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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14040-14042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5953]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Central and Western Gulf of 
Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales for Years 2012-2017

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement 
(BOEMRE), Interior.

ACTION: Call for information and nominations.

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SUMMARY: This Call for Information and Nominations (hereinafter 
referred to as ``Call'') is the initial step in a single multisale 
process covering all lease sales in the Central and Western Gulf of 
Mexico (GOM) Planning Areas to be included in the OCS Oil and Gas 
Leasing Program for 2012-2017. Ten lease sales are specifically covered 
by this Call: five in the Central GOM Planning Area and five in the 
Western GOM Planning Area. Concurrent with this Call, BOEMRE is 
preparing a multisale Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) covering the 
same ten sales in the Central and Western GOM Planning Areas. For each 
of the ten individual lease sales associated with this Call, BOEMRE 
will comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), and the Coastal Zone 
Management Act (CZMA).

DATES: Nominations and comments must be received at the address 
specified below no later than 30 days following publication of this 
document in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Carrol Williams, Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, Gulf of Mexico OCS 
Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, 
telephone (504) 736-2803.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 1, 2008, BOEMRE initiated the 5-
year oil and gas leasing program preparation process with publication 
of a Request for Information (RFI) on a program to cover the 2010-2015 
time period, two years earlier than the usual cycle. On January 16, 
2009, BOEMRE announced the release of the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) 
and Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for 2010-2015. On February 10, 
2009, Secretary Salazar extended the comment period on the DPP to 
September 21, 2009, and later conducted four regional meetings to 
provide additional opportunities for input by all stakeholders.
    On December 1, 2010, the Secretary announced the OCS Oil and Gas 
Strategy as part of President Obama's comprehensive energy plan for the 
country. This strategy will guide the next steps in preparation of the 
new 2012-2017 program. As part of this strategy, on January 4, 2011, 
BOEMRE published a Notice of Scoping Meetings on the EIS modifying the 
OCS areas to be scoped for inclusion in the 5-year EIS (76 FR 376). The 
planning areas are the Western and Central GOM, as well as the area of 
the Eastern GOM not included in the Congressionally-mandated drilling 
moratorium; and the Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Cook Inlet, which 
are located off Alaska.
    This multisale Call covers only the lease sales in the Central and 
Western GOM Planning Areas that will be included in the OCS Oil and Gas 
Leasing Program for 2012-2017. On February 9, 2011, BOEMRE published a 
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS on the 2012-2017 oil and gas leasing 
proposals in the Western and Central Planning Areas of the GOM (76 FR 
7228).
    This Call is the sixth issuance of a Gulf of Mexico OCS Region 
multisale Call. In 1996, BOEMRE implemented two multisale Call 
processes for lease sales in the Central and Western GOM Planning 
Areas, respectively, in association with the 1997-2002 OCS Oil and Gas 
Leasing Program. In the 2002-2007 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program, 
BOEMRE implemented one multisale Call process for Central and Western 
GOM Planning Areas lease sales and one multisale Call process for 
Eastern GOM Planning Area lease sales. BOEMRE issued one multisale Call 
process for Central and Western GOM Planning Area lease sales in the 
2007-2012 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program.

Call for Information and Nominations

1. Authority

    This Call is published pursuant to OCSLA (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) 
and implementing regulations (30 CFR part 256).

2. Purpose of Call

    The purpose of the Call is to gather information for the following 
proposed OCS Lease Sales in the Central and Western GOM Planning Areas. 
Lease Sale numbers for the last two years of this 5-year Program have 
not been determined and are listed as to be determined (TBD):

------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Lease sale, OCS planning area                  Sale year
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sale 229, Western GOM......................  2012
Sale 231, Central GOM......................  2013
Sale 233, Western GOM......................  2013
Sale 235, Central GOM......................  2014
Sale 238, Western GOM......................  2014
Sale 241, Central GOM......................  2015
Sale TBD, Western GOM......................  2015
Sale TBD, Central GOM......................  2016
Sale TBD, Western GOM......................  2016
Sale TBD, Central GOM......................  2017
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    BOEMRE seeks information and nominations on oil and gas leasing, 
exploration, development and production within the Central and Western 
GOM Planning Areas from all interested parties. This early planning and 
consultation step ensures that all interests and concerns are 
communicated to the Department of the Interior for its future decisions 
in the leasing process pursuant to section 18 of OCSLA (43 U.S.C. 1344) 
and implementing regulations (30 CFR part 256).
    BOEMRE requests responses regarding proposed sales in both the 
Central and Western GOM Planning Areas. Areawide lease sale proposals 
in the Central and Western GOM Planning Areas are very similar. 
Accordingly, this multisale process addresses decisions for all ten 
lease sales in both the Central and Western GOM Planning Areas.
    Pursuant to section 18 of OCSLA (43 U.S.C. 1344) the Secretary of 
the Interior is developing the 5-year Program for 2012-2017; therefore, 
this Call should

[[Page 14041]]

not be construed as a prejudgment by the Secretary concerning any area 
to be made available for leasing under the 2012-2017 5-year Program.
    In addition, this Call does not indicate a preliminary decision to 
lease in the areas described below. Final delineation of each area for 
possible leasing will be made later in compliance with applicable laws 
(e.g., NEPA, OCSLA, CZMA) and established departmental procedures.

3. Description of Areas

    The areas of this Call include the entire Central and Western GOM 
Planning Areas, except for those exclusions listed below in Item 4 
(Areas Excluded from this Call).
    The Central GOM Planning Area is bounded on the north by the 
Federal-State boundary offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. 
The eastern boundary of the Central GOM Planning Area begins at the 
offshore boundary between Alabama and Florida and proceeds 
southeasterly to 26.19 degrees North latitude, thence southwesterly to 
25.6 degrees North latitude. The western boundary of the Central GOM 
Planning Area begins at the offshore boundary between Texas and 
Louisiana and proceeds southeasterly to 28.43 degrees North latitude, 
thence south southwesterly to 27.49 degrees North latitude, thence 
south southeasterly to 25.80 degrees North latitude. The Central GOM 
Planning Area is bounded on the south by the maritime boundary with 
Mexico as established by the ``Treaty Between The Government of The 
United States of America and The Government of The United Mexican 
States on The Delimitation of The Continental Shelf in The Western Gulf 
of Mexico Beyond 200 Nautical Miles,'' which took effect in January 
2001, and by the limit of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the area 
east of the continental shelf boundary with Mexico. The Central GOM 
Planning Area available for nominations and comments at this time 
consists of approximately 66.45 million acres, of which approximately 
40.85 million acres are currently unleased.
    The Western GOM Planning Area is bounded on the west and north by 
the Federal/State boundary offshore Texas. The eastern boundary begins 
at the offshore boundary between Texas and Louisiana and proceeds 
southeasterly to 28.43 degrees North latitude, thence south 
southwesterly to 27.49 degrees North latitude, thence south 
southeasterly to 25.80 degrees North latitude. The Western GOM Planning 
Area is bounded on the south by the maritime boundary with Mexico as 
established by the ``Treaty Between The Government of The United States 
of America and The Government of The United Mexican States on The 
Delimitation of The Continental Shelf in The Western Gulf of Mexico 
Beyond 200 Nautical Miles,'' which took effect in January 2001. The 
Western GOM Planning Area available for nominations and comments at 
this time consists of approximately 28.58 million acres, of which 
approximately 19.45 million acres are currently unleased.
    A standard Call for Information Map depicting the Central and 
Western GOM Planning Areas on a block-by-block basis is available 
without charge from: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and 
Enforcement, Public Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park 
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, or telephone: 1-800-200-
GULF. The map is also available via the BOEMRE Web site at: http://www.boemre.gov.

4. Areas Excluded From This Call

    A. The entire Central GOM Planning Area will be considered for 
possible leasing except:
    1. Blocks that were previously included within the Eastern GOM 
Planning Area and are within 100 miles of the Florida coast.
    2. Blocks east of the Military Mission line (86 degrees, 41 minutes 
west longitude) under an existing moratorium until 2022, as a result of 
the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (December 20, 2006).
    3. Blocks that are beyond the United States Exclusive Economic Zone 
in the area known as the northern portion of the Eastern Gap.
    4. Whole and partial blocks that lie within the 1.4 nautical mile 
buffer zone north of the maritime boundary between the United States 
and Mexico.
    B. The entire Western GOM Planning Area will be considered for 
possible leasing except:
    1. Whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower 
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
    2. Whole and partial blocks that lie within the 1.4 nautical mile 
buffer zone north of the continental shelf boundary between the United 
States and Mexico.

5. Instructions on Call

    Indications of interest and comments must be received no later than 
30 days following publication of this document in the Federal Register. 
Comments must be submitted in envelopes labeled ``Nominations for 
Proposed 2012-2017 Lease Sales in the Central and Western Gulf of 
Mexico'' or ``Comments on the Call for Information and Nominations for 
Proposed 2012-2017 Lease Sales in the Central and Western Gulf of 
Mexico'' and submitted to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 
Regulation and Enforcement, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Leasing 
Activities Section, (Attention: Mr. Carrol Williams), 1201 Elmwood Park 
Boulevard (Mail Stop 5422), New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. You may 
also submit comments on the Call via e-mail to 
carrol.williams@boemre.gov. You should include ``Comments on the Call 
for Proposed 2012-2017 Lease Sales'' in the subject line of your 
message.
    The standard Call for Information Map delineates the Call area that 
has been identified by BOEMRE as having potential for the discovery of 
accumulations of oil and gas. Respondents are requested to indicate 
interest in and comment on any or all of the Federal acreage within the 
boundaries of the Call area that they wish to have included in each of 
the proposed lease sales in the Central and Western GOM Planning Areas. 
Indications of interest and/or comments must be submitted to the Gulf 
of Mexico Region's Leasing Activities Section (Attention: Mr. Carrol 
Williams), at the previously-noted address.
    Respondents indicating interest should outline the areas of 
interest along block lines and rank the areas in which they have 
expressed interest according to priority of their interest (e.g., 
priority 1 [high], 2 [medium], or 3 [low]), specifically indicating 
blocks by priority. Areas where interest has been indicated, but on 
which respondents have not indicated priorities will be considered 
priority 3 (low).
    Respondents may also submit a list of blocks nominated by Official 
Protraction Diagram and Leasing Map designations to ensure correct 
interpretation of their nominations. Official Protraction Diagrams and 
Leasing Maps can be purchased from the Public Information Office.
    Also, BOEMRE seeks comments from all interested parties about 
particular geological, environmental (including natural disasters), 
biological, archaeological and socioeconomic conditions or conflicts, 
or other information that affect the potential leasing and development 
of particular areas, or possible conflicts between future OCS oil and 
gas activities that may result from the proposed sales and State 
Coastal Management Programs (CMPs). These comments should identify 
specific CMP policies of concern, the nature of the conflict foreseen, 
and proposed means to avoid or mitigate potential conflicts.

[[Page 14042]]

Comments may refer to both broad areas or may refer to particular 
blocks.

6. Information from Call

    Information submitted in response to this Call will be used for 
several purposes, including identifying and prioritizing areas with 
potential for oil and gas development as well as determining possible 
environmental effects and potential conflicts in the Call area. The 
areas nominated in the proposed sales, their respective rankings, and 
comments will be analyzed to make a preliminary determination of the 
potential advantages and disadvantages of oil and gas exploration and 
development to the region and the Nation. Comments collected will be 
used to develop proposed actions and alternatives in the EIS scoping 
process, to develop lease terms and conditions to ensure safe offshore 
operations, and to assess potential conflicts between offshore gas and 
oil activities and a State CMP.

7. Existing Information

    BOEMRE routinely assesses the status of information acquisition 
efforts and the quality of the information base for potential decisions 
on tentatively scheduled lease sales. As a result of this continually 
ongoing assessment, it has been determined that the status of the 
existing and extensive data available for planning, analysis, and 
decision making is adequate.
    An extensive environmental studies program has been underway in the 
GOM since 1973. The emphasis, including continuing studies, has been on 
environmental characterization of biologically sensitive habitats, 
physical oceanography, ocean-circulation modeling, and ecological 
effects of oil and gas activities.
    A complete listing of available study reports, and information for 
ordering copies, can be obtained from the Public Information Office 
referenced above. The reports may also be ordered, for a fee, from the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Technical Information Service, 
5301 Shawnee Road, Springfield, Virginia 22312, or telephone (703) 605-
6000 or (800) 553-6847. In addition, a program status report for 
continuing studies in this area can be obtained from the Chief, 
Environmental Sciences Section (MS 5430), Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, Regulation and Enforcement, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, or telephone 
(504) 736-2752, or via the BOEMRE Web site at: http://www.gomr.boemre.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/studiesprogram.html.

8. Tentative Schedule

 Milestones for Multisale EIS for Proposed 2012-2017 Central and Western
                         GOM Planning Area Sales
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare a           February 2011.
 Multisale EIS.
Call for Information and Nominations........  March 2011.
Comments received on NOI....................  March/April 2011.
Comments received on Call...................  April 2011.
Area Identification Decision................  May/June 2011.
Draft EIS published.........................  Summer 2011.
Public Hearings on Draft EIS................  Fall 2011.
Final EIS...................................  Spring 2012.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. Sale Milestones

    The following is a list of tentative milestone dates applicable to 
lease sales covered by this Call:

           Sale-specific Milestones for Proposed 2012-2017 Central and Western GOM Planning Area Sales
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Information to Begin Lease Sale          12 months before each lease sale.
 Specific Process.
Environmental Review Completed.....................  5 to 7 months before each lease sale.
Proposed Notice and CZM Consistency Determination..  5 months before each lease sale.
Final Notice of Sale...............................  1 month before each lease sale.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Finally, the tentative months for GOM lease sales during 2012-2017 
are:
     Central GOM Sales: March of each year.
     Western GOM Sales: November 2012. August of each year thereafter.

    Dated: February 28, 2011.
Michael R. Bromwich,
Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy, Management, Regulation and 
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2011-5953 Filed 3-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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