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The NewsRoom
Release: #3584
Date: November 21,
2006
MMS Issues Draft Environmental
Impact Statement
and Holds Public Hearings on Proposed Sales for 2007- 2012
Sales Proposed in Western and Central Planning Areas
NEW ORLEANS – The
Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced the availability
of the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and dates
of public hearings on 11 proposed oil and gas lease sales in
the Gulf of Mexico. The sales are included in the proposed
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program:
2007 -2012 (5-Year Program). There are five proposed sales
in the Western Planning Area (WPA) and six proposed Central
Planning Area (CPA) Sales.
The Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS
published in the Federal Register opens a 45-day comment
period that ends January 2, 2007. Copies of the draft EIS
are available through the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region, Public
Information Office, or via at the MMS website at
http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/nepa/nepaprocess.html.
This EIS provides an environmental analysis
of the effects of OCS oil and gas development in the
proposed areas. MMS invites Federal, State, and local
government agencies, and other interested parties to submit
comments on the draft EIS.
The preferred method for commenting is
electronically using MMS’s new Public Connect on-line
commenting system at
https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. Comments
may also be submitted electronically to the MMS e-mail
address:
environment@mms.gov.
Written comments must be enclosed in an
envelope labeled "Comments on the Multisale EIS" and mailed
(or hand carried) to:
Minerals Management Service
Regional Supervisor, Leasing and Environment (MS 5410)
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394
In addition, five public
hearings will be held in order to give interested parties an
opportunity to comment on the draft EIS. The public hearings
are scheduled for Houston, TX and Mobile, AL on December
5th, New Orleans, LA and Panama City Beach, FL on December
6th, and Larose, LA on December 7th.
Oral and written statements
will be taken at the hearings. Although time limits may be
set on oral testimony to allow for all speakers to
participate, all written statements submitted at a hearing
will be considered part of the hearing record and given
equal weight with comments provided via OCS Connect at:
https://ocsconnect.mms.gov.
Relevant Web
Site:
MMS
Main Website
Media Contact:
Eileen P. Angelico (504) 736-2595
Caryl Fagot
(504) 736-2590
MMS:
Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for
America
U.S. Department
of the Interior
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