The Biden administration on Thursday released a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for the offshore lease sale auctions of 259 and 261—two offshore leasing areas in the Gulf of Mexico that must be up for grabs for oil and gas companies “pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act.” There are myriad scenarios that the administration is evaluating, including shrinking the size of the lease sales from 84 million acres down to 56 million acres or even 27 million acres.
In one scenario, the lease sale for 259 would ultimately be canceled. I’d love it if we turned away from offshore oil and gas exploration altogether, especially considering the fact that holding the lease sale would ultimately result in 46.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, but even the cancelation of lease sale 259 wouldn’t come without complications. Because these sales are required, “the cancellation of a single [Gulf of Mexico] lease sale, which would require Congressional action,” the draft supplemental EIS notes.
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“Although the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 requires that both lease sales 259 and 261 be held, this alternative is being included for comparative purposes and because NEPA’s implementing regulations provide that an EIS must include the analysis of a no action alternative,” the draft supplemental EIS continues. Giving consideration for no action at all is truly more of a formality than anything.
The public comment period for the draft supplemental EIS began on Friday and will remain open until Nov. 21st at 11:59PM ET. Two webinars will be held later this month about the 414-page document. According to an Interior Department press release, the lease sale for 259 must be held by March 31, 2023, while the lease sale for 261 must be held by Sept. 30, 2023.
Also up for discussion and public comment are onshore oil and gas lease sales in New Mexico and Wyoming. These auctions come—you guessed it—“in accordance with congressional direction in the Inflation Reduction Act.” Up for grabs are 10,124 acres in New Mexico and 251,086 acres in Wyoming. Both are currently in the public scoping period, which means you can voice your opposition to onshore oil and gas lease sales in New Mexico and Wyoming through the Bureau of Land Management’s National Environmental Policy Act Register. The comment period runs through Nov. 7th.
In one scenario, the lease sale for 259 would ultimately be canceled. I’d love it if we turned away from offshore oil and gas exploration altogether, especially considering the fact that holding the lease sale would ultimately result in 46.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, but even the cancelation of lease sale 259 wouldn’t come without complications. Because these sales are required, “the cancellation of a single [Gulf of Mexico] lease sale, which would require Congressional action,” the draft supplemental EIS notes.
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“Although the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 requires that both lease sales 259 and 261 be held, this alternative is being included for comparative purposes and because NEPA’s implementing regulations provide that an EIS must include the analysis of a no action alternative,” the draft supplemental EIS continues. Giving consideration for no action at all is truly more of a formality than anything.
The public comment period for the draft supplemental EIS began on Friday and will remain open until Nov. 21st at 11:59PM ET. Two webinars will be held later this month about the 414-page document. According to an Interior Department press release, the lease sale for 259 must be held by March 31, 2023, while the lease sale for 261 must be held by Sept. 30, 2023.
Also up for discussion and public comment are onshore oil and gas lease sales in New Mexico and Wyoming. These auctions come—you guessed it—“in accordance with congressional direction in the Inflation Reduction Act.” Up for grabs are 10,124 acres in New Mexico and 251,086 acres in Wyoming. Both are currently in the public scoping period, which means you can voice your opposition to onshore oil and gas lease sales in New Mexico and Wyoming through the Bureau of Land Management’s National Environmental Policy Act Register. The comment period runs through Nov. 7th.