Environmental statements; availability, etc.: Gulf of Mexico OCS— Oil and gas operations,

[Federal Register: October 30, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 210)]

[Notices]

[Page 58415-58416]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr30oc98-110]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Environmental Documents Prepared for Proposed Oil and Gas Operations on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of the availability of environmental documents prepared for OCS mineral proposals on the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (MMS), in accordance with Federal Regulations (40 CFR 1501.4 and 1506.6) that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), announces the availability of NEPA-related Site-Specific Environmental Assessments (SEA's) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI's), prepared by MMS for the following oil and gas activities proposed on the Gulf of Mexico OCS. This listing includes all proposals for which the FONSI's were prepared by the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region in the period subsequent to publication of the preceding notice.

Activity/Operator

Location

Date

ATP Oil and Gas Corporation, Garden Banks Area,

08/26/98 Pipeline Activity, SEA No. G- Blocks 133 and 134; 18810A.

East Breaks Area, Block 173; and High Island Area, East Addition, South Extension, Blocks A-595, A-596, A-401, and A-400; Lease OCS-G 18810; 135 miles south of Galveston Island, Texas. Texaco Exploration and

Main Pass Area, South

07/07/98 Production, Inc., Pipeline

and East Addition, Activity, SEA No. G-19672A.

Block 252; Viosca Knoll Area, Block 786; Lease OCS-G 19672, 67 miles south of Baldwin County, Alabama. Exxon U.S.A., Pipeline Activity, Mobile Area, Blocks 867, 09/27/98 SEA Nos. G-20527 and G-20528. 823, and 824; Mobile Bay Area, Block 112; Leases OCS-G-20527 and 20528, 4 to 8 miles south of Dauphin Island, Mobile County, Alabama. Dauphin Island Gathering

Main Pass Area, South

07/23/98 Partners, Pipeline Activity, SEA and East Addition, No. G-20538.

Blocks 256, 252, 251, 222, and 223, Lease OCS- G 20538, 55 miles south Baldwin County, Alabama. Amoco Production Company,

Main Pass Area, South

08/18/98 Pipeline Activity, SEA No. G- and East Addition, 20541.

Blocks 281 to 245, Lease OCS-G 20541, 65 miles south of Mobile County, Alabama. Destin Pipeline Company, L.L.C., Main Pass Area, South

08/27/98 Pipeline Activity, SEA Nos. G- and East Addition, 20542, G-20543, and G-20544. Blocks 284, 283, 279, 280, 281, 282, 261, and 260, Leases OCS-G 20542, 20543, and 20544, 38 to 48 miles south of Jackson County, Mississippi. Destin Pipeline Company, L.L.C., Viosca Knoll Area,

08/27/98 Pipeline Activity, SEA No. G- Blocks 900, 901, 902, 20547.

858, 859, 815, 816, 817, 818, 774, and 775; Main Pass Area, South and East Addition, Blocks 286, 285, and 284; Lease OCS-G 20547, 74 to 86 miles south of Jackson and Mobile Counties, Alabama. AOA Geophysics Inc., G&G

Garden Banks and

09/03/98 Activity, SEA No. T98-27.

Keathley Canyon Areas, 130 miles south of Cameron and Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. Exxon U.S.A., Development

Alaminos Canyon Area,

07/08/98 Activity, SEA No. N-6131.

Blocks 25 and 26, Leases OCS-G 10388 and 10381, 167 miles south of Galveston County, Texas. Texaco Exploration and

Mississippi Canyon Area, 08/18/98 Production, Inc., Development Block 292, Lease OCS-G Activity, SEA No. N-6152.

8806, 32 miles southeast of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. Chevron U.S.A., Exploration

Viosca Knoll Area, Block 08/18/98 Activity, SEA No. N-6171.

346, Lease OCS-G 15428, 32 miles south of Baldwin County, Alabama. Water Oil & Gas Corporation, Galveston Area, Block

08/20/98 Structure Removal Operations, 350, Lease OCS-G 4721, SEA No. ES/SR 98-012A.

38 miles south of Galveston County, Texas. Chevron U.S.A., Structure Removal Vermilion Area, Block

08/20/98 Operations, SEA Nos. ES/SR 98- 245, Lease OCS-G 1146, 035 and 98-036.

66.7 miles from the nearest shoreline at Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. Newfield Exploration Company, East Cameron Area, Block 08/25/98 Structure Removal Operations, 67, Lease OCS-G 0161, SEA Nos. ES/SR 98-056.

22 miles south of Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Mitchell Energy Corporation, Galveston Area, Block

05/27/98 Structure Removal Operations, 189, Lease OCS 0092, 12 SEA Nos. ES/SR 98-058 through 98- miles south of 060.

Galveston County, Texas. Cockrell Oil Corporation,

Vermilion Area, Block

08/10/98 Structure Removal Operations, 202, Lease 14409; East SEA Nos. ES/SR 98-063 and 98-064. Cameron Area, Block 201, Lease OCS-G 11838; 55 and 57 miles south of Vermilion. OEDC Exploration & Production, Vermilion Area, Block

08/31/98 L.P., Structure Removal

250, Lease OCS-G 1149, Operations, SEA No. ES/SR 98-065. 64 miles south of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. Texaco Exploration and Production South Marsh Island Area, 08/31/98 Inc., Structure Removal

Blocks 212 and 222, Operations, SEA Nos. ES/SR 98- Lease OCS 0130, 11 066 and 98-067.

miles southeast of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. Chevron U.S.A., Structure Removal Eugene Island Area,

09/25/98 Operations, SEA No. ES/SR 98-068. Block 64, Lease OCS-G 1865, 16 miles south of St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana. Louisiana Land & Exploration Ship Shoal Area, Block 07/13/98 Company, Structure Removal

358, Lease OCS-G 12009, Operations, SEA No. ES/SR 98- 69 miles south of 068S.

Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Seagull Energy, E&P Inc.,

South Marsh Island Area, 07/15/98 Structure Removal Operations, Block 70, Lease OCS-G SEA No. ES/SR 98-070.

12893, 62 miles south of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana.

[[Page 58416]]

CNG Producing Company, Structure West Cameron Area,

08/12/98 Removal Operations, SEA Nos. ES/ Blocks 225, 229, Leases SR 98-071 through 98-074.

OCS-G 900 and 902, 38 miles south of Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Samedan Oil Corporation,

Main Pass Area, Block

07/24/98 Structure Removal Operations, 209, Lease OCS-G 5717, SEA No. ES/SR 98-075.

45 miles east of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. Stone Energy, Structure Removal Vermilion Area, Block

09/24/98 Operations, SEA No. ES/SR 98-076. 131, Lease OCS 0775, 32 miles south of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. Barrett Resources Corporation, Vermilion Area, Block

08/12/98 Structure Removal Operations, 148, Lease OCS-G 8667, SEA No. ES/SR 98-077.

36 miles south of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. Forest Oil Corporation, Structure Eugene Island Area,

09/03/98 Removal Operations, SEA No. ES/ Block 307, Lease OCS-G SR 98-078.

1980, 67 miles southwest of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Vastar Resources, Inc., Structure West Delta Area, Block 08/25/98 Removal Operations, SEA No. ES/ 133, Lease OCS-G 1106, SR 98-079.

22 miles southwest of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. The Houston Exploration Company, Galveston Area, Block

10/01/98 Structure Removal Operations, 297, Lease OCS-G 12501, SEA No. ES/SR 98-080.

22 miles southeast of Galveston County, Texas. Mariner Energy, Inc., Structure South Timbalier Area,

10/15/98 Removal Operations, SEA No. ES/ Block 173, Lease OCS-G SR 98-081.

4001, 37 miles south of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana.

Persons interested in reviewing environmental documents for the proposals listed above or obtaining information about EA's and FONSI's prepared for activities on the Gulf of Mexico OCS are encouraged to contact the MMS office in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Information Unit, Information Services Section, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-2519.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS prepares EA's and FONSI's for proposals which relate to exploration for and the development/ production of oil and gas resources on the Gulf of Mexico OCS. The EA's examine the potential environmental effects of activities described in the proposals and present MMS conclusions regarding the significance of those effects. Environmental Assessments are used as a basis for determining whether or not approval of the proposals constitutes major Federal actions that significantly affect the quality of the human environment in the sense of NEPA section 102(2)(C). A FONSI is prepared in those instances where the MMS finds that approval will not result in significant effects on the quality of the human environment. The FONSI briefly presents the basis for that finding and includes a summary or copy of the EA.

This notice constitutes the public notice of availability of environmental documents required under the NEPA Regulations.

Dated: October 23, 1998. Chris C. Oynes, Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

[FR Doc. 98-29100Filed10-29-98; 8:45 am]

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