U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

MMS Issues Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program
2002-2007 and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The Minerals Management Service Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2002-2007 is now available.  The program is accompanied by a draft environmental impact statement that presents the results of the environmental analysis of the proposed program.

MMS is proposing to hold 20 oil and natural gas lease sales in the federal outer continental shelf between 2002 and 2007.  It includes sales in the Gulf of Mexico’s Western, Central and part of the Eastern planning areas; and Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, Norton Basin, Cook Inlet/Shelik of Strait and the Chukchi Sea/Hope Basin.  The proposed program does not include any areas currently under moratoria or presidential withdrawal.

"Over the next 20 years, U.S. oil consumption will rise 33 percent, natural gas needs will grow more than 50 percent and demand for electricity will rise 45 percent," said MMS Acting Director, Thomas Kitsos.  "The nation now relies on foreign imports for almost 60 percent of its oil.  Last winter, heating bills for many families tripled and average natural gas heating costs in the Midwest rose 75 percent.  We are hopeful that the program we are proposing will help address our Nation’s need for clean and affordable energy."

As required by law, the MMS is preparing a new 5-year program to succeed the current one that ends June 30, 2002.  The proposed program is the third step in the lengthy planning process that began in December 2000 with a request for comments and information.  In July 2001, as the second step, MMS issued a draft proposed program for public review and comment.  These comments have been considered in the development of the proposed program, which will be available for comment for 90 days, until January 24, 2002.  Those comments will be considered in the development of the proposed final program and final EIS, and made available in April 2002 to the President and Congress for sixty days.  The new 5-year program will take effect on July 1, 2002, if approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

The agency is seeking comments from the public for 90 days on the proposed program and the draft EIS.  The comment period ends January 24, 2002.  After the comment period closes, the agency will prepare a proposed final program and final EIS to be issued in April 2002.  Sixty days after the proposed final program is submitted to the President and Congress, the Secretary may approve the 5-year program for 2002-2007 to take effect on July 1, 2002.

The proposed program decision document, which presents detailed information concerning the analyses and options on which the program is based, may be downloaded from the website at www.mms.gov, and comments may be sent by electronic mail to MMS5-year.document@mms.gov.  Comments can also be mailed to 5-Year Program Manager, Minerals Management Service (MS-4430), 381 Elden St., Herndon, VA   20170-4817.  The MMS will accept hand deliveries at 1849 C Street, NW, Room 4227, Washington, D.C.  Envelopes or packages should be marked "Comments on Proposed OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2002-2007."

The agency is also accepting comments on the draft EIS.  Written comments should be mailed to the Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden Street, MS 4042, Herndon, Virginia  20170-4817, Attention: Richard Wildermann.  MMS will accept hand deliveries at the Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Room 4227, Washington, DC 20240.  Envelopes or packages should be identified as "Comments on the 2002-2007 OCS Oil and Gas Program Draft EIS." MMS will also accept comments submitted by e-mail to: MMS 5-year.eis@mms.gov.

MMS will hold public hearings on the draft EIS in early December.  Additional information with the dates, times, and locations of the hearings is included in the attached fact sheet.

MMS is the federal agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages the nation's oil, natural gas and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf in federal offshore waters.  The agency also collects, accounts for and disburses mineral revenues from federal and Indian leases.  These revenues totaled nearly $8 billion last year and more than $110 billion since the agency was created in 1982.  Annually, nearly $1 billion from those revenues go into the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the acquisition and development of state and federal park and recreation lands.

Proposed schedule of lease sales for 2002-2007:

The contact person for the Alaska hearings is Robin Cacy, phone (907) 271-6070.  The contact person for the hearings in Houston, New Orleans, and Mobile is Janet Diaz, phone (504) 736-2540.

Interested individuals, representatives of organizations, and public officials who wish to testify at the public hearings are requested to notify the appropriate contact person at least five days prior to the hearing.  Time limitations may make it necessary to limit the length of each oral presentation to ten minutes or less.  Hearings will recess when all speakers have had an opportunity to testify.  If there are no additional speakers, the hearing will adjourn immediately after the recess.

An oral statement may be supplemented by a more complete written statement, which should be submitted to the hearing officer at the time of the oral presentation.  After the presentation of oral statements by those who have pre-registered, if time is available during the hearing period, other individuals will be given an opportunity to be heard.

† This sale will not have a sale-specific EIS. It will have an EA based on the multisale EIS for Western GOM sales from 1998 through 2001.

†† These sales will not have an EA. Each will be wholly covered by an EIS.

Note:  Milestones and the approach to NEPA review for Eastern Gulf Sale 197 are subject to reconsideration following additional program decisions and consultations.

-MMS-GOM-
MMS's Website Address: http://www.mms.gov