Proposals, alternatives and mitigating measures covering two proposed offshore oil and natural gas lease sales of 1.5 million acres in the eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) have been identified by the Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS). The two proposed sales under consideration are included in the MMS 2002-2007 oil and gas leasing program. Sale 189 is tentatively scheduled for December 2003, and Sale 197 is proposed for March 2005.

MMS published a Call for Information and Nominations and Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in the Federal Register in February 2002, and subsequent scoping meetings on the two-sale environmental impact statements (EIS) have also been held. The identification decision will be incorporated in the two-sale EIS, as well as in a planned subsequent Environmental Assessment (EA) for Sale 197. The EA will focus primarily on new issues, to determine whether MMS should prepare either a Finding of No New Significant Impact or a supplemental EIS.

The general area to be studied includes unleased whole blocks located within the portion of the eastern GOM Planning Area that is west of 87 degrees 30 minutes West longitude, and which generally ranges from 100 to 196 miles south of Alabama and from 70 to 148 miles offshore Louisiana. This area is the same area that was offered for lease in eastern GOM Sale 181, which was held in December 2001. Within the million-acre-plus area, about 0.8 million acres are currently available for bid in either or both of the sales.

MMS also has included, when it would be applicable, three stipulations designed to reduce potential conflicts between oil and natural gas operations and military activities, and one stipulation designed to mitigate potential adverse effects on protected marine species. To learn more about the proposed sales, visit the web site at www.mms.gov.

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