-related wastes, and the 

use and construction of support infrastructure in these coastal areas. Other potential impacts that are 

indirectly associated with OCS oil and gas activities are wake erosion resulting from navigational traffic, 

levee construction that prevents necessary sedimentary processes, saltwater intrusion that changes the 

hydrology leading to unfavorable conditions for wetland vegetation and vulnerability to storm damage 

from eroded wetlands. Simultaneously with man-made influences there are natural causes of subsidence 

that contribute to wetland loss. Compaction and dewatering of deltaic mud lead to subsidence. Likewise, 

down-to-the-basin faulting (listric) is a characteristic of sediment loading for deltaic wedges such as the 

modern Mississippi Delta system (Dokka et al., 2006). 

Wetland loss rates in coastal Louisiana are well documented to have been as high as 10,878 ha/yr 

(42 mi2

/yr) during the late 1960’s. Studies have shown that the landloss rate in coastal Louisiana for the 

period 1972-1990 slowed to between an estimated 6,475 ha/yr (25 mi2

/yr) (Louisiana Coastal Wetlands 

Conservation and Restoration Task Force, 1993) and 9,072 ha/yr (35 mi2

/yr) (USDOI, GS, 1988). It was 

estimated in 2000 that coastal Louisiana would continue to lose land at a rate of approximately 2,672 

ha/yr (10 mi2

/yr) over the next 50 years. Barras et al (2003) estimated that a net loss of 132,794 ha 
26 Resources and Impact Analysis

(512 mi2) may occur by 2050, which is almost 10 percent of Louisiana’s remaining coastal wetlands. 

Further, a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (2007) cites a projected landloss of 

17 mi2

/yr over the next 50 years. In 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused 217 mi2 (562 km2) of land 

change, primarily wetland conversion to open water (Barras, 2006). The already eroded Louisiana barrier 

islands were significantly damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, thus further lowering the protection 

afforded the mainland marshes and beaches from storm surge or oil spills that these barrier features 

previously provided. 

Based on the analysis of the latest satellite imagery (Barras, 2007; Barras, in press), approximately 82 

mi2

 (212 km2) of new water were in areas primarily impacted by Hurricane Katrina (Mississippi River 

Delta Basin, Breton Sound Basin, Pontchartrain Basin, and Pearl River Basin), whereas 99 mi2

 (256 km2) 

were in areas primarily impacted by Hurricane Rita (Calcasieu/Sabine Basin, Mermentau Basin, 

Teche/Vermilion Basin, Atchafalaya Basin, and Terrebonne Basin). Barataria Basin contained new water 

areas caused by both hurricanes, resulting in some 18 mi2

 (46.6 km2) of new water areas. The fresh marsh 

and intermediate marsh communities’ land areas decreased by 122 mi2

 (316 km2) and 90 mi2 (233.1 km2), 

respectively, and the brackish marsh and saline marsh communities’ land areas decreased by 33 mi2

 (85.5 

km2

) and 28 mi2 (72.5 km2), respectively. These new water areas represent landlosses caused by the 

direct removal of wetlands. These areas also indicate transitory changes in water area caused by remnant 

flooding, removal of aquatic vegetation, scouring of marsh vegetation, and water-level variation attributed 

to normal tidal and meteorological variation between satellite images. Barras (2007) noted permanent 

losses cannot be estimated until several growing seasons have passed and the transitory impacts of the 

hurricanes are minimized. It is, however, too early to estimate the actual overall marsh loss. 

Effects of routine activities on coastal wetlands associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 are expected 

to be low. The loss of 0-8 ha (0-20 ac) of wetlands habitat is estimated as a result of 0-2 km (0-1.2 mi) of 

new onshore pipelines projected as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207. Maintenance dredging of 

navigation channels and canals is expected to occur with minimal impacts; proposed Lease Sale 207 is 

expected to contribute minimally to the need for this dredging. Alternative, dredged-material disposal 

methods can be used to enhance and create coastal wetlands. Vessel traffic associated with a proposed 

action is expected to contribute minimally to the erosion and widening of navigation channels and canals. 

The already eroded Louisiana barrier island chain was damaged significantly by Hurricanes Katrina and 

Rita, thus further lowering the protection afforded the mainland marshes and beaches from oil spills that 

these barrier features previously provided. Breton Island, one of the islands comprising the hard-hit 

Chandeleur barrier island chain, lost approximately 50 percent of its landmass (Hall, 2006). Overall, 

impacts from these sources are expected to be low and could be further reduced through mitigation, such 

as horizontal, directional (trenchless) drilling techniques to avoid damages to these sensitive habitats. 

Secondary impacts on wetlands would be primarily from vessel traffic corridors and will continue to 

cause approximately 0.57-0.72 ha (1.40-1.77 ac) of landloss per year.

The primary concern for potential impact from accidental activities associated with proposed Lease 

Sale 207 is related to oil spills. While there is a concern for offshore oil spills resulting from proposed 

Lease Sale 207, they are not expected to damage significantly wetlands along the Gulf Coast. If an inland 

oil spill related to proposed Lease Sale 207 occurs, however, some impact on wetland habitat would be 

expected. Although the impact may occur generally over coastal regions, the impact has the highest 

probability of occurring in and around Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes, Louisiana. Impacts on 

wetland habitats from an oil spill associated with activities related to Lease Sale 207 would be expected to 

be low and temporary. Although the probability of occurrence is low, the greatest threat to wetland 

habitat is from an inland spill resulting from a vessel accident or pipeline rupture. While a resulting slick 

may cause minor impacts on wetland habitat and surrounding seagrass communities, the equipment and 

personnel used to clean up a slick over the impacted area may generate the greatest impacts on the area. 

Associated foot traffic may work oil farther into the sediment than would otherwise occur. Close 

monitoring and restrictions on the use of bottom-disturbing equipment would be needed to avoid or 

minimize those impacts.

Concerns were raised related to the potential impact of oil spills on the marine and coastal 

environments, specifically regarding the potential effects of oil spills on tourism, emergency response 

capabilities, spill prevention, effect of winds and currents on the transport of oil spills, accidental 

discharges from both deepwater blowouts and pipeline ruptures, and oil spills resulting from past and 

future hurricanes. The fate and behavior of oil spills, availability and adequacy of oil-spill containment 
Environmental Assessment 27 

and cleanup technologies, oil-spill cleanup strategies, impacts of various oil-spill cleanup methods, effects 

of weathering on oil spills, toxicological effects of fresh and weathered oil, air pollution associated with 

spilled oil, and short-term and long-term impacts of oil on wetlands are additional accidental concerns. 

Offshore oil spills resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 are not expected to damage significantly any 

wetlands along the Gulf Coast. However, if an inland oil spill related to proposed Lease Sale 207 occurs, 

some impact on wetland habitat would be expected. 

The cumulative analysis in the Multisale EIS considers the effects of impact-producing factors related 

to past WPA lease sales, the present proposed Lease Sale 207, and reasonably foreseeable lease sale 

programs in the WPA. Cumulative impacts attributed to OCS activity co-occur with State oil and gas 

activities, other governmental and private projects and activities, and pertinent natural processes and 

events that may occur that adversely affect wetlands. As a result of these activities and processes, several 

impact-producing factors discussed in Chapter 4.5.3.2 of the Multisale EIS will contribute to impacts on 

wetlands and associated habitat during the life of proposed Lease Sale 207. 

The cumulative effects of human and natural activities in the coastal area have severely degraded the 

natural process of delta-building and sediment replenishment and have shifted the coastal area from a 

condition of net land building to one of net landloss (USACOE, 2004). There is increasing new evidence 

of the importance of the effect of sea-level rise (or marsh subsidence) as it relates to the loss of marsh or 

changes in marsh types and plant diversity (Spalding and Hester, 2007). Spalding and Hester showed that 

the very structure of coastal wetlands will likely be altered by sea-level rise, as community shifts will be 

governed by the responses of individual species to new environmental conditions. 

Subsidence rates may slow as a result of oil and gas depletion in onshore and nearshore areas that are 

producing. The magnitude of relative sea level rise caused by global warming as a contributor to wetland 

loss is uncertain. Relative sea level rise in any specific area takes into account that either the land sinks or 

the sea rises. In either case there would be a relative sea level rise. Estimates of magnitude for absolute 

sea level rise vary with the model used to project climatic scenarios into the future. The 

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Summary for Policymakers, states that since 1993 global 

sea level rise has taken place at a rate of 3.1 [2.4 to 3.8]mm/yr, with contributions from thermal expansion 

of ocean water, melting glaciers and ice caps, and the polar ice sheets (IPCC, 2007; page 1). Simply 

projecting this rate over the next 40 years, which may be a valid projection or not, and the cumulative 

effect of global sea level rise in the Gulf of Mexico could be a rise of 12.4 cm. (4.8 in). Sea level rise is 

likely to be a contributor to wetland loss over the next 40 years, however, the total acres lost attributed 

only to sea level rise is unknown because multiple contributors occurring simultaneously affect the 

number of total acres likely to be lost in Louisiana. Coastal restoration of barrier islands and headland 

areas and sediment replenishment projects may slightly mitigate the effects of subsidence and hurricane 

storm surge on wetland loss over the next 40 years. 

The effects of pipelines, canal dredging, navigation activities, and oil spills on wetlands are described 

in Chapters 4.2.1.1.3.2, 4.4.3.2, and 4.5.3.2 of the Multisale EIS. Subsidence of wetlands is discussed in 

more detail in Chapter 4.1.3.3.1 of the Multisale EIS. Impacts from residential, commercial, and 

agricultural and silvicultural (forest expansion) developments are expected to continue in coastal regions 

around the Gulf. Existing regulations and development permitting procedures indicate that developmentrelated wetland loss may be slowed and that very few new onshore OCS facilities, other than pipelines, 

will be constructed in wetlands. Impacts from State onshore oil and gas activities are expected to occur 

as a result of dredging for new canals, maintenance and usage of existing rig access canals and drill slips, 

and preparation of new well sites. Locally, subsidence may be due to the extraction of large volumes of 

oil and gas from subsurface reservoirs, although subsidence associated with this factor seems to have 

slowed greatly over the last three decades as the reservoirs are depleted. Indirect impacts from dredging 

new canals for State onshore oil and gas development (Chapter 4.1.3.3.3 of the Multisale EIS) and from 

maintenance of the existing canal network is expected to continue. Maintenance dredging of the OCSrelated navigation channels displaces approximately 492,082,500 m3

 (643,619,611 yd3) of sediment per 

35 years, of which 10 percent is attributed to the OCS Program. Federally maintained, non-OCS-related 

navigation channels are estimated to account for another estimated 36,576,500 m3 (47,840,256 yd3

) of 

dredged material. Maintenance dredging of inshore, well-access canals is estimated to result in the 

displacement of another 5,014,300 m3

 (6,558,457 yd3) of materials. Insignificant adverse impacts upon 

wetlands from maintenance dredging are expected because the large majority of the material would be 

disposed upon existing disposal areas. Alternative, dredged-material disposal methods can be used to 
28 Resources and Impact Analysis

enhance and create coastal wetlands. Depending upon the regions and soils through which they were 

dredged, secondary adverse impacts of canals may be more locally significant than direct impacts. 

Additional wetland losses generated by the secondary impacts of saltwater intrusion, flank subsidence, 

freshwater-reservoir reduction, and deeper tidal penetration have not been calculated due to a lack of 

quantitative documentation. The MMS has initiated a study to document and develop data concerning 

such losses. 

A variety of mitigation efforts are initiated to protect against direct and indirect wetland loss. The 

nonmaintenance of mitigation structures that reduce canal construction impacts can have substantial 

impacts upon wetlands. These localized impacts are expected to continue. Various estimates of the total, 

relative direct and indirect impacts of pipeline and navigation canals on wetland loss vary enormously. 

They range from a low of 9 percent (Britsch and Dunbar 1993) to 33 percent (Penland et al., 2001a and b) 

to estimates of greater than 50 percent (Turner et al., 1982; Bass and Turner, 1997; Scaife et al., 1983). A 

panel review of scientific evidence suggests that wetland losses directly attributable to all human 

activities account for less than 12 percent of the total wetland loss experienced since 1930 and 

approximately 29 percent of the total losses between 1955 and 1978 (Boesch et al., 1994). Of these direct 

losses, 33 percent are attributed to canal and spoil bank creation (10% of overall wetland loss). In 

Louisiana, deepening Fourchon Channel to accommodate larger, OCS-related service vessels has 

occurred within a saline marsh environment and will afford the opportunity for the creation of wetlands 

with the dredged materials. Also, deepening the Corpus Christi and Houston Ship Channels is non-OCS 

related and should also afford the opportunity to create wetlands with dredged material. A variety of nonOCS-related pressures are generating a need to expand ports on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

Based on preliminary historic landloss results from the MMS/USGS National Wetlands Research 

Center current coastal pipeline impacts study for the Louisiana area, the predicted landloss from the 

estimated 64-94 km (40-58 mi) of new OCS pipeline construction ranges from approximately 256-376 ha 

(633-929 ac) total over the 40-year analysis period. This estimate does not take into account the current 

regulatory programs, modern construction techniques and mitigations, or any new techniques that might 

be developed in the future. The modern construction techniques and mitigation measures result in zero 

(0) to negligible impacts on wetland habitats. 

The current MMS/USGS pipeline study is continuing to develop models that will aid in quantifying 

habitat loss associated with OCS activities. Proposed Lease Sale 207 represents about 3-4 percent of the 

OCS impacts that will occur during the period 2007-2046. The cumulative effects of human and natural 

activities in the coastal area have severely degraded the deltaic processes and shifted the coastal area from 

a condition of net land building to one of net landloss. Deltaic Louisiana is expected to continue to 

experience the greatest loss of wetland habitat. Wetland loss is also expected to continue in other Gulf 

States, including Texas, but at slower rates. The loss of 0-8 ha (0-20 ac) of wetlands habitat is estimated 

as a result of 0-2 km (0-1.2 mi) of new onshore pipelines projected as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207. 

Secondary impacts from proposed Lease Sale 207 to wetlands would be primarily from vessel traffic 

corridors and will continue to cause approximately 2.25-3.61 ac/yr of landloss for proposed Lease Sale 

207. However, effective mitigation and construction techniques have been and would be used to prevent 

or minimize landloss. 

The Government Accountability Office (2007) recently reviewed the range of wetlands restoration 

and shoreline stabilization techniques and methods that are available to retard landloss in Louisiana. In 

addition, the State of Louisiana has made provision for wetlands protection and restoration part of the 

States’ plan for hurricane protection. The Louisiana State legislature established the Coastal Protection 

and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and charged it with coordinating the efforts of local, State, and Federal 

agencies to achieve long-term and comprehensive coastal protection and restoration that integrates flood 

control and wetland restoration. The following four objectives were defined for the plan: reduce the risk 

to economic assets; restore sustainability to the coastal ecosystem; maintain a diverse array of habitats for 

fish and wildlife; and sustain Louisiana’s unique heritage and culture. The Final Master Plan (State of 

Louisiana, CPRA, 2007) was submitted to the Louisiana legislature on April 30, 2007, and was approved 

on May 30, 2007.

A search of Internet information sources (Bernier et al., 2006; Clark and LaGrone, 2006; FDEP, 2005 

and 2007; USDOI, GS, 2007b-e), as well as an interview with a person from USGS (Cahoon, personal 

communication, 2007), was conducted to determine the availability of recent information. Various 

Internet sources were examined to assess recent information regarding wetland loss or potential new 
Environmental Assessment 29 

threats to coastal wetlands that may be pertinent to the WPA. The search revealed a recent study 

indicating the very structure of coastal wetlands will likely be altered by sea-level rise, as community 

shifts will be governed by the responses of individual species to new environmental conditions (Spalding 

and Hester, 2007). While this information is not new, the study did explore, through the use of controlled 

experiments, how the variance in flooding regime, salinities, and the particular plant species involved 

may evolve in different coastal environments than presently exist. Other findings related to changes in 

State-mandated coastal policies addressing wetland protection, restoration, preservation, and 

development. John Barras with the USGS Wetland Resources Center noted that, while the current 

wetland loss numbers cited in the Multisale EIS have not changed significantly, marsh recovery (or land 

gain) varies from location to location. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for wetlands presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the 

additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that would alter 

the impact conclusion for wetlands presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the 

potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on wetlands is not required. The analysis and potential 

impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.3.3. Seagrass Communities 

The description of the biology and distribution of seagrass can be found in Chapter 3.2.1.3 of the 

Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed 

Lease Sale 207 on seagrass can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.3.3, 4.4.3.3, and 4.5.3.3 of the Multisale EIS, 

respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the 

Multisale EIS. 

The routine activities associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 that could adversely affect seagrass 

communities include construction of pipelines, canals, navigation channels, and shore facilities; 

maintenance dredging; vessel traffic (propeller scars, etc.); and oil spills, spill-response, and cleanup 

activities. Environmental permit requirements for locating pipelines will result in very minimal impact on 

seagrass if any new pipeline runs to shore due to proposed Lease Sale 207. Impacts from routine 

activities resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 are expected to have negligible effects on seagrass 

communities. 

Pipeline construction in coastal waters would temporarily elevate turbidity in nearby submerged 

vegetation beds, depending upon currents. If constructed, the pipeline landfall would temporarily elevate 

turbidity in submerged vegetation beds near the pipeline routes. The COE and State permit requirements 

are expected to require pipeline routes that avoid beds of high-salinity, submerged vegetation and to 

reduce turbidity impacts to within tolerable limits. Hence, impacts on submerged vegetation by pipeline 

installation are projected to be very small and short term. 

After bottom sediments are disturbed by pipeline installation, they will be generally more easily 

suspended by storms than before the disturbance. Due to tidal flushing increased turbidity in estuaries is 

projected to be below significant levels. 

Dredging generates the greatest overall risk to submerged vegetation, and hurricanes cause direct 

damage to seagrass beds, which may fail to recover in the presence of cumulative stresses. Maintenance 

dredging will not have a significant impact on existing seagrass habitat given that no new channels are 

expected to be dredged as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207. Increased dredging is expected only in 

areas that do not support seagrass beds. 

Vessel traffic will generally only pose a risk to seagrass when nearshore. Beds of submerged 

vegetation within a navigation channel’s area of influence will have already adjusted their bed 

configurations in response to turbidity generated there. Very little, if any, damage would then occur as a 

result of typical channel traffic. Generally, propeller wash will not resuspend sediments in navigation 

channels beyond pre-project conditions. 

Depending upon the submerged plant species involved, narrow prop scars in dense portions of the 

beds will take 1-7 years to recover. Scars through sparser areas will take 10 years or more to recover. 

The recovery period increases with the width of the scar. Extensive damage to a broad area or damage to 

an already stressed area may never recover (Sargent et al., 1995; Durako et al., 1992). 

Most seagrass communities are located behind barrier islands. Because of the location of most 

seagrass communities, inshore oil spills pose the most severe threat. Such spills may result from either 

vessel collisions that release fuel and lubricants or from pipelines that rupture. If an oil slick settles into a 
30 Resources and Impact Analysis

protective embayment where seagrass beds are found, shading may cause reduced chlorophyll production 

and thinning of leaf density. Increased water turbulence due to storms or vessel traffic can break apart the 

surface sheen and disperse some oil into the water column, potentially causing some dieback of leaves for 

one growing season. It may take as much as 5-10 years of community succession before faunal 

composition resembles pre-impact conditions. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. 

Various Internet sources were examined to determine any recent information regarding seagrass. Sources 

investigated include the USGS National Wetlands Research Center, the USGS Gulf of Mexico Integrated 

Science Data Information Management System, Gulf of Mexico Alliance workshops in spring of 2007, 

Florida Department of Environmental Protection, USEPA, and coastal universities. Other sites were 

checked using general Internet searches based on major themes. New information was identified from 

these sources and is discussed below. 

Workshops held by the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in the spring of 2007 revealed new studies of 

seagrass on the Texas coast. Hardegree (2007) highlighted declines in seagrass in Christmas Bay and the 

Lower Laguna Madre. He also analyzed propeller scarring, recovery, and regulation. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for seagrass presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the 

additional information presented above. This new information supports previous assessments. No new 

significant information was discovered that would alter the impact conclusion for seagrass presented in 

the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on 

seagrass is not required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for 

proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.4. Sensitive Offshore Benthic Resources 

4.2.4.1. Continental Shelf Benthic Resources 

4.2.4.1.1. Topographic Features 

The description of the biology of topographic features can be found in Chapter 3.2.2.1.2 of the 

Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed 

Lease Sale 207 on topographic features can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.4.1.1, 4.4.4.1.2, and 4.5.4.1.2 of 

the Multisale EIS, respectively. A description of the Topographic Features Stipulation governing oil and 

gas activities near these features can be found in Chapter 2.4.1.3.1 of the Multisale EIS. The following 

information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

Potential OCS-related impacts include the anchoring of vessels, emplacement of oil and gas 

structures, operational discharges (drilling mud and cuttings, and produced waters), blowouts, oil spills, 

and removal of structures. Activities causing mechanical disturbance or direct contact represent the 

greatest threat to the topographic features. This would, however, be prevented by the continued 

application of the Topographic Features Stipulation. Named topographic features from the northern Gulf 

of Mexico are shown in Figure 6. 
Environmental Assessment 31 

Figure 6. Named Topographic Features in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. 

Non-OCS activities are thought to have the greatest potential of impacting the topographic features, 

particularly those that could mechanically disrupt the bottom (such as anchoring and treasure-hunting 

activities). Natural events such as hurricanes or the collapse of the tops of the topographic features 

(through dissolution of the underlying salt structure) could cause severe impacts. Impacts from scuba 

diving, fishing, ocean dumping, and discharges or spills from tankering of imported oil are likely to have 

little or no impact on the topographic features because these activities are either controlled, prohibited, or 

take place on the surface; therefore, they would not pose a hazard to the Flower Gardens National Marine 

Sanctuary and other topographic features. 

It is assumed that a resuspension of sediments or a subsurface oil spill following a blowout could 

reach the biota of a topographic feature. If this were to occur, the impacts would be primarily sublethal 

with the disruption or impairment of a few elements at the local scale, but no interference to the general 

system performance would occur. Oil spills can cause damage to benthic organisms when the oil contacts 

organisms. In the unlikely event that oil from a subsurface spill would reach the biota of a topographic 

feature, the effects would be primarily sublethal for corals and much of the other fully developed biota. It 

is anticipated that potential recovery for such an event would occur within a period of 2 years (USDOC, 

NOAA, Office of Response and Restoration, 2007; Shigenaka, 2001; Rice et al., 1983). In the highly 

unlikely event that oil from a subsurface spill reached an area containing coral cover (e.g., Flower Garden 

Banks and Stetson Bank) in lethal concentrations, the impacted area would be small, but its recovery 

could take in excess of 10 years. However, due to the application of the proposed Topographic Features 
32 Resources and Impact Analysis

Stipulation, blowouts would not occur in the immediate vicinity of the topographic features and 

associated biota. Therefore, there would be little impact on the features. 

The incremental contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 (as analyzed in Chapter 4.2.1.1.4.1.1 of the 

Multisale EIS) to the cumulative impact is negligible because of the implementation of the Topographic 

Features Stipulation limits mechanical impacts and operational discharges. Furthermore, there is a low 

probability and low risk of accidental OCS-related events such as blowouts and oil spills occurring in the 

immediate vicinity of a topographic feature. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. 

Various Internet sources were examined to identify any recent information regarding topographic 

features. Sources investigated include USGS National Wetlands Research Center, USGS Gulf of Mexico 

Integrated Science Data Management System, Gulf of Mexico Alliance workshops held in spring 2007, 

NOAA, USEPA, and coastal universities. Other sites were found through general Internet searches. 

One ongoing study reports some preliminary results that indicate small shifts in benthic cover 

including an increase in algae and decrease in sponges on Sonnier Bank (Rooker et al., in preparation). 

They also report some shifts in fish community composition and extralimital occurrences of the hard coral 

Acropora that is typically found in tropical reef systems. Shifts of fish community structure were likely 

caused by Hurricane Rita in September 2005, and the identification of extralimital corals in the Flower 

Garden Banks has been suggested as evidence for warmer waters in the general area (Zimmer, et al., 

2006). 

The MMS has conducted studies of select topographic features since Hurricane Rita passed directly 

over the Flower Garden Banks. Long-term monitoring has continued on a yearly basis at the East and 

West Flower Garden Banks through an equal partnership between MMS and NOAA’s National Marine 

Sanctuary program. This monitoring not only expands MMS’s knowledge and understanding of the 

Flower Garden Banks ecosystem, but it also improves the foundation from which management decisions 

are made. Another MMS study, Post-Hurricane Assessment of Sensitive Habitats of the Flower Garden 

Banks Vicinity (Precht et al., in preparation (a)), is investigating hurricane effects at the East Flower 

Garden, Sonnier, McGrail, Geyer, and Bright Banks. Initial assessment of the East Flower Garden Bank 

reveals mechanical damage from Hurricane Rita and a significant bleaching event (up to 46% of corals). 

This was followed by an outbreak of coral disease affecting up to 8 percent of corals at the East Flower 

Garden Bank. These are the most severe recorded outbreaks of bleaching and disease at the Flower 

Garden Banks. Other preliminary results suggest little hurricane damage to McGrail, Geyer, and Bright 

Banks but severe damage at Sonnier Bank (Precht et al., in preparation (a)). Speculation is that Sonnier 

Bank was more affected because of its shallower depth and position on the east side of the storm track. It 

is also thought that repeated anchor damage has affected Sonnier Bank. Community recovery is expected 

to take at least 5 years if further anchor damage is prevented. Monitoring at the Flower Garden Banks in 

2006 and 2007 showed good recovery of corals with no significant deterioration of community health 

(Precht et al., 2006; Precht et al., in preparation (b)). 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for topographic features presented in the Multisale EIS, based 

on the additional information presented above. This new information documents the potential, somewhat 

severe impact caused by natural events, especially the cumulative impacts of hurricanes. However, OCSrelated oil and gas impacts remain unchanged and previous assessments are still accurate. No new 

significant information was discovered that would alter the impact conclusion for topographic features 

presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 

207 on topographic features is not required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale 

EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.4.2. Continental Slope and Deepwater Resources 

4.2.4.2.1. Chemosynthetic Deepwater Benthic Communities 

The description of the biology, life history, and distribution of chemosynthetic deepwater benthic 

communities can be found in Chapter 3.2.2.2.1 of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the 

routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on chemosynthetic communities 

can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.4.2.1, 4.4.4.2.1, and 4.5.4.2 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The 

following information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the Multisale EIS. The 

location of known chemosynthetic communities in the northern Gulf of Mexico is shown in Figure 7. 
Environmental Assessment 33 

Figure 7. Known Chemosynthetic Communities in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. 

Chemosynthetic communities are susceptible to physical impacts from structure placement (including 

templates or subsea completions), anchoring, pipeline installation, or from a blowout depending on 

bottom-current conditions. The guidance provided in NTL 2000-G20 greatly reduces the risk of these 

physical impacts by establishing standardized avoidance procedures for potential chemosynthetic 

communities identified during the plan and permit approval processes by such methods as geophysical 

survey records or photodocumentation.

If the presence of a high-density community was missed using existing procedures, potentially severe 

or catastrophic impacts could occur due to raking of the sea bottom by anchors and anchor chains from 

floating structures and partial or complete burial by mud and cuttings associated with pre-riser discharges 

or some types of riserless drilling. Variations in the dispersal and toxicity of synthetic-based drilling 

fluids may contribute to the potential areal extent of these impacts. The severity of such an impact is such 

that there would be incremental losses of productivity, reproduction, community relationships, and overall 

ecological functions of the community, and incremental damage to ecological relationships with the 

surrounding benthos. Impacts on chemosynthetic communities from any accidental release of oil would 

be a remote possibility. 

Impacts on deepwater communities in the Gulf of Mexico from sources other than OCS activities are 

considered negligible. The incremental contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 to the cumulative impact 

is expected to be slight, and to result from the effects of the possible impacts caused by physical 

disturbance of the seafloor and minor impacts from sediment resuspension. 

Proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected to cause little damage to the ecological function or biological 

productivity of the widespread, low-density chemosynthetic communities. NTL 2000-G20 expects an 

avoidance distance of a minimum 1,500 ft (457 m) for the rarer, widely scattered, high-density, Bush Hilltype chemosynthetic communities. This avoidance distance reduces most impacts from drilling 

discharges and resuspended sediments. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. A 

search of Internet information sources (including scientific journals) as well as interviews with personnel 

from academic institutions and governmental resource agencies was conducted to determine the 

availability of new information. In addition, there is an ongoing MMS/National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration Office of Ocean Exploration (NOAA-OE) co-sponsored research project, 

Investigations of Chemosynthetic Communities on the Lower Continental Slope of the Gulf of Mexico, 
34 Resources and Impact Analysis

specifically targeting chemosynthetic communities in the deep GOM (USDOI, MMS, 2006). This study 

was referenced in the Multisale EIS and is being tracked. Some new chemosynthetic communities were 

discovered in 2006 and 2007; however, they were located with the surveys required by the biological 

review process for plans or pipeline applications to determine the proximity of areas with potential 

chemosynthetic communities. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for chemosynthetic communities presented in the Multisale 

EIS, based on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was 

discovered that would alter the impact conclusion for chemosynthetic communities presented in the 

Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on 

chemosynthetic communities is not required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale 

EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.4.2.2. Nonchemosynthetic Deepwater Benthic Communities 

The description of the biology, life history, and distribution of nonchemosynthetic deepwater benthic 

communities can be found in Chapter 3.2.2.2.2 of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the 

routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on nonchemosynthetic 

communities can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.4.2.2, 4.4.4.2.2, and 4.5.4.2 of the Multisale EIS, 

respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the 

Multisale EIS. 

Some impact on soft-bottom, benthic communities from drilling and production activities would 

occur as a result of physical contact (crushing, burial) resulting from structure placement (including 

templates or subsea completions), anchoring, and installation of pipelines regardless of their locations. 

Megafauna and infauna communities at or below the sediment/water interface would be impacted from 

the muds and cuttings normally discharged at the seafloor at the start of every new well prior to riser 

installation. The impact from muds and cuttings discharged at the surface is expected to be low in deep 

water. Drilling muds would not be expected to reach the bottom in significant accumulations beyond a 

few hundred meters from the surface-discharge location, and cuttings would be dispersed. Even in 

situations where substantial burial of typical benthic infaunal communities occurred, recolonization from 

populations from neighboring soft-bottom substrate would be expected over a relatively short period of 

time for all size ranges of organisms, in a matter of days for bacteria, and probably less than 1 year for 

most all macrofauna species. Most benthic invertebrates have some adaptive strategy to avoid burial by 

sudden pulses of sediment having thicknesses less than approximately 1 ft (0.3 m) (USDOI, MMS, 2005; 

page 68). 

Deepwater coral habitats and other potential hard-bottom communities not associated with 

chemosynthetic communities appear to be relatively rare. These unique communities are distinctive and 

similar in nature to protected topographic features on the continental shelf. Any hard substrate 

communities located in deep water would be particularly sensitive to impacts from OCS activities. 

Impacts on these sensitive habitats could permanently prevent recolonization with similar organisms 

requiring hard substrate. 

Accidental events resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 are expected to cause little damage to the 

ecological function or biological productivity of the widespread, typical, deep-sea benthic communities. 

Some impact on benthic communities would occur as a result of an accidental blowout. Megafauna and 

infauna communities at or below the sediment/water interface would be impacted by the physical 

disturbance of a blowout or by burial from resuspended sediments. Even in situations where substantial 

burial of typical benthic communities occurred due to a blowout, recolonization from populations from 

neighboring substrate would be expected over a relatively short period of time for all size ranges of 

organisms in the same timeframes as described above. 

Impacts on deepwater communities in the Gulf of Mexico from sources other than OCS activities are 

considered negligible. The incremental contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 to the cumulative impact 

is expected to be slight, and to result from the effects of the possible impacts caused by physical 

disturbance of the seafloor and minor impacts from sediment resuspension. 

Proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected to cause little damage to the ecological function or biological 

productivity of the widespread, typical soft-bottom, deep-sea benthic communities. Impacts on other 

hard-bottom communities are expected to be avoided as a consequence of the application of the existing 

NTL 2000-G20 for chemosynthetic communities. The same geochemical conditions associated with the 
Environmental Assessment 35 

potential presence of chemosynthetic communities also results in the establishment of hard carbonate 

substrate that is generally avoided by burrowing infauna. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. A 

search of Internet information sources (including scientific journals) as well as interviews with personnel 

from academic institutions and governmental resource agencies was conducted to determine availability 

of new information. 

Interest in deepwater corals has increased rapidly in the last decade as more coral systems are 

discovered worldwide and their importance in providing habitat for diverse communities is realized. The 

MMS recently published two studies on hard-bottom communities with an emphasis on the coral 

Lophelia. The following are summaries of the results of these two studies, which will be used to develop 

additional studies of hard-bottom habitats in the deep Gulf of Mexico and which will also enhance the 

ability of MMS to protect sensitive, deepwater biological features. 

The report, Characterization of Northern Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Hard-Bottom Communities with 

Emphasis on Lophelia Coral (CSA, 2007), presents the results of a study of 10 sites on the northern Gulf 

of Mexico continental slope consisting of hard-bottom areas that generally include dense assemblages of 

the coral Lophelia pertusa. Study elements include geological characterization; biological 

characterization, imaging, and sampling; water chemistry; and physical oceanography including shortterm and long-term current meter deployments. This was the first comprehensive study of the distribution 

of Lophelia pertusa and its biology and ecology in the Gulf of Mexico. Results suggest that Lophelia 

pertusa plays a significant role in the ecology of deepwater, hard-bottom habitats on the upper slope. 

In addition, there is an ongoing MMS/NOAA-OE co-sponsored research project, Investigations of 

Chemosynthetic Communities on the Lower Continental Slope of the Gulf of Mexico, which also looked at 

other hard bottoms including nonchemosynthetic communities (USDOI, MMS, 2006). This study was 

referenced in the Multisale EIS and is being tracked. Some new deepwater coral communities were 

discovered in 2006 and 2007; however, they were located with the surveys required by the biological 

review process for plans or pipeline applications to determine the proximity of areas with potential 

chemosynthetic communities that also incorporates hard bottom and potential deepwater coral habitats. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for nonchemosynthetic deepwater benthic communities 

presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the additional information presented above. No new significant 

information was discovered that would alter the impact conclusion for nonchemosynthetic deepwater 

benthic communities presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the potential impacts of 

proposed Lease Sale 207 on nonchemosynthetic, deepwater benthic communities is not required. The 

analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.5. Marine Mammals 

The description of the biology, life history, and distribution of marine mammals in the Gulf of 

Mexico can be found in Chapter 3.2.3 of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, 

accidental and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on marine mammals can be found in 

Chapters 4.2.1.5, 4.4.5, and 4.5.5 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following information is a 

summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

Potential effects on marine mammal species may occur from routine activities associated with 

proposed Lease Sale 207 and may be direct or indirect. The major impact-producing factors affecting 

marine mammals as a result of routine OCS activities include the degradation of water quality from 

operational discharges; noise generated by helicopters, vessels, operating platforms, and drillships; vessel 

traffic; explosive structure removals; seismic surveys; and marine debris from service vessels and OCS 

structures. 

Small numbers of marine mammals could be killed or injured by a collision with a service vessel; 

however, current MMS requirements and guidelines for vessel operation in the vicinity of protected 

species should minimize this risk (the proposed Protected Species Lease Stipulation and NTL 2007-G04). 

Marine mammal ingestion of industry-generated debris, which is accidentally lost, is a concern. 

Sperm whales may be particularly at risk because of their suspected feeding behavior involving cruising 

along the bottom with their mouth open. Entanglement in debris could have serious consequences. A 

sperm whale could suffer diminished feeding and reproductive success, and potential injury, infection, 

and death from entanglement in lost packing materials or debris. Industry has made good progress in 

debris management on vessels and offshore structures in the last several years. The debris awareness 
36 Resources and Impact Analysis

training, instruction, and placards required by the proposed Protected Species Lease Stipulation and NTL 

2007-G03 are intended to greatly minimize the amount of debris that is accidentally lost overboard by 

offshore personnel. 

There is no conclusive evidence that anthropogenic noise has or has not caused long-term 

displacements of, or reductions in, marine mammal populations. Noise associated with proposed Lease 

Sale 207, including drilling noise, aircraft, and vessels, may affect marine mammals by eliciting a startle 

response or by masking other underwater sounds necessary for proper feeding or reproductive success. 

However, many of the industry-related sounds are believed to be out of, or on the limits of, marine 

mammal hearing, and the sounds are also generally temporary. The continued presence of sperm whales 

in close proximity to some of the deepwater structures in the GOM tends to lessen the concern of 

permanent displacement by disturbances caused by activity in support of offshore drilling or production. 

Seismic operations have the potential to harm marine mammals in close proximity to firing airgun 

arrays, especially if they are directly beneath airguns when surveying begins. The proposed Protected 

Species Lease Stipulation and several mitigation measures, including onboard observers and airgun shutdowns for whales in the exclusion zone, included in NTL 2007-G02, “Implementation of Seismic Survey 

Mitigation Measures and Protected Species Observer Program,” minimize the potential of harm from 

seismic operations to marine mammals. 

Marine mammal death or injury is not expected from explosive structure-removal operations. 

Existing mitigations and those recently developed for structures placed in oceanic waters should continue 

to minimize adverse effects to marine mammals from these activities. 

Contaminants in waste discharges and drilling muds might indirectly affect marine mammals through 

food-chain biomagnification. Although the scope and magnitude of such effects are not known, direct or 

indirect effects are not expected to be lethal. 

Routine activities related to Lease Sale 207, particularly when mitigated as required by MMS, are not 

expected to have long-term adverse effects on the size and productivity of any marine mammal species or 

population endemic to the northern GOM. 

Accidental blowouts, oil spills, and spill-response activities potentially resulting from Lease Sale 207 

could impact marine mammals in the GOM. Characteristics of impacts (i.e., acute vs. chronic impacts) 

depend on the magnitude, frequency, location, and date of accidents; characteristics of spilled oil; spillresponse capabilities and timing; and various meteorological and hydrological factors. Populations of 

marine mammals in the northern Gulf will be exposed to residual oils spilled as a result of Lease Sale 207 

during their lifetimes; however, chronic or acute exposure is not expected to harass, harm, or have lethal 

or sublethal effects on marine mammals in the northern Gulf. Marine mammals made no apparent 

attempt to avoid spilled oil in some cases (Smultea and Würsig, 1995); however, marine mammals have 

been observed apparently detecting and avoiding slicks in other reports (Geraci and St. Aubin, 1987). 

Exposure to hydrocarbons persisting in the sea following the dispersal of a large oil slick is likely to result 

in sublethal impacts (e.g., decreased health, reproductive fitness, and longevity; and increased 

vulnerability to disease) to marine mammals. 

Activities considered under the cumulative scenario could affect protected cetaceans and sirenians 

(manatees). Manatees, known to have occurred in the warm waters of Lake Pontchartrain in the weeks 

before Hurricane Katrina (Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2005), are generally extralimital in 

western Louisiana and Texas and are rare in waters of the WPA. Protected cetaceans could be impacted 

by the degradation of water quality resulting from operational discharges, vessel traffic, noise generated 

by platforms, drillships, helicopters and vessels, seismic surveys, explosive structure removals, oil spills, 

oil-spill-response activities, loss of debris from service vessels and OCS structures, commercial fishing, 

capture and removal, and pathogens. 

The cumulative impact on marine mammals is expected to result in a number of chronic and sporadic 

sublethal effects (behavioral effects and nonfatal exposure to or intake of OCS-related contaminants or 

debris) that may stress and/or weaken individuals of a local group or population and predispose them to 

infection from natural or anthropogenic sources. Few deaths are expected from oil spills, chance 

collisions with OCS service vessels, ingestion of plastic material, commercial fishing, and pathogens. Oil 

spills of any size are estimated to be recurring events that would periodically contact marine mammals. 

Deaths as a result of structure removals are not expected to occur due to mitigation measures (e.g., NMFS 

Observer Program). Disturbance (noise from vessel traffic and drilling operations, etc.) and/or exposure 

to sublethal levels of toxins and anthropogenic contaminants may stress animals, weaken their immune 
Environmental Assessment 37 

systems, and make them more vulnerable to parasites and diseases that normally would not be fatal. The 

net result of any disturbance would be dependent upon the size and percentage of the population likely to 

be affected, the ecological importance of the disturbed area, the environmental and biological parameters 

that influence an animal’s sensitivity to disturbance and stress, or the accommodation time in response to 

prolonged disturbance (Geraci and St. Aubin, 1980). Collisions between cetaceans and ships, although 

expected to be rare events, could cause serious injury or mortality. Natural phenomenon, such as tropical 

storms and hurricanes, are impossible to predict, but they are expected in the GOM. Generally, the 

offshore species and the offshore habitat are not expected to have been severely affected in the long term. 

Species that occupy more nearshore habitats, however, may have suffered more long-term impacts. 

Effects of the incremental contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207, combined with non-OCS 

activities, may be deleterious to cetaceans occurring in the GOM. Biological significance of any 

mortality would depend, in part, on the size and reproductive rates of the affected stocks, as well as the 

number, age, and size of animals affected. 

The ESA (16 U.S.C. 1631 et seq.), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), establishes a national policy 

designed to protect and conserve threatened and endangered species and the ecosystems upon which they 

depend. The ESA is administered by FWS and NMFS. Section 7 of the ESA governs interagency 

cooperation and consultation. Under Section 7, MMS consults with FWS and NMFS to ensure that OCS 

activities under MMS jurisdiction do not jeopardize the continued existence of threatened or endangered 

species and/or result in adverse modification or destruction of their critical habitat. 

The formal consultation with NMFS was concluded with receipt of the Biological Opinion (BO) on 

July 3, 2007 (USDOC, NMFS, 2007a). The BO concludes that the proposed lease sales and associated 

activities in the GOM in the 2007-2012 OCS Leasing Program, which includes Lease Sale 207, are not 

likely to jeopardize the continued existence of threatened and endangered species under NMFS 

jurisdiction or destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat. 

Section 7(b)(4)(c) of the ESA specifies that, in order to provide an incidental take statement for an 

endangered or threatened species of marine mammal, the taking must be authorized under Section 

101(a)(5) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Since no incidental take of listed marine 

mammals is expected or has been authorized under Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA and/or its 1994 

amendments (see ESA Section 7(b)(4)(C)), no statement on incidental take of endangered whales is 

provided and no take is authorized. Nevertheless, MMS must immediately notify (within 24 hours, if 

communication is possible) the NMFS’ Office of Protected Resources should a take of a listed marine 

mammal occur. 

On December 26, 2002, MMS submitted a request for 5-year regulations under the MMPA for the 

taking, by harassment, of sperm whales incidental to the oil and gas industry’s seismic surveys to 

discover oil and gas deposits offshore in the GOM. The NMFS published an Advance Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking regarding the small take authorization on March 3, 2003 (68 FR 9991). Following 

issuance of such regulations under the MMPA, NMFS will amend this opinion to include any authorized 

incidental take of sperm whales, as may be appropriate at that time. 

The NMFS believes that a small number of listed species will experience adverse effects as the result 

of exposure to a large oil spill or ingestion of accidentally spilled oil over the lifetime of the action. 

Spilled oil resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 could take up to 11 nonlethal takes of sperm whales 

over the 40-year lifetime of the proposed lease sale. However, NMFS is not including an incidental take 

statement for the incidental take of listed species due to oil exposure. Incidental take, as defined at 50 

CFR 402.02, refers only to takings that result from an otherwise lawful activity. The Clean Water Act (33 

U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) prohibits 

discharges of harmful quantities of oil, as defined at 40 CFR 110.3, into waters of the United States. 

Therefore, even though the BO considered the effects on listed species by oil spills that may result from 

proposed Lease Sale 207, those takings that would result from an unlawful activity (i.e., oil spills) are not 

specified in this Incidental Take Statement and have no protective coverage under Section 7(o)(2) of the 

ESA. 

The following information was present in the BO, but not in the Multisale EIS. Based on NOAA 

surveys, opportunistic sightings, whaling catches, and stranding records, sperm whales in the GOM occur 

year-round. Sperm whales appear to favor water depths of about 1,000 m (3,281 ft) and appear to be 

concentrated in at least two geographic regions of the northern GOM: an area off the Dry Tortugas and 
38 Resources and Impact Analysis

offshore of the Mississippi River delta (Maze-Foley and Mullin, 2006); however, distribution also appears 

influenced by occurrence and movement of cyclonic/anticyclonic currents in the GOM. 

The FWS and MMS have consulted informally per FWS guidance on proposed Lease Sale 207. As a 

result, there were no new mitigations or Terms and Conditions from FWS. 

A recent report presents the results of a study that collected dive patterns of sperm whales in the 

Atlantic Ocean to compare with the dive patterns and social structure of sperm whales in the Gulf of 

Mexico (Palka and Johnson, 2007). The study started a baseline of line transect, photo-identification, 

oceanographic, and genetic data for the Atlantic sperm whale. Compared with the Delta region in the 

Gulf of Mexico, parts of the Atlantic Ocean may serve as a control population of sperm whales with little 

exposure to sounds of oil- and gas-related activities. The study found Gulf of Mexico sperm whales 

follow a foraging and socializing cycle similar to that seen for the North Atlantic whales, but North 

Atlantic sperm whales dive significantly deeper (average 934 m (3,064 ft) compared with 639 m (2,096 

ft) for GOM whales) when foraging (Palka and Johnson, 2007). 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for marine mammals presented in the Multisale EIS, based on 

the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that would 

alter the impact conclusion for marine mammals presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis 

of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on marine mammals is not required. The analysis 

and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.6. Sea Turtles 

The description of the biology, life history, and distribution of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico can 

be found in Chapter 3.2.4 of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and 

cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on sea turtles can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.6, 4.4.6, and 

4.5.6 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis 

incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

Routine activities resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 have the potential to harm sea turtles. 

These animals could be impacted by the degradation of water quality resulting from operational 

discharges; noise generated by seismic exploration, helicopter and vessel traffic, platforms and platform 

lighting, and drillships; vessel collisions; and marine debris generated by service vessels and OCS 

facilities. Lethal effects are most likely to be from chance collisions with OCS service vessels and 

ingestion of plastic materials. Most OCS activities are expected to have sublethal effects. 

Contaminants in waste discharges and drilling muds might indirectly affect sea turtles through foodchain biomagnification, but there is uncertainty concerning the possible effects. Rapid dilution of the 

discharges should minimize impact. Chronic sublethal effects (e.g., stress) resulting in persistent 

physiological or behavioral changes and/or avoidance of impacted areas from noise disturbance could 

cause declines in survival or fecundity and result in population declines; however, such declines are not 

expected. The required seismic operation mitigations, particularly clearance of the impact area of sea 

turtles prior to ramp-up, and the subsequent gradual ramping up of the airguns, should minimize the 

impact of rapid onset of, and close proximity to, very loud noise. Vessel traffic is a serious threat to sea 

turtles. Diligence on the part of vessel operators, as encouraged by the vessel strike mitigations, should 

minimize vessel/sea turtle collisions. Actual sea turtle impacts from explosive removals in recent years 

have been small. The updated pre- and post-detonation mitigations should ensure that injuries remain 

extremely rare. Brightly lit offshore platforms can attract and disorient turtle hatchlings. Greatly 

improved handling of waste and trash by industry, along with the annual awareness training required by 

the marine debris mitigations, is decreasing the occurrence of plastics in the ocean and minimizing the 

devastating effects on sea turtles that may ingest plastic, mistaking it for food. The routine activities of 

proposed Lease Sale 207 are unlikely to have significant adverse effects on the size and recovery of any 

sea turtle species or population in the GOM. 

Accidental blowouts, oil spills, and spill-response activities resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 

have the potential to impact small to large numbers of sea turtles in the GOM, depending on the 

magnitude and frequency of accidents, the ability to respond to accidents, the location and date of 

accidents, and various meteorological and hydrological factors. Populations of sea turtles in the northern 

Gulf could be exposed to residuals of oil accidentally spilled as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207 

during their lifetimes. Chronic or acute exposure may result in the harassment, harm, or mortality of sea 

turtles occurring in the northern Gulf. In most foreseeable cases, exposure to hydrocarbons persisting in 
Environmental Assessment 39 

the sea following the dispersal of an oil slick will result in sublethal impacts (e.g., decreased health, 

reproductive fitness, and longevity; and increased vulnerability to disease) to sea turtles. Sea turtle 

hatchling exposure to, fouling by, or consumption of tarballs persisting in the sea following the dispersal 

of an oil slick would likely be fatal. Ingestion of floating plastics that could be mistaken for a favorite 

food source—jellyfish—can bind the digestive system and weaken the animal, making it susceptible to 

starvation or infection. 

Activities considered under the cumulative scenario may harm sea turtles and their habitats. Those 

activities include structure installation, dredging, water quality and habitat degradation, OCS-related 

marine debris, vessel traffic, seismic surveys, explosive structure removals, oil spills, oil-spill-response 

activities, natural catastrophes, pollution, dredge operations, vessel collisions, commercial and 

recreational fishing, human consumption, beach lighting, and power plant entrainment. Sea turtles could 

be killed or injured by chance collision with vessels or eating foreign materials mistaken for food. It is 

expected that deaths as a result of structure removals would rarely occur because of mitigation measures. 

The presence of, and noise produced by, service vessels and by the construction, operation, and removal 

of drill rigs may cause physiological stress and make animals more susceptible to disease or predation, as 

well as disrupt normal activities. Contaminants in waste discharges and drilling muds might indirectly 

affect sea turtles through food-chain biomagnification. 

Oil spills and oil-spill-response activities are potential threats that may be expected to cause turtle 

deaths. Contact with, and consumption of oil and oil-contaminated prey, may seriously impact turtles. 

Sea turtles have been seriously harmed by oil spills in the past. The majority of OCS activities are 

estimated to be sublethal (behavioral effects and nonfatal exposure to intake of OCS-related contaminants 

or debris). Chronic sublethal effects (e.g., stress) resulting in persistent physiological or behavioral 

changes and/or avoidance of impacted areas could cause declines in survival or productivity, resulting in 

either acute or gradual population declines. However, mitigations currently in place have, and will 

continue to, minimize sea turtle impacts. Natural phenomenon, such as tropical storms and hurricanes, 

are impossible to predict, but they are expected in the GOM. Generally, the offshore species and the 

offshore habitat are not expected to be severely affected in the long-term. However, species that occupy 

habitats nearer to shore and those that use nearshore habitats in the WPA for nesting may suffer more 

long-term impacts. The incremental contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 to the numerous, 

cumulative impacts on sea turtles is not expected to be significant, especially due to mitigations currently 

in place. 

The ESA (16 U.S.C. 1631 et seq.), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), establishes a national policy 

designed to protect and conserve threatened and endangered species and the ecosystems upon which they 

depend. The ESA is administered by FWS and NMFS. Section 7 of the ESA governs interagency 

cooperation and consultation. Under Section 7, MMS consults with FWS and NMFS to ensure that OCS 

activities under MMS jurisdiction do not jeopardize the continued existence of threatened or endangered 

species and/or result in adverse modification or destruction of their critical habitat. 

The formal consultation with NMFS was concluded with receipt of the BO on July 3, 2007 (USDOC, 

NMFS, 2007a). The BO concludes that the proposed lease sales and associated activities in the GOM in 

the 2007-2012 OCS Leasing Program, which includes Lease Sale 207, are not likely to jeopardize the 

continued existence of threatened and endangered species under NMFS jurisdiction, or destroy or 

adversely modify designated critical habitat. The NMFS issued an Incidental Take Statement on sea 

turtle species; the Statement contains reasonable and prudent measures (RPM’s) with implementing terms 

and conditions to help minimize take. 

The NMFS has determined that the following RPM’s are necessary and appropriate to minimize 

impacts of the incidental take of sea turtles from vessel operation. 

(1) The MMS must reduce the potential for sea turtles to be struck and injured by vessels 

operating in support of oil and gas development activities in the GOM. 

(2) The MMS must require the monitoring and reporting of any sea turtles struck or 

observed to have sign of vessel interaction to assess the actual level of incidental take 

in comparison with the anticipated incidental take. 
40 Resources and Impact Analysis

In order to be exempt from liability for take prohibited by Section 9 of the ESA, MMS must comply 

with the following terms and conditions, which implement the RPM’s described above. These terms and 

conditions are nondiscretionary. 

The following terms and conditions implement RPM No. 1. 

(1) The MMS must implement NMFS measures to reduce the risk of accidental vessel 

strikes with sea turtles by use of its legal authorities to ensure implementation of, and 

compliance with NTL No 2007-G04. 

The following terms and conditions implement RPM No. 2. 

(1) The MMS must make information available to vessel operators concerning species 

information on sea turtles in the GOM and reporting of vessel-struck, or injured and 

dead animals. 

(2) The MMS must ensure that all vessel-struck, or injured or dead turtles with 

indications of vessel interactions are reported to the Sea Turtle Stranding Network 

Coordinator in the nearest coastal state. Any takes of listed species shall be reported 

to the NMFS Southeast Regional Office within no more than 24 hours of the incident 

to takereport.nmfsser@noaa.gov. If an MMS action is responsible for the injured or 

dead animals (e.g., because of a vessel strike), MMS shall require the responsible 

parties to assist the respective salvage and stranding network as appropriate. Report 

dead or injured protected species to your local stranding network contacts. 

(3) The MMS must submit an annual report to NMFS Southeast Regional Office 

regarding the reports of vessel-struck sea turtles, and injured or dead sea turtles 

reported from oil and gas operators. Hardcopies of all annual reports will be 

submitted to the following address: 

Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

263 13th Avenue South 

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

The NMFS expects impacts on sea turtles in the proposed lease sale area as a result of OCS oil and 

gas leasing activities. Based on stranding records, incidental captures during recreational and commercial 

fishing operations, scientific surveys, and historical data, the five species of sea turtles are known to occur 

in GOM waters in and around the proposed lease sale area. The vessel strike avoidance requirements 

(NTL 2003-G10) will appreciably reduce the numbers of sea turtles that may be incidentally taken from 

routine offshore vessel operations associated with proposed Lease Sale 207; however, the available 

information on the relationship between these species and OCS oil and gas activities indicates that sea 

turtles may be killed or injured by vessel strikes as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207. Therefore, 

pursuant to Section 7(b)(4) of the ESA, NMFS anticipates incidental take as follows: 

• 119 lethal takes (2.9 individuals annually, on average) and 238 nonlethal takes (5.9 

individuals annually, on average) of loggerhead sea turtles over the 40-year lifetime 

of proposed Lease Sale 207. 

• 10 lethal takes (1 individual every 4 years, on average) and 21 nonlethal takes (1 

individual every 1.9 years, on average) of leatherback sea turtles over the 40-year 

lifetime of proposed Lease Sale 207. 

• 13 lethal takes (1 individual every 3 years, on average) and 26 nonlethal takes (1 

individual every 1.5 years, on average) of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles over the 40-year 

lifetime of proposed Lease Sale 207. 
Environmental Assessment 41 

• 38 lethal takes (1 individual every 1.1 years, on average) and 76 nonlethal takes (1.9 

individuals annually, on average) of green sea turtles over the 40-year lifetime of 

proposed Lease Sale 207. 

• 1 lethal take and 1 nonlethal take of a hawksbill sea turtle over the 40-year lifetime of 

proposed Lease Sale 207. 

If the actual incidental take exceeds this level, MMS must immediately reinitiate formal consultation. 

The NMFS believes that a small number of listed species will experience adverse effects as the result 

of exposure to a large oil spill or ingestion of accidentally spilled oil over the lifetime of proposed Lease 

Sale 207. Spilled oil resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 could take up to 42 lethal and 111 nonlethal 

takes of loggerheads; 2 lethal and 7 nonlethal takes of a leatherback sea turtles; 9 lethal and 16 nonlethal 

takes of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles; and 13 lethal and 36 nonlethal take of green sea turtles over the 40-

year lifetime of the proposed lease sale. However, NMFS is not including an Incidental Take Statement 

for the incidental take of listed species due to oil exposure. Incidental take, as defined at 50 CFR 402.02, 

refers only to takings that result from an otherwise lawful activity. The Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 

et seq.), as amended by OPA (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), prohibits discharges of harmful quantities of oil, as 

defined at 40 CFR 110.3, into waters of the United States. Therefore, even though the BO considered the 

effects on listed species by oil spills that may result from proposed Lease Sale 207, those takings that 

would result from an unlawful activity (i.e., oil spills) are not specified in the Incidental Take Statement 

and have no protective coverage under Section 7(o)(2) of the ESA. 

The FWS and MMS have consulted informally per FWS guidance on Lease Sale 207. As a result, 

there were no new mitigations or Terms and Conditions from FWS. The MMS has reexamined the 

analysis for sea turtles presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the additional information presented 

above. No new significant information was discovered that would alter the impact conclusion for sea 

turtles presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed 

Lease Sale 207 on sea turtles is not required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale 

EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.7. Coastal and Marine Birds 

The description of the biology, life history, and distribution of coastal and marine birds in the Gulf of 

Mexico can be found in Chapter 3.2.5 of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, 

accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on coastal and marine birds can be found 

in Chapters 4.2.1.1.7, 4.4.8, and 4.5.8 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following information is a 

summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

The majority of effects resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 on endangered/threatened and 

nonendangered/nonthreatened coastal and marine birds are expected to be sublethal: behavioral effects, 

sublethal exposure to or intake of OCS-related contaminants or debris, temporary disturbances, and 

displacement of localized groups from impacted habitats. Chronic sublethal stress, however, is often 

undetectable in birds. As a result of stress, individuals may weaken, facilitating infection and disease; 

then, migratory species may not have the strength to reach their destination. Attraction to platform lights 

may result in the circling of platforms, collision with and subsequent stranding on the platform/vessel, 

and wasted use of important energy reserves that causes acute sublethal stress from energy loss, while 

stopovers on platforms would reduce energy loss. No significant habitat impacts are expected to occur 

directly from routine activities resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207. Secondary impacts from pipeline 

and navigation canals to coastal habitats will occur over the long-term and may ultimately displace 

species from traditional sites to alternative sites. 

Oil spills from proposed Lease Sale 207 pose the greatest potential direct and indirect impacts on 

coastal and marine birds. Birds that are heavily oiled are usually killed. If physical oiling of individuals 

or local groups of birds occurs, some degree of both acute and chronic physiological stress associated 

with direct and secondary uptake of oil would be expected. Small coastal spills, pipeline spills, and spills 

from accidents in navigated waterways can contact and affect the different groups of coastal and marine 

birds, most commonly marsh birds, waders, waterfowl, and certain shorebirds. Lightly oiled birds can 

sustain tissue and organ damage from oil ingested during feeding and grooming or from oil that is 

inhaled. Stress, trauma, and shock enhance the effects of exposure and poisoning. Low levels of oil 
42 Resources and Impact Analysis

could stress birds by interfering with food detection, feeding impulses, predator avoidance, territory 

definition, homing of migratory species, susceptibility to physiological disorders, disease resistance, 

growth rates, reproduction, and respiration. Reproductive success can be affected by the toxins in oil. 

Indirect effects occur by fouling of nesting habitat, and displacement of individuals, breeding pairs, or 

populations to less favorable habitats. Competition may displace refugee seabirds from all habitats. 

New research, experience, and testing will help the efficacy of the rehabilitation of oiled birds and 

probably improve scare methods that will keep birds away from an oil slick. Rehabilitation can be 

significant to the survival of threatened and endangered bird species. 

Dispersants used in spill cleanup activity can have toxic effects similar to oil on the reproductive 

success of coastal and marine birds. The air, vehicle, and foot traffic that takes place during shoreline 

cleanup activity can disturb nesting populations and degrade or destroy habitat if not properly regulated. 

Activities considered under the cumulative activities scenario will detrimentally affect coastal and 

marine birds. It is expected that the majority of effects from the major impact-producing factors on 

coastal and marine birds are sublethal (behavioral effects and nonfatal exposure to or intake of OCSrelated contaminants or debris) and will usually cause temporary disturbances and displacement of 

localized groups inshore. The net effect of habitat loss from oil spills, new construction, and maintenance 

and use of pipeline corridors and navigation waterways will alter species composition and reduce the 

overall carrying capacity of disturbed area(s) in general. 

The incremental contributions of proposed Lease Sale 207 (Chapters 4.2.1.1.7 and 4.4.8 of the 

Multisale EIS) to the cumulative impacts on coastal and marine birds is negligible because the effects of 

the most probable impacts, such as sale-related operational discharges and helicopters and service-vessel 

noise and traffic, are estimated to be sublethal, and some displacement of local individuals or groups may 

occur. It is expected that there will be little interaction between oil spills from proposed Lease Sale 207 

and coastal and marine birds. 

The cumulative effect of programmatic activities on coastal and marine birds is expected to result in a 

small but discernible decline in the numbers of birds with associated change in species composition and 

distribution. Some of these changes are expected to be permanent, as exemplified in historic census data, 

and to stem from a net decrease in preferred and/or critical habitat. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. A 

search of Internet bibliographic databases, Google (2007), and OCLC FirstSearch (2007), as well as 

personal interviews with authors of references used in the Multisale EIS was conducted to determine the 

availability of recent information since publication of the Multisale EIS. No new information was 

discovered from these information sources. 

On June 28, 2007, FWS announced the removal of the bald eagle from the list of threatened and 

endangered species (USDOI, FWS, 2007a). The FWS will work with State wildlife agencies to monitor 

eagles for at least 5 years. The FWS can propose to relist the species if it appears that bald eagles again 

need the protection of the Endangered Species Act. The bald eagle will continue to be protected by the 

Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Both Federal laws prohibit 

“taking”—killing, selling, or otherwise harming eagles, their nests, or eggs. 

Authors were contacted and interviewed to investigate any recent published data that may be 

available. A large study of military aircraft and the impacts of noise on birds offshore of California is in 

preparation, but it is not expected out soon (Bowles, personal communication, 2007). Nisbet (personal 

communication, 2007) knows of no new information on the impacts of human disturbance on birds since 

his own work in 2000. Flint (personal communication, 2007) knows of no new published information in 

2006-2007 on the impacts of trash and debris on marine birds, particularly those with which she was 

familiar in the Pacific, including albatrosses at Midway Island. Jankowski (personal communication, 

2007) suggested several articles from online bibliographic databases. 

A literature search found Burger (1997), who reports that exposure to small amounts of oil may 

weaken birds or decrease their body weight so they live for years without problems until they face a 

severe environmental stress that can cause higher mortality rates than in unexposed birds. Burger (1993) 

notes little or no correlation between spill volume and bird mortality; rather, the density of seabirds in the 

affected area, wind conditions, wave action, and distance to the shore may have more effect. Khan and 

Ryan (1991) note substantial mortality in seabirds after attempts at rehabilitation. Sublethal symptoms of 

contamination were numerous and substantial prior to the mortality. Similarly, numerous symptoms were 

found in dead birds on the shore and in birds dying after rehabilitation that were affected by the Prestige
Environmental Assessment 43 

oil spill in Spain on November 19, 2002 (Balseiro et al., 2005). Final major impacts on European shags 

(Phalacrocorax aristotelis) from the Prestige spill probably came in 2003 from a decimated food supply 

of fish (Velando et al., 2005). As oil weathered, the exposure of seabirds to oil from the Exxon Valdez

spill shifted from direct oiling to ingestion with food (Hartung, 1995). 

Parsons (1994) provides the following unique before and after data for impacts of a spill on birds. 

Extensive shoreline and salt marsh were oiled by a January 1990 Exxon spill in the Arthur Kill and Kill 

van Kull estuaries of New York Harbor. Double-crested cormorants had reached their pre-spill 

population growth by 1991. Productivity of herring gulls remained unchanged by the spill. Most heron 

populations increased after the spill. Great black-backed gulls had a loss of abundance. Snowy egrets 

and glossy ibis used salt marsh and mud flat habitat, some of which was oiled. Black-crowned night 

heron and glossy ibis had delayed nesting after the spill, and along with snowy egret showed lower 

reproductive success after the spill. Egg laying and hatching were generally more successful than chickrearing, due to food shortages for chicks. Waterfowl were not affected seriously, except for a short-term 

decline in mallards. 

The piping plover (Charadrius melodus), listed as threatened, is a migratory shorebird that is endemic 

to North America. It winters on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from North Carolina to Mexico and in the 

Bahamas West Indies. Critical wintering habitat includes the land between mean low water and any 

densely vegetated habitat, which is not already used by piping plover. It has been hypothesized that 

specific wintering habitat, which includes coastal sand flats and mud flats in close proximity to large 

inlets or passes, may attract the largest concentrations of piping plovers because of a preferred prey base 

and/or because the substrate coloration provides protection from aerial predators due to chromatic 

matching, or camouflage (Nicholls and Baldassarre, 1990). This species remains in a precarious state 

given its low population numbers, sparse distribution, and continued threats to habitat throughout its 

range. About 2,299 birds were located on the U.S. wintering grounds during the 2001 census (Haig and 

Ferland, 2002). Although the results of the 2006 International Census have not yet been published, 

during that census, 226 piping plovers were counted at 26 sites along 201.7 km in Louisiana (Smith, 

personal communication, 2007). At last count, the species’ Atlantic population was down to fewer than 

1,800 pairs (Barcott, 2007). 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for coastal and marine birds presented in the Multisale EIS, 

based on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that 

would alter the impact conclusion for coastal and marine birds presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a 

new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on coastal and marine birds is not 

required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease 

Sale 207. 

4.2.8. Fish Resources and Essential Fish Habitat 

The description of the biology, life history, and distribution of fish resources and descriptions of 

essential fish habitat (EFH) can be found in Chapter 3.2.8.1 and 3.2.8.2 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. 

A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 

on fish resources and EFH can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.1.8, 4.4.10, and 4.5.10 of the Multisale EIS, 

respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the 

Multisale EIS. 

It is expected that coastal and marine environmental degradation from proposed Lease Sale 207 

would have little effect on fish resources or EFH. The impact of coastal and marine environmental 

degradation is expected to cause an undetectable decrease in fish resources or in EFH. Fish resources and 

EFH are expected to recover from more than 99 percent, but not all, of the expected coastal and marine 

environmental degradation. Fish populations, if left undisturbed, will regenerate in one generation, but 

any loss of wetlands as EFH would likely be permanent. 

Routine activities such as pipeline trenching and OCS discharge of drilling muds and produced water 

would cause negligible impacts and would not deleteriously affect fish resources or EFH. At the expected 

level of impact, the resultant influence on fish resources would cause less than a 1 percent change in fish 

populations or EFH. As a result, there would be little disturbance to fish resources or EFH. 

Accidental events resulting from oil and gas development in the proposed Lease Sale 207 area of the 

GOM have the potential to cause some detrimental effects on fisheries and commercial fishing practices. 

A subsurface blowout would have a negligible effect on GOM fish resources. If spills due to proposed 
44 Resources and Impact Analysis

Lease Sale 207 were to occur in open waters of the OCS proximate to mobile adult finfish or shellfish, the 

effects would likely be nonfatal and the extent of damage would be reduced due to the capability of adult 

fish and shellfish to avoid a spill, to metabolize hydrocarbons, and to excrete both metabolites and parent 

compounds (recognizing that spill impacts are substantial when contacting fish eggs and larvae). The 

effect of proposed Lease Sale 207-related oil spills on fish resources is expected to cause less than a 1 

percent decrease in standing stocks of any population, landings, or value of those landings. Historically, 

there have been no oil spills of any size that have had a long-term impact on fishery populations. 

Additional hard substrate habitat provided by structure installation in areas where natural hard bottom 

is rare will tend to increase fish populations. Removal of these structures will eliminate that habitat 

except when decommissioning results in platforms being utilized as artificial reef material. This practice 

is expected to increase over time. 

Activities resulting from other OCS Program and non-OCS events in the northern GOM have the 

potential to cause detrimental effects on fish resources and EFH. Impact-producing factors of the 

cumulative scenario that are expected to substantially affect fish resources and EFH include coastal and 

marine environmental degradation, overfishing, and to a lesser degree, coastal petroleum spills and 

coastal pipeline trenching. At the estimated level of cumulative impact, from OCS Program and nonOCS events, the resultant influence on fish resources and EFH is expected to be substantial, but not easily 

distinguished from effects due to natural population variations. 

The incremental contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207’s impacts on fish resources and EFH to the 

cumulative impact is small. The effects of impact-producing factors (coastal and marine environmental 

degradation, petroleum spills, subsurface blowouts, pipeline trenching, and offshore discharges of drilling 

muds and produced waters) related to proposed Lease Sale 207 are expected to be negligible (resulting in 

less than a 1% decrease in fish populations or EFH) and almost undetectable among the other cumulative 

impacts. Even with consideration of an extreme year of major hurricane impacts on coastal wetlands in 

2005, the cumulative impact of proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected to be negligible and undetectable. 

At the expected level of impact, the resultant influence on fish populations and EFH from proposed 

Lease Sale 207 would be negligible and indistinguishable from variations due to natural causes; however, 

wetland loss could occur due to a petroleum spill contacting inland areas. Proposed Lease Sale 207 is 

expected to result in less than a 1 percent decrease in fish resources and/or standing stocks or in EFH. It 

would require one generation for fish resources to recover from 99 percent of the impacts. Recovery from 

the loss of wetlands habitat would probably not occur. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. A 

search of Internet information sources (including scientific journals) as well as interviews with personnel 

from academic institutions and governmental resource agencies was conducted to determine availability 

of new information. Significant informational Internet websites include those from the Gulf of Mexico 

Fisheries Management Council and the NMFS Southeast Region. Some recent reports from NOAA have 

further documented impacts from the 2005 hurricanes on fish and fishery habitat. One very recent 

example is Report to Congress on the Impact of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma on Commercial and 

Recreational Fishery Habitat of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, which was

published in July 2007 (USDOC, NMFS, 2007b). This report confirms the substantial impacts of the 

2005 hurricanes to nearshore habitats, especially oyster reefs. Offshore fisheries habitat sustained some 

impact, but not substantial. Similar information was also presented in the Multisale EIS. 

The status of fish stocks in the Gulf of Mexico has also been tracked. A recent report to Congress 

(USDOC, NMFS, 2007c) concluded, “With the exception of oysters, available information indicates Gulf 

Coast marine resources were not significantly impacted by the 2005 hurricanes.” In the most recent 

quarter through June 2007, there were no major changes in the fish stock sustainability index (FSSI) 

reported by NMFS (USDOC, NMFS, 2007c). The following are the only changes in overfished status of 

FSSI stocks in the Southeast Region (April 1-June 30): 

• South Atlantic Gag is now approaching an overfished condition. 

• Dolphin is now above 80 percent of maximum sustainable yield. 

• Gulf of Mexico Red Grouper is now rebuilt. 
Environmental Assessment 45 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for fish resources and EFH presented in the Multisale EIS, 

based on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that 

would alter the impact conclusion for fish resources and EFH presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a 

new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on fish resources and EFH is not 

required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease 

Sale 207. 

4.2.9. Commercial Fishing 

The description of commercial fishing in the proposed Lease Sale 207 area can be found in Chapter 

3.3.1 of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts 

of proposed Lease Sale 207 on commercial fishing can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.1.9, 4.4.10, and 4.5.11 

of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis 

incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

Effects on commercial fishing from activities associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 could result 

from the installation of production platforms, underwater OCS obstructions, production platform 

removals, seismic surveys, subsurface blowouts, pipeline trenching, and petroleum spills. Activities such 

as seismic surveys and pipeline trenching will cause negligible impacts and will not deleteriously affect 

commercial fishing activities. Seismic surveys are not expected to cause long-term or permanent 

displacement of any listed species from critical habitat/preferred habitat or to result in the destruction or 

adverse modification of critical habitat or essential fish habitat. Operations such as production platform 

emplacement, underwater OCS impediments, and explosive platform removal will cause slightly greater 

impacts on commercial fishing. 

Commercial fishermen would actively avoid the area of a spill. Even if fish resources successfully 

avoid spills, tainting (oily-tasting fish), public perception of tainting, or the potential of tainting 

commercial catches would prevent fishermen (either voluntarily or imposed by regulation) from initiating 

activities in the spill area. This, in turn, could decrease landings and/or the value of catch for several 

months. The effect of proposed Lease Sale 207-related oil spills on fish resources and commercial fishing 

is expected to cause less than a 1 percent decrease in standing stocks of any population, commercial 

fishing efforts, landings, or value of those landings. 

At the expected level of impact, the resultant influence on commercial fishing activities from 

proposed Lease Sale 207 would be negligible and indistinguishable from variations due to natural causes. 

As a result, there would be very little impact on commercial fishing. Proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected 

to result in less than a 1 percent change in activities, in pounds landed, or in the value of landings. It will 

require less than 6 months for fishing activity to recover from any impacts. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. A 

search of Internet information sources (including scientific journals) as well as interviews with personnel 

from academic institutions and governmental resource agencies was conducted to determine availability 

of new information. Some recent reports (USDOC, NMFS, 2007b and 2007c) have further documented 

impacts from the 2005 hurricanes on fish and fishery habitat discussed above under “Fish Resources and 

Essential Fish Habitat” (Chapter 4.2.8). 

In July 2007, NMFS published a preliminary report for 2006 on U.S. commercial and recreational 

fisheries (USDOC, NMFS, 2007d). Table 4 shows the change in commercial landings from 2005 to 2006 

for the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf States. Despite Louisiana’s drop in number of landings following 

Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana still remains the leader in Gulf landings, followed by Mississippi, Texas, 

Florida (West Coast), and Alabama. Kirkham (2007) states “though the migration into other state waters 

is not new, the post-storm NOAA statistics suggest a new trend: Fishers are taking more seafood from 

Louisiana waters than what is brought in to Louisiana ports” and “whether the trends will continue is up 

for debate. As docks, ramps, and icehouses in Louisiana come back online -- about 85 percent are back, 

according to a recent Wildlife and Fisheries report -- fishers will be able to bring their catch back to prestorm ports and buyers” (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2007). 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for commercial fishing presented in the Multisale EIS, based 

on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that 

would alter the impact conclusion for commercial fishing presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new 

analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on commercial fishing is not required. The 

analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 
46 Resources and Impact Analysis

Table 4 

 

U.S. Domestic Landings for the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf States, 2005 and 2006 

2005 

(thousand 

pounds) 

2006 

(thousand 

pounds) Change 

2005 

(thousand 

dollars) 

2006 

(thousand 

dollars) Change 

Gulf of Mexico 1,196,355 1,285,691 7% 620,987 662,938 7% 

Florida, West Coast 70,230 68,913 -2% 132,781 194,023 46% 

Alabama 24,032 34,052 42% 39,888 48,566 22% 

Mississippi 167,609 221,838 32% 23,386 21,751 -7% 

Louisiana 850,194 844,027 -1% 252,596 201,742 -20% 

Texas 84,289 116,860 39% 172,337 196,856 14% 

Source: USDOC, NMFS, 2007d. 

4.2.10. Recreational Fishing 

The description of the environment for recreational fishing is in Chapter 3.3.2 of the Multisale EIS. 

Detailed analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on 

recreational fishing is in Chapters 4.2.1.1.10, 4.4.11, and 4.5.12, respectively. The following is a 

summary of the impact analysis from the Multisale EIS. 

With respect to routine events, the development of oil and gas in the proposed lease sale area could 

attract additional recreational fishing activity to structures installed on productive leases. Each structure 

placed in the GOM to produce oil or gas would function as a de facto artificial reef, attract sport fish, and 

improve fishing prospects in the immediate vicinity of platforms. This impact would last for the life of 

the structure until it is removed from the marine environment. Proposed Lease Sale 207 would therefore 

have a beneficial effect on offshore and deep-sea recreational fishing within developed leases accessible 

to fishermen. Short-term, space-use conflict could occur during the time that any pipeline is being 

installed. Impacts on recreational fishing because of OCS-related vessel wakes would be minor because, 

on average, vessel use associated with proposed Lease Sale 207 would represent less than 1 percent of 

total vessel use. 

With respect to accidental events, the estimated number and size of potential spills associated with 

proposed Lease Sale 207’s activities (Chapter 4.3.1.2 of the Multisale EIS) are unlikely to decrease 

recreational fishing activity but may divert the location or timing of a few planned fishing trips. Potential 

impacts on recreational fisheries due to accidental events as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207 would be 

minor to moderate. Based on the sizes of oil spills assumed for proposed Lease Sale 207, only localized 

and short-term disruption of recreational fishing activity might result (minor impact). 

With respect to cumulative events, recreational fishing continues to be a popular nearshore and 

offshore recreational activity in the northeastern and central GOM. Concern for the sustainability of fish 

resources and marine recreational fishing has led to Federal legislation that established a fisheries 

management process that will include the identification and protection of EFH. The incremental 

contributions of proposed Lease Sale 207 (as analyzed in Chapter 4.2.1.1.10 in the Multisale EIS) to the 

cumulative impact on recreational fishing is positive, although minor due to the relatively small number 

of structures projected for the next 40 years. The cumulative impact of OCS and State oil and gas 

activities and import tanker spills would be minor. Implementation of proposed Lease Sale 207 would 

attract some private and charter-boat recreational fishermen farther offshore to the vicinity of the 

developed lease blocks in pursuit of targeted species known to be associated with petroleum structures in 

deep water. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. 

Research of recreational fishing revealed the following new information. The NMFS has published the 

preliminary 2006 Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS) (USDOC, NMFS, 2007e). In 

2006, 3.6 million residents participated in marine recreational fishing. All participants, including visitors, 

took nearly 25 million trips and caught almost 193 million fish. About 65 percent of the trips were made 
Environmental Assessment 47 

in west Florida, followed by 18 percent in Louisiana, almost 9 percent in Alabama, over 4 percent in 

Texas, and 4 percent in Mississippi. 

The MRFSS is the primary source for marine recreational fisheries data in U.S. waters. This survey 

combines random telephone interviews and onsite intercept surveys of anglers to estimate recreational 

catch and effort for inland, State, and Federal waters. In the GOM, surveys are conducted in western 

Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conducts 

separate surveys that are not directly comparable with NOAA surveys. Texas Parks and Wildlife (Mark 

Fisher, personal communication, 2008) reported that in 2006 (2007 data is not yet available), 

approximately 37,492 anglers participated in marine recreational fishing for a total of nearly 6.5 million 

hours. Of this number, 1,801 anglers (4.8%) participated in fishing in the EEZ. The total number of 

hours reported for anglers in the EEZ was slightly over 65,000. Most of the fishermen, 33,060’ fished on 

private trips with 4,432 on charter trips. 

The most abundant species landed overall was the spotted seatrout with over 1 million fish caught. 

The second most abundant caught overall was the red drum (266,193 total) followed by the Atlantic 

croaker (95,676 total). The most common species caught in he EEZ was the red snapper (61,819 total) 

followed by the king mackerel (25,859 total) and dolphinfish (11,378 total). 

Tables 3-12, 3-13, and 3-14 of the Multisale EIS show MRFSS GOM data for 2005, while Tables 5-7

show MRFSS GOM data for 2006 (USDOC, NMFS, 2007e).

Table 5 

 

Top Species Commonly Caught by Recreational Fishers 

in the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Gulf Coast States (except Texas) (2006) 

Species Total All Fish 

(#) 

Total All Fish 

(lbs) 

Inland 

(#) 

Inland 

(lbs) 

Ocean 

(#) 

Ocean 

(lbs) 

Black drum 1,267,386 2,480,078 1,219,109 2,351,043 48,277 129,035 

Dolphins 81,400 188,130 870 80,530 188,130 

Gray snapper 2,594,974 1,381,957 2,043,579 483,753 551,395 898,204 

Greater amberjack 66,394 683,364 1,850 64,544 683,364 

Herrings 41,716,268 152,455 41,255,403 152,455 460,865 0 

King mackerel 498,355 1,349,952 362,809 590,059 135,546 759,893 

Mycteroperca groupers 644,735 231,395 603,463 110,062 41,272 121,333 

Pinfishes 6,736,540 369,738 5,710,573 346,356 1,025,967 23,382 

Red drum 8,596,876 13,576,884 8,116,594 12,063,913 480,282 1,512,971 

Red snapper 1,586,841 1,485,529 62,979 33,287 1,523,862 1,452,242 

Saltwater catfishes 8,773,173 862,261 7,673,254 742,800 1,099,919 119,461 

Sand seatrout 3,457,656 1,237,721 3,337,144 1,180,793 120,512 56,928 

Sheepshead 2,403,692 3,236,779 2,133,947 2,429,966 269,745 806,813 

Spotted seatrout 30,439,521 15,500,347 29,925,279 15,196,037 514,242 304,310 

Source: USDOC, NMFS, 2007e. 

Table 6 

 

Recreational Fishing Participation 

in the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Gulf Coast States (2006) 

State Participation Estimate (number of people) 

Coastal Non-Coastal Out-of-State Total 

West Florida 2,083,835 1,988,445 4,072,281 

Alabama 232,799 183,511 319,720 736,030 

Mississippi 143,417 23,382 26,532 193,331 

Louisiana 867,742 108,491 197,841 1,174,074 

Gulf Total 3,327,793 315,384 2,532,538 6,175,716 

Source: USDOC, NMFS, 2007e. 
48 Resources and Impact Analysis

Table 7 

 

Mode of Fishing in the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Gulf Coast 

States (except Texas) 2006 

State Area Number of Trips % of State Total 

Alabama Shore Ocean (≤3 mi) 836,479 39 

Shore Inland 372,368 17 

Charter Ocean (≤3 mi) 6,238 0 

Charter Ocean (>3 mi) 61,894 3 

Charter Inland 9,294 0 

Private/Rental Ocean (≤3 mi) 253,917 12 

Private/Rental Ocean (>3 mi) 184,991 9 

Private/Rental Inland 418,244 20 

Total 2,143,425 

West Florida Shore Ocean (≤3 mi) 3,542,065 22 

Shore Inland 3,195,967 19 

Charter Ocean (≤3 mi) 172,528 1 

Charter Ocean (>3 mi) 268,956 2 

Charter Inland 118,440 1 

Private/Rental Ocean (≤3 mi) 3,654,698 23 

Private/Rental Ocean (>3 mi) 1,015,560 6 

Private/Rental Inland 4,262,060 26 

Total 16,230,274 

Louisiana Shore Ocean (≤3 mi) 96,247 2 

Shore Inland 837,514 19 

Charter Ocean (≤3 mi) 11,845 0 

Charter Ocean (>3 mi) 56,052 1 

Charter Inland 108,181 2 

Private/Rental Ocean (≤3 mi) 166,798 4 

Private/Rental Ocean (>3 mi) 120,391 3 

Private/Rental Inland 3,094,252 69 

Total 4,491,280 

Mississippi Shore Ocean (≤3 mi) 727 0 

Shore Inland 324,295 32 

Charter Ocean (≤3 mi) 3,928 0 

Charter Ocean (>3 mi) 68 0 

Charter Inland 3,058 0 

Private/Rental Ocean (≤3 mi) 25,895 3 

Private/Rental Ocean (>3 mi) 29,518 3 

Private/Rental Inland 610,422 61 

Total 997,911 

Gulf Total Shore Ocean (≤3 mi) 4,475,518 19 

Shore Inland 4,730,144 20 

Charter Ocean (≤3 mi) 194,539 1 

Charter Ocean (>3 mi) 386,970 2 

Charter Inland 238,973 1 

Private/Rental Ocean (≤3 mi) 4,101,308 17 

Private/Rental Ocean (>3 mi) 1,350,460 6 

Private/Rental Inland 8,384,978 35 

Total 23,862,890 

Source: USDOC, NMFS, 2007f. 
Environmental Assessment 49 

The top species commonly caught by recreational fishers in the MRFSS Gulf Coast States are 

illustrated in Table 5. By number, herring and spotted sea trout, both inland species, were the most 

common fish caught by recreational anglers in the GOM during 2005 and 2006. In 2006, the estimated 

catch for herrings was over 41 million fish, up from 24 million in 2005; while anglers caught over 30 

million spotted sea trout, up from 23 million in 2005. Other important inland species include red drum, 

saltwater catfishes, and pinfishes. In offshore oceanic waters of the GOM, the most important species in 

terms of pounds caught were red drum, red snapper, and sheepshead. 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita impacted recreational fishing from the Florida Panhandle to the Texas 

border, with additional impacts felt in southern Florida. The hurricanes had a major impact on the 

supporting infrastructure that anglers require to go fishing (e.g., bait shops, docks and marinas, lodging, 

fuel and ice facilities, etc.). In addition to damages to boats and facilities, revenue losses associated with 

lost markets of products or services are occurring. When considered on a regional basis, these lost market 

channels constitute a considerable reduction in the levels of economic activity, income generation, 

employment creation, and tax collections. 

Storm-related recreational fisheries losses over the next year could total $421 million at the retail 

level (Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2007). This figure includes losses incurred by licensed 

charter and guide vessels operating in the severely affected parishes. 

In addition, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita deposited extensive amounts of debris over various areas of 

the Gulf Coast (USDOC, NOAA, 2007). Submerged marine debris poses a hazard to vessel traffic. The 

NOAA is conducting underwater surveys off the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. This 

information is being used by State and Federal agencies tasked with removing marine debris left by 

Hurricane Katrina, and it will aid in planning for the aftermath of future storms. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for recreational fishing presented in the Multisale EIS, based 

on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that 

would alter the impact conclusion for recreational fishing presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new 

analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on recreational fishing is not required. The 

analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.11. Recreational Resources 

The description of the environment for recreational resources can be found in Chapter 3.3.3 of the 

Multisale EIS. Detailed analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease 

Sale 207 on recreational resources can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.1.11, 4.4.12, and 4.5.13, respectively. 

The following is a summary of the impact analysis from the Multisale EIS. 

The northern GOM coastal zone is one of the major recreational regions of the U.S., particularly in 

connection with marine fishing and beach-related activities. The coastal beaches, barrier islands, 

estuarine bays and sounds, river deltas, and tidal marshes are used extensively and intensively for 

recreational activity by residents of the Gulf States and tourists from throughout the Nation, as well as 

from foreign countries. Commercial and private recreational facilities and establishments (such as resorts 

and marinas) also serve as primary interest areas and support services for people who seek enjoyment 

from the recreational resources associated with the GOM. 

With respect to routine events, marine debris will be lost from time to time from OCS oil and gas 

operations resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207. The impact on Gulf Coast recreational beaches is 

expected to be minimal. The incremental increase in helicopter and vessel traffic is expected to add very 

little additional noise that may affect beach users. Proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected to result in 

nearshore operations that may adversely affect the enjoyment of some Gulf Coast beach uses; however, 

these will have little effect on the number of beach users. 

With respect to accidental events, it is unlikely that a spill would be a major threat to recreational 

beaches because spill sizes are relatively small based on past data and any impacts would be short-term 

and localized. Should a spill contact a recreational beach, it would be in a degraded state from weathering 

processes that had acted upon it, and short-term displacement of recreational activity from the areas 

directly contacted by a spill would occur. Beaches directly impacted would be expected to close for 

periods of 2-6 weeks or until the cleanup operations were complete. Should a spill result in a large 

volume of oil contacting a beach or a large recreational area being contacted by an oil slick, visitation to 

the area could be reduced by as much as 5-15 percent for as long as one summer season, but such an event 
50 Resources and Impact Analysis

should have no long-term effect on tourism. Tarballs can lessen the enjoyment of the recreational 

beaches but should have no long-term effect on the overall use of beaches. 

With respect to cumulative events, debris and litter derived from both offshore and onshore sources 

are likely to diminish the attractiveness of beaches and degrade the ambience of shoreline recreational 

activities, thereby negatively affecting the experience of using recreational beaches in the WPA. The 

incremental beach trash resulting from proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected to be minimal. Mitigation 

measures for oil and gas operator’s trash and debris handling and labeling requirements for equipment are 

effective at minimizing OCS trash and debris from entering the water. Platforms and drilling rigs 

operating nearshore may affect the ambience of recreational beaches, especially beach wilderness areas. 

The sound, sight, and wakes of OCS-related and non-OCS-related vessels, as well as OCS helicopters and 

other light aircraft traffic, are occasional distractions that are noticed by some beach users. Oil that 

contacts the coast may preclude short-term recreational use of one or more Gulf Coast beaches at the park 

or community levels. Displacement of recreational use from impacted areas will occur, and a short-term 

decline in tourism may result. Beach use at the regional level is unlikely to change from normal patterns; 

however, closure of specific beaches or parks directly impacted by a large oil spill is likely during cleanup 

operations. The incremental contributions of proposed Lease Sale 207 (as analyzed in Chapter 4.2.1.1.11 

of the Multisale EIS) to the cumulative impact on recreational resources is minor due to the limited effect 

of increased helicopter, vessel traffic, and marine debris on the number of beach users. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. An 

Internet search of available literature was performed, including Federal and State agencies and industry 

websites. Research revealed the following new information. 

Recreation and tourism are major sources of employment along the Gulf Coast. Table 8 presents 

employment in tourism-related industries in 2005 compiled from travel- and tourism-related industries in 

the County Business Patterns (USDOC, Bureau of the Census, 2007). Employment data are assumed to 

be in various travel-related industries, including: food and beverage stores, gas stations, general 

merchandise stores, passenger air transportation, transit and ground passenger transportation, scenic and 

sightseeing transportation, passenger car rental, travel arrangement and reservation services, 

arts/entertainment/recreation, and overnight accommodation and food services. The data are only for 

coastal counties and parishes because they potentially are affected by routine events, such as OCS-related 

air and vessel traffic, and accidental events, such as oil spills. This is different from the data for all 

counties and parishes in Labor Market Areas (LMA’s) and Economic Impact Areas (EIA’s) in Tables 

3-15 and 3-16 in the Multisale EIS. The LMA’s and EIA’s extend inland geographically including inland 

counties and parishes not economically linked to the tourism and recreation of coastal counties. The data 

in Table 8 more correctly describes the level of tourism-related employment and establishments 

potentially affected by OCS activities. 

Beach visitation in Louisiana is low compared with other Gulf Coast States. Gambling is one of the 

most popular activities for nonresident visitors to Louisiana. In 2004, approximately 21 percent of 

nonresident visitors gambled on their trip to the State (Travel Industry Association of America, 2003-

2005), down from 25 percent in 2002 and 23 percent in 2003. 

There are 16 casinos in Louisiana (14 riverboats, 1 land-based, and 1 racetrack), several of which are 

located along Louisiana’s coast in Lake Charles, Houma, and the New Orleans metropolitan area. The 

casinos generated a gross revenue of $2.57 billion and tax revenue of $528 million, with a visitor volume 

of over 36 million in 2006 (American Gaming Association, 2007). In 2003 the industry employed 

approximately 18,329 workers, admitted 37.5 million visitors, and generated nearly $2 billion in gross 

revenues and $414.2 million in taxes (American Gaming Association, 2003), reflecting pre-Katrina 

activity. Taxes are allocated among the general fund, the City of New Orleans, public retirement systems, 

State Capitol improvements, and a rainy day fund. 

During the 2005 hurricane season, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita inflicted severe damage on the Gulf 

Coast and deposited extensive amounts of debris over various areas of the Gulf Coast (USDOC, NOAA, 

2007). Submerged marine debris poses a hazard to vessel traffic. The NOAA is conducting underwater 

surveys off the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. This information is being used by State 

and Federal agencies involved with removing marine debris left by Hurricane Katrina and will aid in 

planning for the aftermath of future storms. 
Environmental Assessment 51 

Table 8 

 

Employment and Establishments in Tourism Related Industries in 2005 by Coastal County and Parish 

Area Employment Establishments Area Employment Establishments 

Texas 

Cameron 

Willacy 

Aransas 

Kenedy 

Kleberg 

Nueces 

Refugio 

San Patricio 

Brazoria 

Matagorda 

Calhoun 

Jackson 

Jefferson 

Chambers 

Galveston 

Harris 

Texas Total 

Louisiana 

Cameron 

Iberia 

Vermillion 

Lafourche 

St. Mary 

Terrebonne 

Orleans 

Plaquemines 

St. Bernard 

St. Tammany 

Louisiana Total 

Mississippi 

Hancock 

Harrison 

Jackson 

Mississippi Total 

20,192 

543 

843 

10 

1,932 

24,000 

414 

3,876 

12,962 

1,750 

1,148 

682 

15,689 

1,205 

20,085 

253,614 

358,945 

326 

5,330 

1,996 

5,391 

4,622 

8,177 

56,900 

1,317 

3,409 

15,115 

102,583 

3,623 

26,209 

6,880 

36,712 

1,046 

56 

118 

1 

114 

1,281 

22 

224 

686 

159 

94 

48 

830 

896 

1,010 

11,700 

18,285 

29 

213 

158 

299 

201 

412 

1,972 

110 

210 

755 

4,359 

160 

764 

612 

1,536 

Alabama 

Baldwin 

Mobile 

Alabama Total 

Florida 

Bay 

Franklin 

Gulf 

Escambia 

Okaloosa 

Santa Rosa 

Walton 

Jefferson 

Wakulla 

Taylor 

Citrus 

Dixie 

Levy 

Hernando 

Hillsborough 

Pasco 

Pinellas 

Collier 

Lee 

Miami-Dade 

Monroe 

Charlotte 

Manatee 

Sarasota 

Florida Total 

Gulf States Total

13,084 

26,101 

39,185 

14,651 

963 

561 

20,783 

17,768 

6,569 

4,061 

527 

849 

1,118 

5,937 

378 

2,297 

8,283 

92,467 

19,798 

68,259 

30,501 

43,592 

166,316 

15,065 

9,126 

17,546 

28,374 

575,789 

1,113,214 

690 

1,322 

2,012 

846 

82 

51 

965 

824 

321 

206 

49 

68 

80 

359 

46 

151 

388 

3,678 

1,016 

3,568 

1,191 

1,860 

8,388 

899 

414 

907 

1,371 

27,728 

53,920 

Source: USDOC, Bureau of the Census, 2007. 

The Ocean Conservancy sponsors national and international beach cleanups, including annual events 

in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The Louisiana event is coordinated by the Louisiana Department 

of Environmental Quality (LADEQ), Litter Reduction and Public Action Program. Statistics have not 

been published for the last Louisiana event, held on September 15, 2006 (LADEQ, 2007b). The 2007 

beach sweep event was also held on September 15. 

Clean Marina Programs encourage recreational boaters and marina owners to protect coastal water 

quality by using environmentally sound operating and maintenance procedures. In the Texas program, 28 

percent of the State’s 356 inland and coastal marinas are participating, with 59 being certified as clean 

marinas. Certification is achieved by reducing harmful chemicals and trash and debris having the 

potential to enter the water, and by reducing excess nutrients in the water through proper waste-handling 

practices using up-to-date equipment (Texas Sea Grant, 2006). 
52 Resources and Impact Analysis

The 1999-2000 National Survey on Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) is the first national 

survey to include a broad assessment of the Nation’s participation in marine recreation (USDOC, NMFS, 

2005). The Multisale EIS presented data from the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and 

Wildlife-Associated Recreation for the five Gulf States (USDOI, FWS and USDOC, Bureau of the 

Census, 2001). The 2006 survey used a methodology similar to the 2001 survey. The 2006 survey began 

in March with the U.S. Census Bureau’s initial interviews of people in 85,000 households to identify a 

representative sample of 31,500 anglers and hunters and 24,300 wildlife watchers for interviews, 

primarily by phone, about their activities. The 2006 survey findings were released in November 2007 

(USDOI, FWS, 2007d) and are summarized in Table 9. 

Table 9 

 

Participation in Wildlife-Associated Recreation by State Residents 

Inside and Outside Their Resident State: 2006 

Total Participants Sportspersons Wildlife-Watching Participants State of 

Residence Population Number Percent 

Population Number Percent 

Population Number Percent 

Population 

Louisiana 3,433 1,106 32 678 20 712 21 

Texas 17,076 5,481 32 2,668 16 4,111 24 

All numbers in thousands. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for recreational resources presented in the Multisale EIS, 

based on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that 

would alter the impact conclusion for recreational resources presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a 

new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on recreational resources is not 

required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease 

Sale 207. 

4.2.12. Archaeological Resources 

Archaeological resources are any material remains of human life or activities that are at least 50 years 

of age and that are of archaeological interest (30 CFR 250.105). The Archaeological Resources 

Regulation (30 CFR 250.194) provides specific authority to each MMS Regional Director to require 

archaeological resource surveys, analyses, and reports. Surveys are required prior to any exploration or 

development activities on leases within areas determined to have a high potential for archaeological 

resources (NTL’s 2005-G07 and 2006-G07). 

The description of archaeological resources (prehistoric and historic) can be found in Chapter 3.3.4 of 

the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of 

proposed Lease Sale 207 on archaeological resources can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.1.12, 4.4.14, and 

4.5.14 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following information is a summary of the impact analysis 

incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

The greatest potential impact on archaeological resources as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207 

would result from direct contact between an offshore activity (platform installation, drilling rig 

installation or pipeline emplacement, or dredging) and a prehistoric site located on the continental shelf or 

an historic shipwreck. The NTL for archaeological resource surveys in the GOM Region, NTL 2005-

G07, specifies a 300-m linespacing for areas having the potential for containing prehistoric sites on the 

continental shelf, 50-m linespacing for remote-sensing surveys of leases within the areas having high 

potential for historic shipwrecks in water depths ≤200 m (656 ft), and 300-m linespacing of leases within 

the areas having high potential for historic shipwrecks in water depths >200 m (656 ft). NTL 2006-G07 

identifies those lease blocks that have been designated as having a high potential for containing 

archaeological resources. 

The archaeological survey and archaeological clearance of sites required before beginning oil and gas 

activities on a lease are expected to be highly effective at identifying possible archaeological resources. 

Since the survey and clearance provide a significant reduction in the potential for a damaging interaction 

between an impact-producing factor and an archaeological resource, there is a very small possibility of an 
Environmental Assessment 53 

OCS activity contacting an archaeological resource. Should such contact occur, there would be damage 

to or loss of significant and/or unique archaeological information. The effect of OCS-generated debris 

swept from platforms during storms is a potential complicating factor for MMS analysts examining the 

sea bottom for ferromagnetic debris. Metallic debris can indicate the presence of a target that is not an 

archaeological resource (false positive). There is, however, still a requirement for the survey before 

bottom disturbing activities may take place. Targets need to be examined more closely to determine their 

origin. Other than to cause more complicated analyses of bottom signals that may end up being false 

positives the effect of debris from OCS infrastructure damaged during storms is not significant. Debris 

falling within the 1,320 ft (400 m) clearance radius of platforms and the 600 ft (183 m) clearance radius 

for well protectors and caissons are cleared upon decommissioning, as stated in the guidance provided for 

site clearance in NTL 98-26. 

Spills, collisions, and blowouts are accidental events that can happen in association with a proposed 

activity in the Lease Sale 207 area. If an accidental event occurs as a result of one of these events, there 

could be an impact on archaeological resources. Oil spills have the potential to affect both prehistoric and 

historic archaeological resources. Impacts on historic resources would be limited to visual impacts and 

possibly physical impacts associated with spill cleanup operations. Impacts on prehistoric archaeological 

sites would be the result of hydrocarbon contamination of organic materials, which have the potential to 

date site occupation through radiocarbon dating techniques, as well as possible physical disturbance 

associated with spill cleanup operations. Since archaeological sites are protected under law, it is expected 

that any spill cleanup operations would be conducted in such a way as to cause little or no impacts on 

archaeological resources. Visual impacts on coastal historic sites would be temporary and reversible; 

however, should an oil spill directly contact a coastal prehistoric site, unique or significant archaeological 

information could be lost, and this impact would be irreversible. 

The cumulative analysis considers the effects of impact-producing factors related to Lease Sale 207. 

Those activities in the cumulative activity area include: trawling, sport diving, commercial treasure 

hunting, seismic exploration in State waters, and tropical storms on archaeological resources. Specific 

types of impact-producing factors associated with OCS activities that are considered in this analysis 

include drilling rig and platform emplacement, pipeline emplacement, anchoring, oil spills, dredging, new 

onshore facilities, and ferromagnetic debris. Archaeological surveys are assumed to be highly effective in 

reducing the potential for an interaction between an impact-producing activity and archaeological 

resources. Other users of the OCS, such as trawl fishers, may encounter snags and net losses from debris, 

There are, however, remedies available to commercial fishermen who can demonstrate their loss was due 

to OCS activity. 

Onshore development associated with activities from proposed Lease Sale 207 could result in the 

direct physical contact between the construction of new onshore facilities or pipeline canals and 

previously unidentified historic or prehistoric sites. Direct physical contact with a historic site could 

cause physical damage to, or complete destruction of, information on the history of the region and the 

Nation. Direct physical contact with a prehistoric site could destroy fragile artifacts or site features and 

could disturb the archaeological context of the site. The result would be the loss of information on the 

prehistory of North America and the Gulf Coast region. Facilities that are projected to be constructed 

onshore as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207 must receive approval from the pertinent Federal, State, 

county/parish, and/or communities before construction may proceed. Protection of archaeological 

resources in these cases is expected to be achieved through the various approval processes involved. 

There is, therefore, no expected impact on historic or prehistoric sites that support Lease Sale 207 from 

onshore development. 

Recent hurricane activity in the GOM is certain to have impacted archaeological resources in shallow 

water. A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS; 

however, little new information was identified. Yet, it is almost certain that any shipwrecks within the 

path of Hurricanes Katrina or Rita in shallow water were impacted to some extent by these storms. In 

September 2005 the National Park Service (NPS) conducted a study of sites along the Gulf Coast that 

were impacted by Hurricane Katrina (USDOI, NPS, 2005). This assessment identified three types of 

damage that can occur to archaeological sites: tree throws; storm surge, scouring and erosion; and seabed 

shifting. On the OCS, the two primary types of damage would be associated with storm surge and seabed 

shifting. Damage from either of these activities could adversely affect both prehistoric and historic sites 

on the OCS.
54 Resources and Impact Analysis

A recently published report, Archaeological and Biological Analysis of World War II Shipwrecks in 

the Gulf of Mexico: Artificial Reef Effect in Deep Water (Church et al., 2007), documents the results of a 

multidisciplinary study that focused on the biological and archaeological aspects of seven World War II 

era shipwrecks in the north-central portion of the Gulf of Mexico. The study was funded by MMS and 

NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration. 

Seven shipwrecks, including a German Type II U-boat submarine and some of its targets, were 

investigated. The ships lie in water ranging from 122 to 1,981 m (400 to 6,500 ft) deep. The study found 

deep-sea wrecks act as artificial reefs, attracting far more species of plants and animals than expected. 

The finding indicates that oil and gas production platforms in deep water are likely to serve as hard 

surface, supporting hundreds of life forms. 

Wrecks in moderate depths gave researchers clear evidence of many rare and uncommon invertebrate 

species in close proximity to the wrecks and on the wrecks themselves. The number of species and 

individuals declined rapidly in proportion to distance away from the wrecks, showing that these wrecks 

form an attractive habitat for many kinds of marine life. Wrecks at these intermediate depths had 50 

percent more species than those in shallower water or deeper water. Shallower water wrecks, likely 

because of turbidity, and deeper water wrecks because of the extreme conditions of cold, darkness, and 

pressure, hosted a smaller number of species. 

The scientists reported, among other findings, that the diversity of fish species generally decreases 

with depth. At the shallower water wrecks, where corals were growing, reef fishes were present. At the 

deepest water wrecks, below the photic zone of approximately 200 m (656 ft), no corals were found nor 

were community structure and fish density significantly different over the wrecks as opposed to away 

from them. Therefore, scientists conclude that, in the deepest water, the upper levels of bottom-founded 

or floating offshore platforms will attract considerable marine life, but the platforms are not likely to 

attract fish at their deepest levels. The marine archaeology part of the study positively confirmed the 

identity of three wrecks and found a relationship among water depth, ship size, and the size of the debris 

field. The state of preservation of the wrecks was correlated with water depth. No wreck was found to be 

contaminating or adversely affecting the area around them. 

The MMS recently awarded a study to investigate the impacts that recent storm activity may have had 

on historic shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. Remote-sensing surveys for this study were completed in 

May 2007 and dive operations were carried out in October 2007 with a final report of findings expected 

early in 2009 (PBS&J, in preparation). Preliminary analysis of the remote-sensing surveys indicates that 

at least 3 of the 10 shipwrecks examined were affected by recent storm activity. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for archaeological resources presented in the Multisale EIS, 

based on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that 

would alter the impact conclusion for archaeological resources presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a 

new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on archaeological resources is not 

required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease 

Sale 207. 

4.2.13. Human Resources and Land Use 

4.2.13.1. Land Use and Coastal Infrastructure 

Land use and OCS-related coastal infrastructure in the analysis area are discussed in Chapters 

3.3.5.1.2 and 3.3.5.8 of the Multisale EIS and include the following: service bases, navigation channels, 

helicopter hubs, construction facilities, processing facilities, terminals, waste disposal and storage 

facilities, coastal pipelines, and coastal barging. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and 

cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on land use and coastal infrastructure can be found in 

Chapters 4.2.1.1.13.1, 4.4.14.1, and 4.5.15.1 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following is a 

summary of the impact analysis incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

Proposed Lease Sale 207 would not require additional coastal infrastructure, with the exception of 

possibly one new gas processing facility and one new pipeline landfall, and would not alter the current 

land use of the analysis area. There may be some expansion at current facilities that may also include 

upgrades and replacement of existing facilities, but the land in the analysis area is sufficient to handle 

such development and the net land-use footprint would remain approximately the same. There is also 

sufficient land to construct a new gas processing plant in the analysis area, if necessary in the future. 
Environmental Assessment 55 

Accidental events such as oil or chemical spills, blowouts, and vessel collisions would have no effects on 

land use. Coastal or nearshore spills could have short-term adverse effects on coastal infrastructure 

requiring clean up of any oil or chemicals spilled. 

Activities relating to the OCS Program and State production are expected to minimally affect the 

analysis area’s land use. Land use in the analysis area will evolve over time; most changes are likely to 

occur as a result of general regional growth rather than activities associated with the OCS Program and 

State production. Projected new coastal infrastructure by state as a result of the OCS Program is shown in 

Table 4-9 of the Multisale EIS. While it is possible that up to 14 new, “greenfield” gas processing 

facilities could be developed, it is much more likely that a large share of the natural gas processing 

capacity that will be needed by the industry will be located at existing facilities, using future investments 

for expansions and/or to replace depreciated capital equipment. It is likely that few (if any) new plants 

would be developed along the CPA or WPA. Any changes to supporting infrastructure (mostly facility 

expansions, except for the 4-6 new pipeline shore facilities and any new, “greenfield” gas processing 

plants) are expected to be contained on available land. Most subareas in the analysis area have strong 

industrial bases and designated industrial parks to accommodate future growth in oil and gas businesses. 

As stated in Chapter 4.1.2.1.7 of the Multisale EIS, MMS assumes that most new OCS pipelines will 

connect to existing pipelines in Federal and State waters, and result in few, if any, new pipeline landfalls. 

Up to one new pipeline landfall was projected as the result of proposed Lease Sale 207, and 32-47 new 

pipeline landfalls were projected as a result of the OCS Program from 2007 to 2046. The term “pipeline 

shore facility” is a broad term describing the onshore location where the first stage of processing occurs 

for OCS pipelines carrying different combinations of oil, condensate, gas, and produced water. A 

pipeline shore facility may support one or several pipelines. In Chapter 4.1.2.1.5.1 of the Multisale EIS, 

no new pipeline shore facilities are projected as a result of proposed Lease Sale 207. As a result of the 

OCS Program, new shore facilities may be needed to support new larger oil pipeline landfalls. A total of 

4-6 new pipeline shore facilities are projected as a result of the OCS Program from 2007 to 2046. 

Port Fourchon is expected to experience significant cumulative impacts on its land use from OCSrelated expansion. Increased OCS-related usage from port clients, and ancillary business that rely on port 

clients, such as restaurants, gas stations, and overnight lodging, are expected to significantly impact LA 

Hwy 1 in Lafourche Parish. A major rebuilding and upgrade of LA Hwy 1 would introduce a group of 

construction workers into the area for the duration of the construction. Also, increased demand for water 

by upgraded and expanded OCS port clients, ancillary business, and a temporary worker population for 

upgrading LA Hwy 1 will further strain Lafourche Parish’s water system. It is assumed that the Louisiana 

Department of Natural Resources’ existing procedures to identify potential regulatory and restoration 

conflicts will continue to be utilized, including current requirements that any project proposed within 1⁄4 

mi from either an active or proposed restoration project be reviewed to determine if it would interfere or 

have adverse effects on the restoration project (USACOE, 2004). Therefore, new coastal infrastructure 

that may result from proposed Lease Sale 207 or the OCS Program would not interfere with active or 

proposed restoration projects. 

The MMS recently analyzed historical data to validate past scenario projections, including projects 

involving new pipeline landfalls (USDOI, MMS, 2007e). This analysis confirms MMS’s assumption that 

the majority of new pipelines constructed would connect to the existing infrastructure in Federal and State 

waters and that very few would result in new pipeline landfalls. Most pipeline landfalls in the GOM 

transport production resulting from more than one lease sale; therefore, an OCS pipeline landfall could 

rarely be attributed only to a single lease sale. Multiple factors have influenced the decrease in the 

number of new pipeline landfalls. Therefore, MMS’s projection of up to one new pipeline landfall per 

lease sale may be too high. Although there will be some instances where new pipelines may need to be 

constructed, there is nothing to suggest any dramatic shifts would be expected in trends for new landfalls 

given the current outlook for GOM development, particularly in coastal Louisiana. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for land use and coastal infrastructure presented in the 

Multisale EIS, based on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was 

discovered that would alter the impact conclusion for land use and coastal infrastructure presented in the 

Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on land use 

and coastal infrastructure is not required. The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS 

still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 
56 Resources and Impact Analysis

4.2.13.2. Demographics 

The description of the environment for demographics is described in Chapter 3.3.5.4 of the Multisale 

EIS. Detailed analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on 

demographics is presented in Chapters 4.2.1.1.13.2, 4.4.14.2, and 4.5.15.2 of the Multisale EIS, 

respectively. The following is a summary of the impact analysis from the Multisale EIS. 

Routine activities relating to proposed Lease Sale 207 are expected to affect minimally the analysis 

area’s land use, infrastructure, and demography. These impacts are projected to mirror employment 

effects that are estimated to be negligible to any one EIA (Figure 8). Baseline patterns and distributions 

of these factors, as described in Chapter 3.3.5.4 of the Multisale EIS, are expected to approximately 

maintain the same level. Changes in land use throughout the analysis area are expected to be contained 

and minimal. The OCS-related infrastructure is in place and will not change as a result of proposed Lease 

Sale 207. Current baseline estimates of population growth for the analysis area show a continuation of 

growth, but at a slower rate. 

Figure 8. Economic Impact Areas in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. 

Accidental events associated with proposed Lease Sale 207, such as oil or chemical spills, blowouts, 

and vessel collisions, would have no effects on the demographic characteristics of the Gulf coastal 

communities. 

The cumulative effects of human and natural activities in the coastal area have severely degraded the 

deltaic processes of sediment replenishment and, on the delta plain, have shifted the coastal area of 

Louisiana from a condition of net land building to one of net landloss. As inland marshes and barrier 

islands erode or subside, without effective restoration efforts, the population in coastal communities in 

southern Louisiana is expected to shift to the more northern portions of parishes bordering the ocean and 

cause the populations in urban and suburban areas to increase and those in rural coastal areas to decline 

(USACOE, 2004). 

Cumulative activities related to the OCS Program are expected to affect minimally the analysis area’s 

demography. Baseline patterns and distributions of these factors, as described in Chapter 3.3.5.4.1 of the 

Multisale EIS, are not expected to change for the analysis area as a whole. The baseline population 

patterns are expected to change for the eight counties and parishes that were most negatively affected by 

the 2005 hurricane season (see Chapter 3.3.5.4 of the Multisale EIS for a discussion of these changes). 

Some regions within Louisiana EIA’s, Port Fourchon in particular, are expected to experience some 

impacts from increased population and demand on utilities and the education system as a result of an 

expanded labor force supporting OCS activity. As discussed in Chapter 4.2.1.1.13.2 of the Multisale EIS, 

proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected have an incremental contribution of less than 1 percent to the 
Environmental Assessment 57 

population level in any of the EIA’s. Given the low level of population growth and industrial expansion 

associated with proposed Lease Sale 207, the baseline age and racial distribution pattern and educational 

status of people living in the impact area is expected to continue through the year 2046. 

In the Multisale EIS, MMS used data from Woods & Poole’s Complete Economic and Demographic 

Data Source (Woods & Poole Economics, Inc., 2006) for baseline population and employment estimates 

over the 40-year life of a typical proposed WPA lease sale. The 2007 Woods & Poole data became 

available in late August 2007 and contains their revised estimates regarding the economic and 

demographic impacts of the 2005 hurricanes on the Gulf region (Woods & Poole Economics, Inc., 2007). 

In the new data, population, income, and employment were assumed to decline from 2005 to 2006 by 76 

percent in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana; 51 percent in Orleans Parish, Louisiana; 22 percent in 

Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana; 19 percent in Cameron Parish; Louisiana; 13 percent in Hancock County, 

Mississippi; and 11 percent in Harrison County, Mississippi. In each case, these losses were less than 

those that were assumed in the Woods & Poole 2006 data. The 2007 data also have revised assumptions 

regarding counties and parishes that experienced population and employment gains because of Hurricane 

Katrina displacement: 9 percent in Pearl River County, Mississippi; 7 percent in Tangipahoa Parish, 

Louisiana; 5 percent in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana; 5 percent in East Baton Rouge Parish, 

Louisiana; and 4 percent in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana from 2005 to 2006. In each case, these gains 

were less than those that were assumed in the 2006 data. 

As discussed in Chapter 4.1.1, the exploration and development activity scenarios used in the 

Multisale EIS for a typical WPA sale remain unchanged and are used for the analysis of proposed Lease 

Sale 207. Consequently, the population projections for a typical proposed WPA sale in Table 4-28 of the 

Multisale EIS are unchanged for proposed Lease Sale 207. The MMS reanalyzed the high-case 

population impacts on a percentage basis for the three EIA’s that exhibited the highest impacts in the 

Multisale EIS (LA-2, LA-3, and LA-4) using the revised Woods & Poole data. With the exception of 

year 1 (2008) for LA-4, which declined slightly, the population impacts on a percentage basis for the 

three EIA’s are the same as reported in Table 4-29 of the Multisale EIS. Thus, the potential population 

impacts described in the Multisale EIS and summarized above apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. The 

MMS reanalyzed the population impacts on a percentage basis for all of the EIA’s using the revised 

Woods & Poole data; however, only the results for EIA’s LA-2, LA-3, and LA-4 changed on a percentage 

basis. The maximum population impacts on a percentage basis for the three EIA’s are the same as 

reported in Table 4-29 of the Multisale EIS. Thus, the potential population impacts described in the 

Multisale EIS and summarized above apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. 

Research of all references for demographics in the Multisale EIS revealed the following new information. 

The following information is summarized from Rowley (2007). The Louisiana Public Health Institute 

(LPHI) estimated the City of New Orleans’s population at 191,139 in January 2007, the U.S. Census 

Bureau estimated the population at 223,388 in July 2006, and the City estimates it closer to 230,000. For 

St. Bernard Parish, the Census Bureau estimated the population at 66,441 in 2000 and 15,514 in July 

2006, and the LPHI estimates it at 25,296 in January 2007. 

Hurricane Katrina flooded more than 40 percent of Hancock County, Mississippi. Prior to Hurricane 

Katrina the Hancock County population was 46,546; as of July 2006, the Census estimated it at 40,421, 

indicating a substantial return of population. The Jefferson Parish population estimates are 451,049 in 

2000, 431,361 in July 2006, and 434,666 in January 2007. The high population in Jefferson Parish 

indicates an in-migration of former residents of Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes and 

seasonal construction workers. See Chapter 3.3.5.5.1 of the Multisale EIS for the relationship of 

population to housing availability and employment. 

A year and a half after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the recovery was uneven throughout the areas 

originally affected (Rowley, 2007). Areas where the most severe problems remain are New Orleans and 

St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana; and Hancock County, Mississippi. Recovery is well underway in Jefferson 

Parish, Lake Charles, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana; and Biloxi, Gulfport, and Pascagoula, Mississippi; 

and Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Recovery is driving expansion in East Baton Rouge and St. Tammany 

Parishes, Louisiana; Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Laurel Mississippi; and Gulf Shores and Mobile, Alabama. 

The measures of recovery are the functions of local government, population, crime, economic and fiscal 

effects, local government budgets, housing, and labor. 
58 Resources and Impact Analysis

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for demographics presented in the Multisale EIS, based on the 

additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that would alter 

the impact conclusion for demographics presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a new analysis of the 

potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on demographics is not required. The analysis and potential 

impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.13.3. Economic Factors 

The description of the current economic factors for the GOM analysis area can be found in Chapter 

3.3.5.5 of the Multisale EIS. A detailed impact analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative 

impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on economic factors can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.1.13.3, 4.4.14.3, 

and 4.5.15.3 of the Multisale EIS, respectively. The following is a summary of the impact analysis 

incorporated from the Multisale EIS. 

Should proposed Lease Sale 207 occur, there would be only minor economic changes in the Texas, 

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida EIA’s (Figure 5). Proposed Lease Sale 207 is expected to 

generate less than a 1 percent increase in employment in any of these subareas. This demand will be met 

primarily with the existing population and available labor force. Accidental events such as oil or 

chemical spills, blowouts, and vessel collisions could have modest, short-term adverse economic 

consequences. Negative, long-term economic and social impacts may be more substantial if fishing, 

shrimping, oystering, and/or tourism were to suffer or were to be perceived as having suffered because of 

the event. 

The OCS Program will produce only minor economic changes in most of the individual EIA’s. 

However, it is projected to substantially impact the Louisiana EIA’s LA-2 and LA-3, with OCS-related 

employment expected to peak at 23.8 percent and 9.8 percent of total employment, respectively. On a 

regional level, activities related to the OCS Program are expected to significantly impact employment in 

Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, within EIA LA-3. Therefore, the population, housing, roads (LA Hwy 1), 

water supply, schools, and hospitals in the parish will be affected and potentially strained. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. A 

search of Internet information sources as well as personal communication with regional and national 

economic experts was conducted to determine the availability of new information that would affect the 

impact analyses. In the Multisale EIS, MMS used data from Woods & Poole’s Complete Economic and 

Demographic Data Source (Woods & Poole Economics, Inc., 2006) for baseline population and 

employment estimates over the 40-year life of a typical proposed WPA lease sale. The 2007 Woods & 

Poole data became available in late August 2007 and contains their revised estimates regarding the 

economic and demographic impacts of the 2005 hurricanes on the Gulf region (Woods & Poole 

Economics, Inc., 2007). In the new data, population, income, and employment were assumed to decline 

from 2005 to 2006 by 76 percent in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana; 51 percent in Orleans Parish, 

Louisiana; 22 percent in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana; 19 percent in Cameron Parish; Louisiana; 13 

percent in Hancock County, Mississippi; and 11 percent in Harrison County, Mississippi. In each case, 

these losses were less than those that were assumed in the Woods & Poole 2006 data. The 2007 data also 

have revised assumptions regarding counties and parishes that experienced population and employment 

gains because of Hurricane Katrina displacement: 9 percent in Pearl River County, Mississippi; 7 percent 

in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana; 5 percent in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana; 5 percent in East 

Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana; and 4 percent in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana from 2005 to 2006. In 

each case, these gains were less than those that were assumed in the 2006 data. 

As discussed in Chapter 4.1.1, the exploration and development activity scenarios used in the 

Multisale EIS for a typical WPA sale remain unchanged and are used for the analysis of proposed Lease 

Sale 207. Consequently, the employment projections for a typical proposed WPA sale in the Multisale 

EIS (Tables 4-30 and 4-31) are unchanged for Lease Sale 207. The MMS reanalyzed the employment 

impacts on a percentage basis for all of the economic impact areas (EIA’s) using the revised Woods & 

Poole data; however, only the results for EIA’s LA-2, LA-3, and LA-4 changed on a percentage basis,. 

The revised low and high case results are shown in Table 10. The maximum employment impacts on a 

percentage basis for the three EIA’s are the same as reported in Table 4-32 of the Multisale EIS (LA-2 

ranges from 0.1% to 0.2% and LA-3 and LA-4 are both 0.1% for the low and high cases, respectively). 

Thus, the potential employment impacts described in the Multisale EIS and summarized above apply for 

proposed Lease Sale 207. 
Environmental Assessment 59 

Table 10 

 

Projected Employment* Associated with Proposed Lease Sale 207 by Economic Impact Area 

Revised Baseline 

Employment Projections1 WPA Proposed Action Employment 

Estimates2

Projected Employment Associated with 

Proposed Lease Sale 207 as Percent of Total 

Baseline Employment 

Calendar 

Year 

LA2 LA3 LA4 LA2 LA3 LA4 LA2 LA3 LA4 

In Thousands Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High 

2008 316.47 652.58 629.89 133 225 171 278 84 143 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2009 320.52 661.36 647.77 413 643 533 762 286 415 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 

2010 324.57 670.14 665.64 296 410 403 534 227 301 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2011 328.62 678.91 683.52 281 443 383 542 222 307 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2012 332.67 687.68 701.38 330 618 433 784 241 446 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 

2013 336.72 696.45 719.26 228 370 252 408 113 191 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2014 340.77 705.22 737.14 267 593 285 684 128 356 0.1% 0.2% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2015 344.81 713.98 755.00 270 455 286 483 129 228 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2016 348.87 722.74 772.87 193 447 192 507 84 268 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2017 352.97 731.61 791.17 171 253 168 251 75 114 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2018 357.12 740.58 809.90 161 233 157 228 72 103 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2019 361.31 749.67 829.07 158 240 153 233 71 107 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2020 365.08 757.78 844.36 166 264 159 253 74 118 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2021 369.13 766.54 862.23 317 516 372 565 209 307 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2022 373.23 775.39 880.48 194 531 183 576 86 314 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 

2023 377.37 784.35 899.11 201 308 187 286 89 139 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2024 381.56 793.41 918.14 204 315 188 288 91 142 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2025 385.34 801.55 933.71 203 313 184 281 90 139 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2026 389.39 810.30 951.57 203 316 182 280 91 141 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2027 393.49 819.14 969.78 204 324 180 283 90 145 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2028 397.63 828.07 988.33 208 330 181 284 93 148 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2029 401.82 837.10 1,007.24 211 333 181 284 94 149 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2030 405.61 845.27 1,023.03 211 334 180 282 95 150 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2031 409.88 854.49 1,042.60 212 331 179 277 95 149 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2032 414.19 863.81 1,062.55 209 327 175 272 94 148 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2033 418.55 873.24 1,082.88 205 319 171 264 92 144 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2034 422.95 882.76 1,103.60 200 310 166 256 90 140 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2035 427.40 892.39 1,124.71 193 296 159 244 87 134 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2036 431.90 902.12 1,146.23 183 279 151 229 82 126 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2037 436.45 911.97 1,168.16 172 259 142 213 77 117 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2038 441.04 921.91 1,190.51 163 244 136 202 76 113 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2039 445.68 931.97 1,213.29 184 262 168 232 101 138 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2040 450.37 942.14 1,236.50 155 225 138 196 78 111 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2041 455.11 952.41 1,260.16 149 233 135 211 78 122 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2042 459.89 962.80 1,284.27 119 199 99 166 54 95 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2043 464.73 973.31 1,308.84 112 206 94 180 52 107 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2044 469.62 983.92 1,333.88 107 182 90 154 50 92 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2045 474.56 994.66 1,359.40 100 183 84 162 47 97 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2046 479.56 1,005.51 1,385.41 92 156 77 131 43 77 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

2047 484.60 1,016.47 1,411.92 85 146 71 123 39 71 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

* Direct, indirect, and induced. 

1

 Source: Woods & Poole Economics, Inc., 2007. 

2

 Source: Table 4-23 of the Multisale EIS. 
60 Resources and Impact Analysis

Additional supplemental information is available regarding current economic conditions in the GOM 

region, particularly as it relates the recovery to date from the 2005 hurricanes. However, this new 

information (summarized below) does not in any way change the baseline population and employment 

projections used to analyze impacts of a typical WPA sale and the OCS Program, the methodologies used, 

or the conclusions presented in the Multisale EIS. 

Two years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita the recovery remains uneven throughout the areas 

originally affected. Areas where the most severe problems remain are Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes, 

Louisiana, and Hancock County, Mississippi. Affordable housing continues to be a problem in these 

areas, particularly in New Orleans. Adding to the problem is the high cost of insurance and building 

materials, causing many prospective developers to postpone projects until these pressures ease somewhat. 

Recovery is well underway in Jefferson and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana, as well as in Biloxi, Gulfport, 

and Pascagoula, Mississippi; and Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Recovery is driving expansion in East Baton 

Rouge and St. Tammany Parishes in Louisiana; Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Laurel, Mississippi; and in 

Gulf Shores and Mobile, Alabama. The measures of recovery are the functions of local government, 

population, crime, economic and fiscal effects, local government budgets, housing, and labor (Rowley, 

2007). 

Researchers continue to study the employment impacts of the 2005 hurricane season. The Bureau of 

Labor Statistics did a special review of the employment impacts of Hurricane Katrina and found that St. 

Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes had the largest percent declines in employment between 

September 2004 and September 2006 (38%, 27%, and 24.5%, respectively). In the two months following 

Hurricane Katrina, nonfarm payroll employment in Louisiana fell by 241,000, a decline of 12 percent; in 

the New Orleans metro area, employment declined by 215,000, or 35 percent. In the New Orleans metro 

area in June 2006, it was 30 percent below the level a year earlier. Total nonfarm employment in 

Louisiana decreased by 184,600 jobs or 9.6 percent from September 2004 to September 2005, and in May 

2006, the year-to-year loss was 177,700 jobs or 9.1 percent (U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor 

Statistics, 2006; pages 2, 4, 6, 8, 27, and 28). More recent data, however, show nonfarm payroll 

employment in Louisiana increasing 3.8 percent between April 2006 and April 2007 (one of the largest 

over-the-year percentage gains in employment for a State), or an increase of 69,500 from 1,835,700 to 

1,905,200 (U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007). 

Estimating employment data has proven more difficult post-Katrina, and some previous estimates are 

being revised as data-gathering limitations are addressed. For example, the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank 

announced a revision to their employment estimates for Louisiana from 1,766,400 to 1,844,300 (an 

increase of 77,900 or 4.4%) between March 2005 and March 2006. Much of the revision was to account 

for job growth in the State’s construction industry that had been underestimated due to survey sampling 

issues (such as identifying and sampling new construction businesses). Professional and business 

services is another industry where employment in Louisiana appears to have been originally 

underestimated (Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, 2006). 

Researchers also continue to examine the impacts of the 2005 hurricane season on businesses in the 

region. For example, a Louisiana State University report on the hurricanes’ effect on businesses 

comparing the second quarter of 2005 with the second quarter of 2006 concludes that, after a decline of 

over 5,000 in the number of employers (5.3%), the entire State of Louisiana had 2,270 fewer employers 

(2.3%) one year after the hurricanes (Terrell and Bilbo, 2007). The business failure rate in the year after 

the storms was 11.7 percent for the State as a whole compared with 26.5 percent for the five parish 

Southeast region. 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for economic factors presented in the Multisale EIS, based on 

the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that would 

alter the impact conclusion for economic factors presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a complete 

new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on economic factors is not required. 

The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 

4.2.13.4. Environmental Justice 

The description of the environment for environmental justice can be found in Chapter 3.3.5.10 of the 

Multisale EIS. Detailed analysis of the routine, accidental, and cumulative impacts of proposed Lease 

Sale 207 on environmental justice can be found in Chapters 4.2.1.15.4, 4.4.14.4, and 4.5.15.4, 

respectively. The following is a summary of the impact analysis from the Multisale EIS. 
Environmental Assessment 61 

Because of the presence of an extensive and widespread support system for OCS and associated labor 

force, the effects of proposed Lease Sale 207 are expected to be widely distributed and, except in 

Louisiana, little felt. In general, the infrastructural needs generated by proposed Lease Sale 207 will be 

met by the existing support systems, and these effects will be negligible. In general, who will be hired 

and where new infrastructure might be located is impossible to predict. A new C-Port (multiservices port 

terminal facility) in Galveston may be developed and this would likely increase Texas’ share of the 

effects. However, this would occur in an already highly industrialized area so its effects would be 

primarily economic. For these reasons, impacts related to proposed Lease Sale 207 are expected to be 

economic and have a limited but positive effect on low-income and minority populations. Given the 

existing distribution of the industry and the limited concentrations of minority and low-income people, 

proposed Lease Sale 207 is not expected to have a disproportionate effect on these populations. 

Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, will experience the most concentrated effects of proposed Lease Sale 

207; however, because the parish is not heavily low-income or minority and because the effects of road 

traffic and port expansion will not occur in areas of low-income or minority concentration, these groups 

are not expected to be affected differentially. 

Proposed Lease Sale 207 would help to maintain ongoing levels of activity rather than expand them. 

Future changes in activity levels will most likely be caused by fluctuations in oil prices and imports, and 

not be activities related to proposed Lease Sale 207. Routine impacts associated with proposed Lease 

Sale 207 are not expected to have disproportionate high/adverse environmental or health effects on 

minority or low-income populations. 

With respect to accidental events, considering the low likelihood of an oil spill and the heterogeneous 

population distribution along the GOM region, accidental spill events associated with proposed Lease 

Sale 207 are not expected to have disproportionate adverse environmental or health effects on minority or 

low-income people. 

In the GOM coastal area, the contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 and the OCS Program to the 

cumulative effects of all activities and trends affecting environmental justice issues over the next 40 years 

is expected to be negligible to minor. The cumulative effects will be concentrated in coastal areas, and 

particularly, Louisiana. Most OCS Program effects are expected to be in the areas of job creation and the 

stimulation of the economy and are expected to make a small yet positive contribution to an area’s 

economy. The contribution of the cumulative OCS Program to the cumulative impacts of all factors 

affecting environmental justice is expected to be minor (USDOI, MMS, 2001); therefore, the incremental 

contribution of proposed Lease Sale 207 to the cumulative impacts would also be minor. 

A search was conducted for new information published since completion of the Multisale EIS. 

Analysis of FEMA storm damage data shows that Hurricane Katrina’s impact was disproportionately 

borne by the region’s African American community, by people who rented their homes, and by the poor 

and unemployed. More than one-third of the region’s 1.7 million residents lived in areas that suffered 

flooding or moderate to catastrophic storm damage, according to FEMA. The majority of people living in 

damaged areas were in the City of New Orleans (over 350,000), with additional concentrations in 

suburban Jefferson Parish (175,000) and St. Bernard Parish (53,000) and along the Mississippi Coast 

(54,000). In the region as a whole, the disparities in storm damage are shown in the following 

comparisons (arranged in order of the degree of disparity): by race—damaged areas were 46 percent 

black, compared with 26 percent in undamaged areas; by housing tenure—46 percent of homes in 

damaged areas were occupied by renters, compared with 31 percent in undamaged communities; and by 

poverty and employment status—21 percent of households had incomes below the poverty line in 

damaged areas, compared with 15 percent in undamaged areas, and 7.6 percent of persons in the labor 

force were unemployed in damaged areas (before the storm), compared to 6.0 percent in undamaged 

areas. These comparisons are heavily influenced by the experience of the City of New Orleans. Outside 

the city, there were actually smaller shares of African American, poor, and unemployed residents in the 

damaged areas. Closer inspection of neighborhoods within New Orleans shows that some affluent white 

neighborhoods were hard hit, while some poor minority neighborhoods were spared. Yet, if the postKatrina city were limited to the population previously living in areas that were undamaged by the storm—

that is, if people were unable or unwilling to return to destroyed and damaged neighborhoods—New 

Orleans is at risk of losing more than 80 percent of its black population (Logan, 2007). 

The Multisale EIS states the following: “Evidence also suggests that a healthy offshore petroleum 

industry also indirectly benefits low-income and minority populations.” One MMS study in Louisiana 
62 Resources and Impact Analysis

found income inequality decreased during the oil boom and increased with the decline (Tolbert, 1995). 

The following updated information relates to this point. 

A follow-up study to Tolbert (1995) about Abbeville, Louisiana, resulted in the following findings. A 

study component of a plant closure in Abbeville found that more employment opportunities exist within 

the community and surrounding area because, indirectly, growth of the oil and gas industry has served as 

an impetus in creating other labor market opportunities. A study component of industrial composition 

finds that a key source of sustainability from economic fluctuations at one time may be problematic at 

another time. Conversely, a problematic sector of the local economy at one time period may be proven to 

be a stabilizing sector at another time. These sectors include the oil and gas industry, manufacturing, and 

others. The particular lesson in the Abbeville context is that shifting sectors can be sustained by strong 

business services and professional sectors. Industrial diversity in Abbeville is dynamic overtime. The 

conclusions of Tolbert (2006) appear to qualify the conclusions of Tolbert (1995). 

The MMS has reexamined the analysis for environmental justice presented in the Multisale EIS, 

based on the additional information presented above. No new significant information was discovered that 

would alter the impact conclusion for environmental justice presented in the Multisale EIS; therefore, a 

new analysis of the potential impacts of proposed Lease Sale 207 on environmental justice is not required. 

The analysis and potential impacts detailed in the Multisale EIS still apply for proposed Lease Sale 207. 
Environmental Assessment 63 

5. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION 

5.1. SCOPING AND ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL 

ASSESSMENT FOR THE WESTERN PLANNING AREA’S PROPOSED LEASE 

SALE 207 

The MMS performs ongoing external and internal scoping in order to determine the breadth and depth 

necessary for environmental analysis. 

External Scoping: The scoping process for this EA was formally initiated on December 3, 2007, with 

the Federal Register notice announcing the preparation of an EA. In the notice, MMS requested that 

interested parties submit comments regarding any new information or issues that should be addressed in 

the EA. The comment period closed on January 3, 2008. Scoping and coordination efforts continue 

throughout the lease sale process and have been conducted since the publication of the Multisale EIS in 

2007: 

• On March 1, 2007, in Pensacola, Florida, and March 7, 2007, in Larose, Louisiana, to 

solicit comments regarding new information or issues that should be addressed in the 

Draft Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for EPA Lease Sale 224 held in March 2008. 

• Scoping meetings were held on October 9, 2007 in Larose, Louisiana, October 10, in 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 11, in Mobile, Alabama, and October 11, in 

Houston, Texas, to solicit comments regarding new information or issues that should 

be addressed in the Draft Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for CPA Lease Sale 208 in the 

area referred to as the “181 South Area.” to be held in March 2009. 

• Before a decision is made on the Final Notice of Sale, MMS will send the 

Consistency Determinations (CD) for WPA Lease Sale 207 to the States of Texas and 

Louisiana, documenting the consistency of the proposed sale with the coastal zone 

management (CZM) program. The States’ comments on the Lease Sale 207 CD’s are 

due within 60-days. If no comments are provided, MMS presumes the State’s 

concurrence with the CD pursuant to the provisions of regulations at 15 CFR 

930.41(a). If comments are provided, MMS will respond to them. 

• On December 3, 2007, MMS published a Notice of Preparation of an EA on 

proposed Lease Sale 207. In the notice, MMS requested interested parties to submit 

comments regarding any new information or issues that should be addressed in the 

EA within 30 days. MMS received comments from the State of Louisiana 

Governor’s Office on December 26, 2007 that are discussed below. 

Internal Scoping: Internal scoping is an ongoing activity for all environmental projects and NEPA 

documents. Part of internal scoping involves reviewing resource estimates and oil-spill modeling results 

used in the preparation of the Multisale EIS to determine if they are still valid. The MMS GOM Region’s 

Office of Resource Evaluation reviewed the oil and gas resource projections and associated activities for 

WPA Lease Sale 207 and confirmed that they remain within the range of those projected by MMS for a 

“typical WPA lease sale.” The MMS Headquarters’ Oil-Spill Risk Analysis (OSRA) group confirmed 

that results from the OSRA model summarized in the Multisale EIS and presented in a separate MMS 

report (USDOI, MMS, 2007i) are still valid for the proposed lease sale. 

Internal scoping also requires MMS subject matter experts and analysts and NEPA coordinators to 

continuously update their knowledge base and incorporate three primary informational components into 

their analyses: 

(1) recent studies/reports; 

(2) monitoring results; and 

(3) related cumulative-impact data. 
64 Consultation and Coordination

The MMS’s resource analysts and NEPA coordinators take an active role in the preparation, 

execution, and peer review of studies and reports developed under MMS’s Environmental Studies 

Program. Some MMS analysts are involved in studies within their areas of expertise, as well as managing 

contracts for work conducted by other Federal/State agencies and universities conducting research in 

support of GOM’s mission. The MMS staff participates in protected species observation cruises, and a 

dive team examines the marine biological activity around OCS infrastructure and investigates 

archaeological sites. The information obtained from these studies, as well as other relevant, non-MMS 

research, was considered by each subject matter expert in their assessment for this EA. Appendix C of 

the Multisale EIS lists the GOM Region’s studies published from 2003 to 2006. Technical summaries for 

MMS-sponsored studies are available on our Internet website 

(http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/techsumm/rec_pubs.html). 

Cumulative analyses are prepared by MMS subject matter experts that consider activities that could 

occur and may adversely affect GOM resources, including proposed WPA Lease Sale 207, prior and 

future OCS lease sales, State oil and gas activities, and other governmental and private projects and 

activities. The MMS analysts are often responsible for reviewing GOM activities not associated with oil 

and gas operations. All information gained from cumulative analyses was considered by MMS analysts 

in their assessments for this EA. 

5.2. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION CALENDAR

A complete description of all consultation and coordination activities and meetings is included in 

Chapter 5 of the Multisale EIS. A brief summary of these events follows: 

Multisale EIS Process

March 7, 2006 The Notice of Intent (NOI) for the proposed 2007-2012 CPA and WPA lease 

sales was published in the Federal Register. A 45-day comment period was 

provided; it closed on April 21, 2006. Additional public notices were 

distributed via newspaper notices, mailed notices, and the Internet. The MMS 

received 65 scoping letters in response to the NOI, which are summarized in 

Chapter 5.3.1 of the Multisale EIS. 

March 28-30, 2006 

April 6, 2006 

The MMS held scoping meetings in Houston, Texas; Harahan, Louisiana; 

Mobile, Alabama; and Tallahassee, Florida, to receive comments on the Draft 

EIS for the proposed 2007-2012 CPA and WPA lease sales. A summary of 

comments presented at the scoping meetings is provided in Chapter 5.3.1 of 

the Multisale EIS. 

April 28, 2006 The Call for Information and Nominations (Call) for the proposed 2007-2012 

lease sales was published in the Federal Register. A 30-day comment period 

was provided; it closed on May 30, 2006. The MMS received five comment 

letters in response to the Call, which are summarized in Chapter 5.3.3 of the 

Multisale EIS. 

December 5-7, 2006 The MMS held public hearings in Houston, Texas; New Orleans and Larose, 

Louisiana; Panama City, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama, to receive comments 

on the Draft Multisale EIS for CPA Lease Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 

222, and WPA Lease Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218. There were no 

speakers at the Houston, Mobile, and Larose hearings. One individual 

presented comments at the New Orleans hearing and 26 at the Larose hearing. 

The comments are summarized in Chapter 5.5 of the Multisale EIS. 

December 12, 2006 The EFH programmatic consultation was initiated and completed for the 2007-

2012 lease sales, including Lease Sale 207. The NMFS concurred by letter 

dated December 12, 2006, that the information presented in the Draft 

Multisale EIS satisfies the EFH consultation procedures outlined in 50 CFR 
Environmental Assessment 65 

600.920, and as specified in our March 17, 2000, findings. Provided MMS 

proposed mitigations, previous EFH conservation recommendations, and the 

standard lease stipulations and regulations are followed as proposed, NMFS 

agrees that impacts on EFH and associated fishery resources resulting from 

activities conducted under the 2007-2012 lease sales would be minimal. 

Therefore, unless future changes to the proposed 2007-2012 lease sales are 

proposed or new information becomes available, no further EFH consultation 

is required for the 2007-2012 lease sales. 

June 28, 2007 The FWS and MMS have consulted informally per FWS guidance. A draft 

copy of the Biological Assessment, prepared by MMS, was submitted as 

requested by FWS (USDOI, MMS, 2007j). On June 28, 2007, MMS received 

oral confirmation from FWS that the consultation will remain informal; 

therefore there will be no new mitigations or Terms and Conditions from 

FWS. The final Biological Assessment and a request for a Letter of

Concurrence were submitted to FWS on August 3, 2007. The FWS submitted 

a Letter of Concurrence dated September 14, 2007. 

June 29, 2007 The NMFS BO was signed on June 29, 2007, and has been received by MMS. 

The BO concludes that the proposed lease sales and associated activities in the 

GOM in the 2007-2012 OCS Leasing Program, including Lease Sale 207, are 

not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of threatened and endangered 

species under NMFS jurisdiction, or destroy or adversely modify designated 

critical habitat. The NMFS issued an Incidental Take Statement on sea turtle 

species, which contains reasonable and prudent measures with implementing 

terms and conditions to help minimize take. 

WPA Lease Sale 207 EA Process

December 3, 2007 The MMS published a Notice of Preparation of an EA on proposed WPA

Lease Sale 207. In the notice, MMS requested interested parties to submit 

comments within 30 days regarding any new information or issues that should 

be addressed in the EA. 

December 26, 2007 The State of Louisiana Governor’s Office provided general comments on 

preparation of the EA in a 3-page letter. Four concerns were expressed. 

(1) The MMS is relying on an outdated environmental baseline and has yet to 

document a full assessment of the increased risk faced by Louisiana from 

global warming and related future increases in sea level rise and hurricane 

intensity. 

(2) The MMS uses estimates, assumptions, and projections of anticipated 

wetland losses and other types of impacts to Louisiana resulting from lease 

sale programs, but has yet to validate or verify those estimates, assumptions, 

and projections with after-sale analyses to refine or replace the predictive 

techniques that were used. 

(3) The MMS has yet to take responsibility or propose mitigation for the 

OCS-related activities that contribute to direct, indirect, and cumulative 

impacts on wetlands, but also the “incremental impact of the action when 

added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions.” 

(4) The MMS should describe improvements on survivability of facilities and 

OCS infrastructure, such as platforms and pipelines, that better able them to 

withstand the high sea states from storm activity in the Gulf of Mexico. The 

EA should assess the impacts of storm-generated debris from OCS structures 

on other users of the OCS. 
Environmental Assessment 67 

6. REFERENCES CITED 

Ache, B. 2007. Written communication. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Email to 

the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Water Quality Team. Various emails sent in June 2007 in preparation 

for the annual July 2007 meeting.

American Gaming Association (AGA). 2003. State of the states: The AGA survey of casino 

entertainment. 32 pp. Internet website: http://www.americangaming.org/assets/files/

AGA_survey_2003.pdf. Accessed July 9, 2007. 

American Gaming Association (AGA). 2007. State of the states: The AGA survey of casino 

entertainment. Internet website: http://www.americangaming.org/survey/index.cfm. Accessed 

August 13, 2007. 

American Petroleum Institute (API). 2006. Bulletin 2TD, Guidelines for tie-downs on offshore 

production facilities for the hurricane season, first edition. Internet website: http://www.api.org/

Publications/2005-hurricane.cfm. 

American Petroleum Institute (API). 2007. Gulf of Mexico MODU mooring practices for the 2007 

hurricane season—interim recommendations. API Recommended Practice 95F, second edition, April 

2007. Internet website: http://api-ec.api.org/Publications/upload/95F_2-3.pdf. 52 pp. 

Ashton, P.K., R.A. Speir, and L.O. Upton III. 2004. Modeling exploration, development, and production 

in the Gulf of Mexico. Volumes I-III. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, 

Environmental Studies Program, Herndon, VA. OCS Study MMS 2004-018. 

Associated Press. 2007. Floods bring 'dead zone' to Texas gulf, expert says: Sea life is threatened, but 

loss is expected to be temporary. St. Petersburg Times. Internet website. http://tampabay.com/2007/

08/01/Worldandnation/Floods_bring__dead_zo.shtml. Posted August 1, 2007. Accessed December 

5, 2007. 

Balseiro, A., A. Espi, I. Marquez, V. Perez, M.C. Ferreras, J.F. Garcia Marin, and J.M. Prieto. 2005. 

Pathological features in marine birds affected by the Prestige’s oil spill in the north of Spain. Journal 

of Wildlife Diseases 41:371-378. 

Barcott, B. 2007. Kill the cat that kills the bird? New York Times, New York, NY. December 2, 2007. 

Internet website: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/magazine/02cats-v--birds-t.html. 

Barras, J.A., S. Beville, D. Britsch, S. Hartley, S. Hawes, J. Johnston, P. Kemp, Q. Kinler, A. Martucci, J. 

Porthouse, D. Reed, K. Roy, S. Sapkota, and J. Suhayda. 2003. Historical and projected coastal 

Louisiana land changes: 1978-2050. USGS Open File Report 03-334. 

Barras, J.A. 2006. Land area change in coastal Louisiana after the 2005 hurricanes: A series of three 

maps. USGS Open File Report 06-1274. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey. 

Barras, J.A. 2007. Personal communication. Status of any further analysis of post-Katrina barrier island 

or mainland beach damages in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi coasts. U.S. Dept. of the 

Interior, Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette, LA. 

Barras, J.A. 2007. Satellite images and aerial photographs of the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 

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Areas, Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico 

OCS Region, New Orleans, LA. OCS EIS/EA MMS 2005-064. Internet website: 

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/nepa/MMS2005-064.pdf 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2006. Investigations of chemosynthetic 

communities on the lower continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. Ongoing study co-funded by U.S. 

Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service and U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Office of 

Ocean Exploration. Internet website for the study profile: http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/

regulate/environ/ongoing_studies/gm/GM-05-03.html. Internet website for the Alvin cruise from May 

7-June 2: http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06mexico/welcome.html. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007a. Gulf of Mexico OCS oil and gas lease 

sales: 2007-2012; Western Planning Area Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218; Central Planning Area 

Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222—final environmental impact statement. 2 vols. U.S. Dept. of 

the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA. OCS 

EIS/EA MMS 2007-018. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007b. Outer continental shelf oil and gas 

leasing program, 2007-2012. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Washington, 

DC. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007c. Outer continental shelf oil and gas 

leasing program: 2007-2012—final environmental impact statement. 2 vols. U.S. Dept. of the 

Interior, Minerals Management Service, Herndon, VA. OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-003. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007d. Gulf of Mexico OCS oil and gas 

scenario examination: Exploration and development activity. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals 

Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA. OCS Report MMS 2007-052. 

14 pp. Internet website: http://www.gomr.mms.gov/PDFs/2007/2007-052.pdf. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007e. Gulf of Mexico OCS oil and gas 

scenario examination: Pipeline landfalls. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA. OCS Report MMS 2007-053. 5pp. Internet 

website: http://www.gomr.mms.gov/PDFs/2007/2007-053.pdf 

U.S. Dept. of Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007f. Petroleum spills of one barrel or greater 

from Federal Outer Continental Shelf facilities resulting from damages caused by 2005 Hurricanes 

Katrina and Rita including post-hurricane seepage through June 2007. Internet website: http://

www.mms.gov/incidents/PDFs/HurrKatrinaRitaSpillageRev30Jul2007.pdf. Accessed July 30, 2007. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007g. Estimated petroleum spillage from 

facilities associated with Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas activities resulting from 

damages caused by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals 

Management Service, Herndon, VA. Internet website: http://www.mms.gov/incidents/PDFs/

HurrKatrinaRitaSpillageRev25Jan2007Final.pdf. Accessed February 1, 2007. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007h. Minerals Management Service marks 

hurricane season 2007. News Release, August 30, 2007. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals 

Management Service, Gulf of Mexico Region, New Orleans, LA. Internet website: http://

www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/whatsnew/newsreal/2007/070530.pdf. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007i. Oil-spill risk analysis: Gulf of Mexico 

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease sales, Central Planning Area and Western Planning Area, 2007-

2012 and Gulfwide OCS Program, 2007-2046. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management 
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http://www.mms.gov/itd/pubs/2007/2007-040.pdf 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007j. Biological assessment, USFWS 

consultation, Gulf of Mexico OCS oil and gas lease sales: 2007-2012. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 

Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA. 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Minerals Management Service. 2007k. Five-year meteorological database for 

the OCD and CALPUFF models. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of 

Mexico Region, New Orleans, LA. OCS Report MMS 2007-067. Internet website: 

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/whatsnew/techann/2007/tech2007-067.pdf 

U.S. Dept. of the Interior. National Park Service. 2005. November 2005 archeology e-gram. Internet 

website: http://www.nps.gov/archeology/pubs/egrams/0511.pdf. Accessed July 30, 2007. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2005. Ozone nonattainment state/area/county report, 

September 29, 2005. Internet website: http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/gncs.html. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2007a. Phase 2 of the final rule to implement the 8-hour ozone 

national ambient air quality standard. Final notice of reconsideration. Federal Register 72 FR 110, 

Pp. 31727-31749. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2007b. 8-hour ozone nonattainment state/area/county report. As 

of June 20, 2007. Internet website: http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/gncs.html. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2007c. Particulate matter (PM-2.5) nonattainment 

state/area/county report. As of June 20, 2007. Internet website: http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/

greenbk/qncs.html#ALABAMA. Posted October 10, 2007. 

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Internet website: http://www.epa.gov/Arkansas/6en/w/offshore/home.htm. Accessed July 2, 2007. 

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European shags: Changes in availability of prey. Marine Ecology Progress Series 302:263-274. 

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Pearl River, Louisiana, watershed. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological 

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25(2):192 
Environmental Assessment 79 

7. PREPARERS 

Supervisors 

Dennis L. Chew, Chief, Environmental Assessment Section 

Gary D. Goeke, Supervisor, NEPA/CZM Unit 

Jack Irion, Supervisor, Social Sciences Unit 

Daniel (Herb) Leedy, Supervisor, Biological Sciences Unit 

Margaret Metcalf, Supervisor, Physical Sciences Unit 

Tara Montgomery, Supervisor, Mapping and Automation Unit 

Robert Sebastian, Deputy Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment 

NEPA Coordination 

Thomas W. Bjerstedt, GOMR NEPA Coordinator, Physical Scientist 

Mary C. Boatman, Headquarters’ NEPA Coordinator, Environmental Specialist 

Analysts and Professional Staff 

Dave Ball, Marine Archaeologist 

Gregory S. Boland, Fisheries Biologist/Biological Oceanographer 

Carole L. Current, Physical Oceanographer 

Donald (Tre) W. Glenn, III, Protected Species Biologist 

Mike Gravois, Geographer 

Larry M. Hartzog, Environmental Scientist 

Nancy M. Kornrumpf, Program Analyst 

Jill Leale, Geographer 

Harry Luton, Social Scientist 

Stacie Merritt, Meteorologist 

Deborah H. Miller, Technical Publications Editor 

David P. Moran, Environmental Scientist 

Michelle V. Morin, Senior Environmental Scientist 

Carol Roden, Protected Species Biologist 

Catherine A. Rosa, Environmental Assessment Program Specialist 

James Sinclair, Marine Biologist 

Kristen L. Strellec, Economist 
The Department of the Interior Mission

As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility 

for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering 

sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; 

preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places; 

and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses 

our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best 

interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. 

The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities 

and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration. 

The Minerals Management Service Mission 

As a bureau of the Department of the Interior, the Minerals Management Service's (MMS) 

primary responsibilities are to manage the mineral resources located on the Nation's Outer 

Continental Shelf (OCS), collect revenue from the Federal OCS and onshore Federal and Indian 

lands, and distribute those revenues. 

Moreover, in working to meet its responsibilities, the Offshore Minerals Management Program 

administers the OCS competitive leasing program and oversees the safe and environmentally 

sound exploration and production of our Nation's offshore natural gas, oil and other mineral 

resources. The MMS Minerals Revenue Management meets its responsibilities by ensuring the 

efficient, timely and accurate collection and disbursement of revenue from mineral leasing and 

production due to Indian tribes and allottees, States and the U.S. Treasury. 

The MMS strives to fulfill its responsibilities through the general guiding principles of: (1) being 

responsive to the public's concerns and interests by maintaining a dialogue with all potentially 

affected parties and (2) carrying out its programs with an emphasis on working to enhance the 

quality of life for all Americans by lending MMS assistance and expertise to economic 

development and environmental protection.