[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24507-24509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12169]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico Region, Proposed Central 
and Western Gulf Sales 166 and 168

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and Intent to Hold Public Hearings Regarding Proposed 
Central and Western Gulf of Mexico Sales 166 and 168.

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    The Minerals Management Service has prepared a draft EIS relating 
to proposed 1997 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas lease sales 
in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico. The proposed Central Gulf 
Sale 166 will offer for lease approximately 30.3 million unleased 
acres, and the proposed Western Gulf Sale 168 will offer approximately 
28.2 million unleased acres. The EIS analyzes a range of potential 
resources and projected activities for each proposed lease sale. In an 
effort to make this EIS more focused and readable, the scenario has 
been simplified, redundancies have been eliminated, and the format has 
been streamlined. This allows decisionmakers and readers to focus on 
the information specific to each proposed action.
    Single copies of the draft EIS can be obtained from the Minerals 
Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Attention: Public 
Information Unit (MS-5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, New 
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 or call (800) 200-GULF.
    Copies of the draft EIS will also be available for review by the 
public in the following libraries:

Texas

Alma M. Carpenter Public Library, 330 South Ann, Sourlake;
Aransas Pass Public Library, 110 North Lamont Street, Aransas Pass;
Austin Public Library, 402 West Ninth Street, Austin;
Bay City Public Library, 1900 Fifth Street, Bay City;
Brazoria County Library, 410 Brazoport Boulevard, Freeport;
Calhoun County Library, 301 South Ann, Port Lavaca;
Chambers County Library System, 202 Cummings Street, Anahuac;
Comfort Public Library, Seventh & High Streets, Comfort;
Corpus Christi Central Library, 805 Comanche Street, Corpus Christi;
Dallas Public Library, 1513 Young Street, Dallas;
Houston Public Library, 500 McKinney Street, Houston;
Jackson County Library, 411 North Wells Street, Edna;
Lamar University, Gray Library, Virginia Avenue, Beaumont;
LaRatama Library, 505 Mesquite Street, Corpus Christi;
Liberty Municipal Library, 1710 Sam Houston Avenue, Liberty;
Orange Public Library, 220 North Fifth Street, Orange;
Port Arthur Public Library, 3601 Cultural Center Drive, Port Arthur;
Port Isabel Public Llibrary, 213 Yturria Street, Port Isabel;
Reber Memorial Library 193 North Fourth, Raymondville;

[[Page 24508]]

Refugio County Public Library, 815 South Commerce Street, Refugio;
Rice University, Fondren Library, 6100 South Main Street, Houston;
R.J. Kleberg Public Library, Fourth and Henrietta, Kingsville;
Rockwall County Library, 108 South Fannin Street, Rockwall;
Rosenberg Library, 2310 Sealy Street, Galveston;
Sam Houston Regional Library & Research Center, FM 1011 Governors Road, 
Liberty;
Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi Library, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus 
Christi;
Texas A&M University, Evans Library, Spence and Lubbock Streets, 
College Station;
Texas Southmost College Library, 1825 May Street, Brownsville;
Texas State Library, 1200 Brazos Street, Austin;
University of Houston Library, 4800 Calhoun Boulevard, Houston;
University of Texas at Brownsville, Oliveria Memorial Library, 80 Fort 
Brown, Brownsville;
University of Texas Law School, Tarlton Law Library, 727 East 26th 
Street, Austin;
University of Texas, LBJ School of Public Affairs Library, 2313 Red 
River Street, Austin;
University of Texas Library, 21st and Speedway Streets, Austin;
Victoria Public Library, 320 North Main, Victoria.
Louisiana
Calcasieu Parish Library, 327 Broad Street, Lake Charles;
Cameron Parish Library, Marshall Street, Cameron;
Grand Isle Branch Library, Highway 1, Grand Isle;
Government Documents Library, Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles 
Avenue, New Orleans;
Iberville Parish Library, 24605 J. Gerald Berret Boulevard, Plaquemine;
Jefferson Parish Lobby Branch Library, 3410 North Causeway Boulevard, 
Metairie;
Jefferson Parish West Bank Outreach Branch Library, 2751 Manhattan 
Boulevard, Harvey;
Lafayette Public Library, 301 W. Congress Street, Lafayette;
Lafitte Branch Library, Route 1, Box 2, Lafitte;
Lafourche Parish Library, 303 West 5th Street, Thibodaux;
Louisiana State University Library, 760 Riverside Road, Baton Rouge;
Louisiana Tech University, Prescott Memorial Library, Everet Street, 
Ruston;
LUMCON, Library, Star Route 541, Chauvin;
McNeese State University, Luther E. Frazar Memorial Library, Ryan 
Street, Lake Charles;
New Orleans Public Library, 219 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans;
Nicholls State University, Nicholls State Library, Leighton Drive, 
Thibodaux;
Plaquemines Parish Library, 203 Highway 11, South, Buras;
St. Bernard Parish Library, 1125 East St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette;
St. Charles Parish Library, 105 Lakewood Drive, Luling;
St. John The Baptist Parish Library, 1334 West Airline Highway, 
Laplace;
St. Mary Parish Library, 206 Iberia Street, Franklin;
St. Tammany Parish Library, Covington Branch, 310 West 21st Street, 
Covington;
St. Tammany Parish Library, Slidell Branch, 555 Robert Boulevard, 
Slidell;
Terrebonne Parish Library, 424 Roussell Street, Houma;
Tulane University, Howard Tilton Memorial Library, 7001 Freret Street, 
New Orleans;
University of New Orleans Library, Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans;
University of Southwestern LA, Dupre Library, 302 East St. Mary 
Boulevard, Lafayette;
Vermilion Parish Library, Abbeville Branch, 200 North Street, 
Abbeville.
Mississippi
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Gunter Library, 703 East Beach Drive, 
Ocean Springs;
Hancock County Library System, 312 Highway 90, Bay Saint Louis;
Harrison County Library, 14th and 21st Avenues, Gulfport;
Jackson George Regional Library System, 3214 Pascagoula Street, 
Pascagoula.
Alabama
Dauphin Island Sea Lab, MESC Library, Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin 
Island;
Gulf Shores Public Library, Municipal Complex, Route 3, Gulf Shores;
Mobile Public Library, 701 Government Street, Mobile;
Montgomery Public Library, 445 South Lawrence Street, Montgomery;
Thomas B. Norton Public Library, 221 West 19th Avenue, Gulf Shores;
University of South Alabama, University Boulevard, Mobile.
Florida
Bay County Public Library, 25 West Government Street, Panama City;
Florida A&M University, Coleman Memorial Library, M.L. King Boulevard, 
Tallahassee
Florida Northwest Regional Library, 25 West Government Street, Panama 
City;
Florida State University, Strozier Library, Call Street and Copeland 
Avenue, Tallahassee;
Fort Walton Beach Public Library, 105 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort 
Walton Beach;
Leon County Public Library, 200 West Park Avenue, Tallahassee;
University of Florida Library, University Avenue, Gainesville;
University of Florida, Holland Law Center Library, SW 25th and 2nd 
Ave., Gainesville;
West Florida Regional Library, 200 West Gregory Street, Pensacola.

    Public hearings for proposed Central and Western Gulf of Mexico 
Sales 166 and 168: In accordance with 30 CFR 256.26, the Minerals 
Management Service will hold two public hearings (dates, times, and 
locations are listed below) soliciting comments on the draft EIS for 
proposed 1997 Gulf of Mexico Sales 166 and 168. The hearings will 
provide the Secretary of the Interior with information from interested 
parties that will help in the evaluation of the potential effects of 
proposed lease Sales 166 and 168:

Texas--Houston, on July 17, 1996; 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Marriott 
International Airport Hotel, 18700 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, and
Louisiana--New Orleans, on July 18, 1996; 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the 
Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Conference 
Room 111, Jefferson, Louisiana.
    These hearings will also serve as an early opportunity for 
determining the scope of significant issues related to the development 
of draft EIS's for Central and Western Gulf of Mexico Sales proposed in 
the 5-Year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 1997-2002. The MMS 
proposes to prepare separate EIS's for the Western Gulf and the Central 
Gulf. Each EIS will address all of the proposed sales in that planning 
area as scheduled in the 5-year program. The hearings will provide 
information for the development of appropriate alternatives and 
mitigating measures, as well as for the identification of significant 
issues.
    Persons who wish to testify at these hearings may register the day 
of the hearing at the hearing sites beginning 1 hour prior to the 
meeting. Oral testimony should be limited to 10 minutes. Each hearing 
will begin at the specified time and will recess when all speakers have 
had an opportunity to testify. If there are no additional speakers, the 
hearing will adjourn immediately after the recess. Testimony may be 
supplemented by a written statement that, if submitted at a hearing,

[[Page 24509]]

will be considered as part of the hearing record.
    Those unable to attend the hearing may submit written statements 
until the close of the comment period. Written statements should be 
submitted to the Regional Director, Minerals Management Service, Gulf 
of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70123-2394. The comment period closes August 10, 1996.

    Dated: May 7, 1996.
Thomas Gernhofer,
Associate Director for Offshore Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 96-12169 Filed 5-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P