Environmental statements; availability, etc.: Gulf of Mexico OCS— Central Planning Area; nitrogen oxides emissions reduction,

[Federal Register: August 12, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 155)]

[Notices]

[Page 43191-43192]

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

[DOCID:fr12au98-74]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for a Notice to Lessees To Reduce Nitrogen Oxides Emissions in the Central Planning Area of the Gulf of Mexico

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Preparation of an Environmental Assessment.

SUMMARY: Minerals Management Service (MMS) is beginning preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a Notice to Lessees (NTL) to reduce Nitrogen Oxides (NO‹INF›X‹/INF›) emissions in the Central Planning Area (CPA) of the Gulf of Mexico.

DATES: Comments due to MMS September 7, 1998. Draft EA for public review November 16, 1998. The EA completed January 25, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, Terry Scholten, telephone (504) 736-1720.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS prepares EA's for proposals which relate to exploration for and the development/production of oil and gas resources on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The EA's examine the potential environmental effects of activities described in the proposed action, present MMS' conclusions regarding the significance of those effects, and are used as a basis for determining whether or not approval of the proposal constitutes major Federal actions that significantly affect the quality of the human environment in the sense of the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(C).

The proposed action to be analyzed in this EA is a NTL to require best available control technology for NO‹INF›X‹/INF› emissions on all facilities in the CPA. The EA will also analyze other alternatives, as well as the no action alternative. The analysis in the EA will examine the potential environmental effects of the proposal and alternatives regarding potential impacts on coastal areas in the CPA.

The MMS requests interested parties to submit comments regarding any information or issues that should be addressed in the EA to Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Minerals Management Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 by September 7, 1998. After completion of the EA, MMS will make a decision on

[[Page 43192]]

NO‹INF›X‹/INF› controls to be required in the short term.

Dated: August 6, 1998. Chris C. Oynes, Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

[FR Doc. 98-21582Filed8-11-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-MR-M