MMS Preparing Gulf of Mexico Environmental Assessment
On June 27, 2007, the US Minerals Management Service published Federal Register notice that the MMS is preparing an environmental assessment for proposed Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas Lease Sale 206 in the Central Gulf of Mexico scheduled for 2008.

The EA will examine the potential environmental effects of the proposed lease sale and its alternatives. The alternatives include excluding the unleased blocks near biologically sensitive topographic features; excluding the unleased blocks within 15 miles of the Baldwin County, Alabama coast; use of a nomination and tract selection leasing system; and no action.

The proposed lease sale does not include 5.8 million acres located in the southeastern part of the Central Planning Area. MMS will prepare a separate Environmental Impact Statement for this area, which was opened up for leasing by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006.

The EA will be based on any new information regarding potential impacts and issues that was not available when MMS published its Multisale EIS in April 2007.

MMS asks interested parties to send comments regarding any new information or issues that should be addressed by the EA. MMS requests comments by July 27, 2007.