Notice2024-29360
Notice of Availability of a Gulf of Mexico Regional Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
Primary source
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Published
December 13, 2024
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentOcean Energy Management Bureau
Abstract
Consistent with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the availability of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Regional Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GOM Oil and Gas EIS). The Draft GOM Oil and Gas EIS analyzes the potential impacts of a representative oil and gas lease sale in available OCS areas of the Western, Central, and Eastern Planning Areas and the associated potential site- and activity-specific approvals resulting from an OCS oil and gas lease sale. This notice of availability (NOA) announces the release of the Draft GOM Oil and Gas EIS, start of the public review and comment period, and dates and times for public meetings. After the public comment period, BOEM will address the comments received and publish the Final GOM Oil and Gas EIS.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 240 (Friday, December 13, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 101044-101047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29360]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2023-0046]
Notice of Availability of a Gulf of Mexico Regional Outer
Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: Consistent with the regulations implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
(BOEM) announces the availability of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Regional
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sales: Draft
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GOM Oil and Gas
EIS). The Draft GOM Oil and Gas EIS analyzes the potential impacts of a
representative oil and gas lease sale in available OCS areas of the
Western, Central, and Eastern Planning Areas and the associated
potential site- and activity-specific approvals resulting from an OCS
oil and gas lease sale. This notice of availability (NOA) announces the
release of the Draft GOM Oil and Gas EIS, start of the public review
and comment period, and dates and times for public meetings. After the
public comment period, BOEM will address the comments received and
publish the Final GOM Oil and Gas EIS.
DATES: BOEM will consider comments received by January 27, 2025. BOEM
will hold three virtual public meetings for the Draft GOM Oil and Gas
EIS.
Dates, times, registration and additional information for the
public meetings may be found at <a href="https://www.boem.gov/environment/environmental-assessment/gulf-mexico-regional-ocs-oil-and-gas-programmatic">https://www.boem.gov/environment/environmental-assessment/gulf-mexico-regional-ocs-oil-and-gas-programmatic</a> or by calling 1-800-200-4853.
ADDRESSES: Detailed information can be found on BOEM's website at
<a href="https://www.boem.gov/environment/environmental-assessment/gulf-mexico-regional-ocs-oil-and-gas-programmatic">https://www.boem.gov/environment/environmental-assessment/gulf-mexico-regional-ocs-oil-and-gas-programmatic</a>.
Written comments can be submitted through the <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> web
portal: Navigate to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and search for Docket No. BOEM-
2023-0046. Select the document in the search
[[Page 101045]]
results on which you want to comment, click on the ``Comment'' button,
and follow the online instructions for submitting your comment. A
commenter's checklist is available on the comment web page. Enter your
information and comment, then click ``Submit.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen Rucker, BOEM, Gulf of Mexico
Regional Office, Office of Environment, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., New
Orleans, Louisiana 70123, (504) 736-2421, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#741c1118111a5a0601171f110634161b11195a131b02"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="68000d040d06461a1d0b030d1a280a070d05460f071e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action and Alternatives
This EIS is expected to be used to inform the decision for the
first GOM oil and gas lease sale proposed in the 2024-2029 National OCS
Oil and Gas Leasing Program. It also is expected to be used and
supplemented as appropriate for decisions on additional future proposed
GOM lease sales. In addition, this EIS will be used to support post-
lease site- and activity-specific OCS oil- and gas-related activity
analyses and approvals.
In this Draft EIS, BOEM analyzes four alternatives: a no action
alternative and three action alternatives. Because this EIS analyzes a
representative lease sale, Alternative A (No Action) is the
cancellation of a single proposed GOM lease sale.
The first action alternative (Alternative B) is BOEM's Proposed
Action and offers all available unleased acreage in the U.S. Gulf of
Mexico OCS, including the Western and Central Planning Areas and the
portion of the Eastern Planning Area not subject to Presidential
withdrawal. Alternative B would allow BOEM to issue offshore wind
energy leases in the 12 months following the sale by satisfying the
requirement in the Inflation Reduction Act to offer an aggregate of at
least 60 million acres for offshore oil and gas leasing within a 12-
month period prior to issuing offshore wind energy leases. Alternative
B analyzes lease stipulations and other mitigation measures for
environmental protection.
The second action alternative (Alternative C) would allow for a
proposed lease sale excluding targeted portions of the Central,
Western, and Eastern Planning Areas within the U.S. Gulf of Mexico OCS.
Alternative C would allow BOEM to issue offshore wind energy leases in
the 12 months following the sale by satisfying the requirement in the
Inflation Reduction Act to offer an aggregate of at least 60 million
acres for offshore oil and gas leasing within a 12-month period prior
to issuing offshore wind energy leases. Alternative C would exclude
several areas for environmental protection purposes and to avoid
conflicts with other ocean uses.
The final action alternative (Alternative D) would allow for a
proposed OCS oil and gas lease sale excluding more targeted portions
than Alternative C in the Central and Western Planning Areas within the
U.S. Gulf of Mexico OCS. Alternative D would exclude more of the OCS
for environmental considerations and to avoid conflicts with other
ocean uses. However, this Alternative would not on its own satisfy the
aggregate lease acreage requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act to
issue offshore wind energy leases. Selection of this alternative would
require at least one additional OCS oil and gas lease sale within a 12-
month period in order to satisfy the requirements of the Inflation
Reduction Act.
Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the Proposed Action (Alternative B) is to facilitate
the potential development of those areas of the OCS that may contain
economically recoverable oil and gas. Following lease issuance, BOEM
may authorize development through plan and permit approvals (subject to
additional environmental review and regulatory oversight). This purpose
is consistent with BOEM's mandate to further the orderly development of
OCS oil and gas resources under the OCS Lands Act. Each individual
proposed oil and gas lease sale would provide qualified bidders the
opportunity to bid upon and lease available acreage in the Gulf of
Mexico OCS in order to explore, develop, and produce oil and natural
gas.
The Proposed Action is needed to meet the ongoing domestic demand
for oil and gas resources and, per current law, to help facilitate the
development of offshore wind as a source of renewable electricity. Oil
and gas from the Gulf of Mexico OCS contributes to meeting domestic
demand. Oil serves as the feedstock for liquid hydrocarbon products,
including gasoline, aviation and diesel fuel, and various
petrochemicals. Gas may be used to support OCS oil and gas production
on site as well as to potentially heat homes, generate electricity, and
as feedstock necessary for the production of numerous other goods.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-169, enacted
August 16, 2022), Congress directed that the Secretary of the Interior
must hold an offshore oil and gas lease sale(s) totaling at least 60
million acres in the year prior to issuing any offshore wind energy
leases. The long-term goal of the Biden Administration is to reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 50 percent of 2005 emissions by 2030,
reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, and to limit global warming to
less than 1.5 [deg]Celsius (<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/22/fact-sheet-president-biden-sets-2030-greenhouse-gas-pollution-reduction-target-aimed-at-creating-good-paying-union-jobs-and-securing-u-s-leadership-on-clean-energy-technologies/">https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/22/fact-sheet-president-biden-sets-2030-greenhouse-gas-pollution-reduction-target-aimed-at-creating-good-paying-union-jobs-and-securing-u-s-leadership-on-clean-energy-technologies/</a>). Offshore wind energy is a key component of the
Administration's plans to reduce future GHG emissions. Therefore,
continued OCS oil and gas lease sale sales are required to pursue the
climate-related goals of the Biden Administration.
Summary of Potential Impacts
BOEM analyzed potential impacts from routine OCS oil- and gas-
related activities through impact-producing factors (IPFs) such as air
emissions, discharges and wastes, bottom disturbance, noise, coastal
land use/modification, lighting and visual impacts, offshore habitat
modification/space use, and socioeconomic changes. Additional IPFs
analyzed in this Draft EIS may occur from accidental events such as
unintentional releases into the environment, response activities, or
strikes and collisions. BOEM also included an analysis of cumulative
impacts from past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future OCS oil-
and gas-related activities and non-OCS oil- and gas-related activities
as part of the Draft EIS. Resources analyzed included air quality;
water quality; coastal communities and habitats; benthic communities
and habitats (including protected corals); pelagic communities and
habitats; fishes and invertebrates; birds; marine mammals; sea turtles;
commercial fisheries; recreational fishing; recreational resources;
land use and coastal infrastructure; social factors (including
environmental justice); economic factors; and cultural, historical, and
archaeological resources. This EIS determined potential impacts to
resources ranging from negligible to moderate adverse (with most being
negligible or minor) and some beneficial. Two issues of programmatic
concern were identified and analyzed separately in this Draft EIS: GHG
emissions and their social costs and space-use conflicts between BOEM
Program Areas. These issues of programmatic concern are included in the
environmental consequences analysis through the air emissions and
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offshore habitat modification/space use impact-producing factors.
Post-Lease Plan/Permit Approvals and Tiering
If the Department of the Interior ultimately decides to move
forward with an individual OCS oil and gas lease sale, neither this EIS
nor a resulting individual lease sale record of decision (ROD) will
authorize any immediate activities (beyond ancillary activities under a
lease) or approve any individual applications for plans or permits. The
GOM Oil and Gas EIS will provide a programmatic environmental analysis
and framework to support future decision-making on individual plan and
permit submittals.
When plans or permit applications are submitted to BOEM or the
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), the site-
specific characteristics of the project will be evaluated by preparing
additional environmental analyses that may tier from this EIS or
incorporate it by reference. Based on the site-specific applications
and evaluations, BOEM or BSEE may then reach a site-specific
determination and approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove
individual plans or permits. This EIS may inform future BOEM decision-
making on plan submittals but does not approve or authorize any
applications or plans. Therefore, neither this EIS nor a resulting oil
and gas lease sale ROD constitutes a final agency action authorizing or
approving any individual plan(s) or permit(s).
Anticipated Authorizations and Consultations
In conjunction with this EIS, BOEM is undertaking various
consultations and coordination in accordance with applicable Federal
laws, such as the Endangered Species Act, Magnuson[hyphen]Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, National Historic Preservation
Act (NHPA), and Coastal Zone Management Act, as appropriate. BOEM also
conducted government-to-government Tribal consultations.
Decision-Making Schedule
After the public comment period ends, BOEM will review and respond
to comments received and will develop the Final EIS. BOEM will make the
Final EIS available to the public at least 30 days prior to issuance of
any ROD. The ROD will document the final decision on which alternative
(or alternative with modifications) has been selected. If the decision
is to hold an OCS oil and gas lease sale, the ROD will identify the
area and terms to be offered in the lease sale, including any required
mitigation (e.g., through lease stipulations).
NEPA Cooperating Agencies
One Tribal government and three Federal agencies responded to
BOEM's request for cooperating agencies. The National Park Service,
National Marine Fisheries Service, and BSEE are cooperating agencies on
the GOM Oil and Gas EIS.
Information on Comment Submissions
Federal agencies, Tribal, State, and local governments, and other
interested parties are requested to comment on the Draft EIS. For
information on how to submit comments, see the ``Addresses'' section
above.
BOEM does not consider anonymous comments. Please include your name
and address as part of your comment. Comments submitted in response to
this notice are a matter of public record. You should be aware that
your entire comment--including your address, phone number, email
address, and other personally identifiable information included in your
comment--may be made publicly available.
You may request that BOEM withhold your personally identifiable
information from public disclosure. For BOEM to consider withholding
from disclosure your personally identifying information, you must
identify, in a cover letter, any information contained in the submittal
of your comments that, if released, would constitute a clearly
unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You must also briefly
describe any possible harmful consequences from disclosing your
information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other harm.
Even if BOEM withholds your information in the context of this NOA,
your submission is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If
your submission is requested under FOIA, BOEM can only withhold your
information if it determines that one of the FOIA's exemptions to
disclosure applies. Such a determination will be made in accordance
with the Department of the Interior's FOIA regulations and applicable
law.
Additionally, under Section 304 of the NHPA, BOEM is required,
after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, to withhold the
location, character, or ownership of historic property if it determines
that disclosure may, among other things, cause a significant invasion
of privacy, risk harm to the historic property, or impede the use of a
traditional religious site by practitioners. Tribal entities and other
parties providing information on historic resources should designate
information that they wish to be held as confidential and provide the
reasons why BOEM should do so. Please label privileged or confidential
information as ``Contains Confidential Information,'' and consider
submitting such information as a separate attachment. BOEM may consider
information that is not labeled as privileged or confidential as
suitable for public release.
All submissions from organizations or businesses and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses will be made available for public
inspection in their entirety.
Request for Comment
BOEM requests data, traditional and Indigenous knowledge, comments,
views, information, analysis, or suggestions relevant to the analysis
of the Proposed Action from the public; affected Federal, Tribal,
State, and local governments, agencies, and offices; the scientific
community; industry; or any other interested party. Specifically, BOEM
requests information on the following topics:
1. Potential mitigating measures and the effects these could have
on--
a. biological resources, including birds, coastal communities,
benthic communities, pelagic communities, fish, invertebrates,
essential fish habitat, marine mammals, and sea turtles;
b. physical resources and conditions, including air quality, water
quality, coastal habitats, benthic habitats, and pelagic habitats; and
c. socioeconomic and cultural resources, including commercial
fishing, recreational fishing, demographics, employment, economics,
environmental justice, land use and coastal infrastructure, navigation
and vessel traffic, other uses (such as marine minerals, military use,
and aviation), and recreation and tourism.
2. The identification of historic properties within the GOM, the
potential effects on those historic properties from GOM oil and gas
development, and any information that supports identification of
historic properties under the NHPA. BOEM also solicits proposed
measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects on
historic properties. If any historic properties are identified, a
potential effects analysis will be available for public and NHPA
consulting party comment in the Final EIS.
3. Information on other current or planned activities in the GOM,
including any mitigating measures, their possible impacts on the
alternatives,
[[Page 101047]]
and the alternatives' possible impacts on those activities.
4. Other information relevant to impacts on the human environment
from potential GOM oil and gas development alternatives, including any
mitigating measures.
To promote informed decision-making, comments should be as specific
as possible and should provide as much detail as necessary to
meaningfully and fully inform BOEM of the commenter's position.
Comments should explain why the issues raised are important for
consideration of the Proposed Action, as well as economic, employment,
and other impacts affecting the quality of the human environment.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. and 40 CFR 1503.1.
James J. Kendall,
Regional Director, New Orleans, Louisiana Office, Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-29360 Filed 12-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4350-98-P
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