U.S. Department of the Interior
Minerals Management Service
Office of Communications

SPECIAL INFORMATION

Preparation of the 5-Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 1997-2002

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) has set the following schedule for preparing the next 5-year program for 1997-2002. The schedule was developed to ensure adequate opportunities for MMS to consult with constituents on the new program while allowing a timely and orderly transition from the current one.

BACKGROUND

As required by section 18 of the OCS Lands Act, the development of the 5-year program for 1997-2002 has been based on a balancing of factors such as environmental sensitivity, industry interest, and sharing of benefits and risks. In an attempt to build a consensus-based program, MMS has given added weight to two of these factors--state laws, goals, and policies and competing uses and values related to the OCS and adjacent coastal zone.

The preparation of the 5-year program is a multi-staged process that can take up to three years. It consists of five major steps: 1) Initial Solicitation of Comments and Information; 2) Draft Proposed Program released to the public for comment; 3) Proposed Program and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released to the public for comment; 4) Proposed Final Program and Final EIS submitted to the President and Congress for review; and 5) approval of the Final Program by the Secretary of the Interior.

The process started with the November 16, 1994, Federal Register notice requesting comments and suggestions for preparing the new program and for information on issues and alternatives that should be analyzed in the programmatic EIS. More than 2,300 written responses were received from state and local governments, environmental groups, Alaska Natives, industry, and individuals. All input was considered in formulating the draft proposed program and determining the scope of the EIS.

Comments have been requested and received on the Draft Proposed Program, the Proposed Program, and the Draft EIS. MMS has encouraged participation and involvement by stakeholders throughout the decision making process for the development of the 1997-2002 5-Year Program.

The Alaska Regional Stakeholders Task Force was established to help MMS define the Alaska Region elements of the new program. The Task Force presented findings and recommendations that were accepted by the OCS Policy Committee in May 1995. The Task Force report was endorsed by the Policy Committee and played a key role in program formulation. The Task Force continued to play a role in making recommendations for the final proposal.

Throughout the two-year process, MMS has conducted extensive outreach efforts nationwide to describe the overall 5-year program process, to discuss formulation of the draft proposal, and to continue the scoping of issues for the EIS.

The Proposed Final Program has been announced and submitted to the President and Congress. After sixty days, the Secretary of the Interior may take the final step in this process and approve the 5-Year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 1997-2002.

For further information contact Carol Hartgen, 5-Year Program Project Director, at (703) 787-1216.

-MMS-

MMS Internet website address: http://www.mms.gov
24 hour Fax-on- Demand Service: (202) 219-1703