Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has announced it will prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to evaluate potential oil and gas lease sales in the Northern, Central and Southern California Planning Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
The agency’s Notice of Intent, scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Feb. 27, initiates the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process and opens a 30-day public scoping period. During that time, BOEM is seeking input from tribal, state and local governments, stakeholders and the public to help identify key issues, alternatives and potential mitigation measures for consideration in the PEIS.
The environmental review will inform decisions under the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. BOEM said the PEIS will support the first Central and Southern California lease sales currently scheduled for 2027 and, as appropriate, future sales offshore California.
According to the agency, the representative lease sale analyzed in the PEIS would include all unleased OCS blocks in the federally managed portions of the planning areas that may contain economically recoverable oil and gas resources.
BOEM emphasized that publication of the Notice of Intent does not authorize a lease sale. Rather, it begins a multi-step environmental and public review process required under NEPA before any leasing decisions are made.
Under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, BOEM is responsible for managing offshore oil and gas development in federal waters. The agency noted that OCS activities generate lease, rental and royalty revenues and contribute to domestic energy production.
BOEM is also inviting qualified government entities to participate as cooperating agencies in the PEIS process.
Instructions for submitting comments are available on BOEM’s website and on regulations.gov.
