The US Minerals Management Service is expected this week to release its proposed 5-year Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program for 2002-07.
Industry and congressional sources predict there will be few surprises-namely, no additional leasing areas outside of the central and western Gulf of Mexico and parts of Alaska. A draft environmental impact statement also will be released, and the agency will seek public comment for 90 days.
Last December, MMS issued a notice soliciting comments and suggestions for preparing the new program as well as information on issues and alternatives that should be addressed in the accompanying environmental impact statement.
The OCS Lands Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to prepare and maintain 5-year leasing programs. The new program will succeed the program for 1997-02, which runs through June 30. The 2002-07 program will be the sixth prepared since the OCS Lands Act requirement was enacted in 1978. The program establishes the size, timing, and location of OCS oil and gas leasing activity for the period it covers.
The areas of the OCS off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, a portion of the area off Florida in the Gulf of Mexico, and the North Aleutian basin area off Alaska were withdrawn from oil and gas leasing for July 2002-July 2007 by the Clinton administration because of environmental concerns.
President George W. Bush recently expanded the moratorium further in a portion of the eastern Gulf of Mexico in deference to renewed opposition by Florida officials.
MMS plans to propose a final program and final environmental statement by January 2002 on its new leasing plan; by March 2002, it is expected to be in place.
