04-7767. 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:

Minerals Management Service (MMS), in accordance with Federal Regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), announces the availability of NEPA-related Site-Specific Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI), prepared by MMS for the following oil and gas activities proposed on the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Public Information Unit, Information Services Section at the number below. Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Attention: Public Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, or by calling 1-800-200-GULF.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

MMS prepares SEAs and FONSIs for proposals that relate to exploration for and the development/production of oil and gas resources on the Gulf of Mexico OCS. These SEAs 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 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 SEA.

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

This listing includes all proposals for which the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region prepared a FONSI in the period subsequent to publication of the preceding notice.

Activity/Operator	Location	Date
Newfield Exploration Company, Initial Exploration Plan, SEA No. N-7852	High Island, Block A-353, Lease OCS-G 24425, located 111 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	10/29/03
Arena Offshore, LLC, Initial Exploration Plan, SEA No. N-7940	High Island, Block A-366, Lease OCS-G 24429, located 100 miles from the nearest Texas shoreline	11/24/03
Dominion Exploration & Production, Inc., Initial Exploration Plan, SEA No. N-7928	DeSoto Canyon, Block 618, located 90 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	11/25/03
CGG Americas, Inc., Geological & Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources, SEA No. L03-62	Located in the central Gulf of Mexico south of Mobile, Alabama	10/01/03
Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Corporation, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-188	Main Pass, Block 107, Lease OCS-G 07804, located 35 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	10/06/03
Veritas DGC Corporation, Geological & Geophysical Exploration Plan, SEA No. T03-19	Located in the western Gulf of Mexico south of Galveston, Texas	10/09/03
Fugro Geoteam, Geological & Geophysical Exploration Plan, SEA No. T03-20	Located in the central and western Gulf of Mexico south of Galveston, Texas, and Grand Isle, Louisiana	10/09/03
BP Exploration & Production, Inc., Geological and Geophysical Exploration Plan, SEA No. L03-59	Located in the central Gulf of Mexico south of Fourchon, Louisiana	10/14/03
William G. Helis Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-189	South Timbalier, Block 198, Lease OCS-G 07769, located 45 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	10/21/03
The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-196	West Cameron (South), Block 619, Lease OCS-G 02233, located 110 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	10/29/03
Merit Energy Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-197	Brazos Area, Block 517, Lease OCS-G 11279, located 10 miles from the nearest Texas shoreline	11/18/03
BP Exploration and Production Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ER/SR 03-199 and 03-200	Eugene Island (South Addition), Block 322, Lease OCS-G 02113, located 58 miles southwest from the nearest Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana shoreline	11/13/03
El Paso Production GOM, Inc., Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-201	East Cameron, Block 36, Lease OCS-G 17835, located 5 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	11/13/03
C & C Technologies, Inc., Geological and Geophysical Exploration Plan, SEA No. L03-68	Located in the western Gulf of Mexico south of Fourchon, Louisiana	11/13/03
Union Oil Company of California, Structure Removal Activity, SEA Nos. ES/SR 03-190, 03-191, 03-192, 03-193, 03-194 and 03-195	West Cameron, Block 278; High Island, BlockA9; Vermilion, Block 27 and Vermilion (South Addition), Blocks 330 and 262; Leases OCS-G 19711, 09093, 04208, 04261 and 02081 respectively, located 4.5 to 107 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline and 35 to 110 miles from the nearest Texas shoreline	11/19/03
Marathon Oil Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-161	South Pass, Block 89, Lease OCS-G 01618, located 14 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	12/11/03
BP Exploration & Production Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-202	South Marsh Island (South Addition), Block 205, Lease OCS-G 05475, located 95 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	12/02/03
WesternGeco for Multi-Client, Geological & Geophysical Exploration fo Mineral Resources, SEA No. L03-69	Located in the central Gulf of Mexico east of Galveston, Texas	12/02/03
Fugro Geoservices, Inc. for Kerr-McGee Corporation, Geological & Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources, SEA No. L03-70	Located in the central Gulf of Mexico south of Patterson, Louisiana	12/04/03
GX Technology Corporation for Lico International, Inc., Geological & Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources, SEA No. L03-71	Located in the central and western Gulf of Mexico east of Galveston, Texas	12/12/03
C & C Technologies, Inc. for Chevron Texaco, Geological & Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources, SEA No. L03-72	Located in the central Gulf of Mexico south of Fourchon, Louisiana	12/15/03
WesternGeco for Chevron Texaco, Geological & Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources, SEA No. L03-73	Located in the central Gulf of Mexico east of Galveston, Tex	12/18/03
EOG Resources, Inc., Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-001S	Ewing Bank, Block 827, Lease OCS-G 18165, located 62 miles south of the nearest Louisiana shoreline	12/16/03
Houston Exploration Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-203	Vermillion Area, Block 203, Lease OCS-G 12871, located 55 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	12/23/03
Houston Exploration Company, Structure Removal Activity, SEA No. ES/SR 03-204	Galveston Area, Block 144, Lease OCS-G 17119, located 10 miles from the nearest Texas shoreline	12/23/03
Anadarko E & P Company, LP, Structure Removal Activity, SEA Nos. ES/SR 03-205 and 03-206	South Marsh Island (North Addition), Block 282, Lease OCS-G 12904, located 27 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline; Ship Shoal, Block 128, Lease OCS-G 08707, located 37 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	12/22/03
J. M. Huber Corion, Structure Removal Activity, SEA Nos. 03-207, 03-208 and 03-209	South Timbalier, Block 28, Lease OCS-G 01362, located 7 miles from the nearest Louisiana shoreline	12/22/03
WesternGego, Geological Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Resources, SEA No. L03-74	Located in the central Gulf of Mexico east of Galveston, Texas	12/23/03

Persons interested in reviewing environmental documents for the proposals listed above or obtaining information about SEAs and FONSIs prepared for activities on the Gulf of Mexico OCS are encouraged to contact MMS at the address or telephone listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

Dated: January 12, 2004.

Chris C. Oynes,

Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.