The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has made available the draft supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for proposed central planning area (CPA) lease sales 241 and 247 and Eastern Planning Area (EPA) Lease Sale 226, according to a news release.

The proposed CPA oil and gas lease sales are tentatively scheduled to be held in March 2016 and 2017, respectively, and the proposed EPA Lease Sale 226 is tentatively scheduled to be held in March 2016 under the Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017.

BOEM is proposing to offer about 44.2 million acres of the total 66.45 million acres in the CPA, with the exception of whole and partial blocks deferred by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, the release said. BOEM also proposes to offer for oil and gas leasing about 657,905 acres in the Eastern Planning Area (EPA), which includes those blocks previously included for EPA lease sales 224 and 225. The area is south of eastern Alabama and western Florida; the nearest point of land is 201 km (125 miles) northwest in Louisiana.

BOEM said it will hold public meetings to obtain comments regarding the draft supplemental EIS.

  • 1 p.m. Feb. 23, 2015: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana;
  • 4 p.m. Feb. 24, 2015: Wyndham Bay Point Resort, 4114 Jan Cooley Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida, 32408;
  • 4 p.m. Feb. 25, 2015: Hilton Garden Inn Mobile West, 828 West I-65 Service Road South, Mobile, Alabama 36609 and
  • 4 p.m. Feb. 26, 2015, Courtyard by Marriott, Gulfport Beachfront MS Hotel, 1600 East Beach Blvd., Gulfport, Mississippi 39501.

Individuals unable to attend the meetings may submit written comments no later than March 16, 2015:

  • In an envelope labeled "Comments on the Draft CPA 241/EPA 226 Supplemental EIS" to Gary D. Goeke, Chief, Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment (GM 623E), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394;
  • Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to: www.regulations.gov and search for "Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf; Central Planning Area Lease Sales 241 and 247 and, Eastern Planning Area Lease Sale 226". (Note: It is important to include the quotation marks in your search terms.) Click on the "Comment Now!" button to the right of the document link. Enter your information and comment, then click "Submit"; or
  • Through an email sent to BOEM email address: cpa241-epa226@boem.gov, the news release said.

BOEM will publish the draft SEIS in the Jan. 30, 2015, Federal Register. You may download or view the document on BOEM's websiteathttp://www.boem.gov/nepaprocess/. For more information, call Gary D. Goeke at (504) 736-3233.