Now that large portions of the East Coast and Eastern Gulf Coasts may be opened up to offshore oil drilling, the Minerals Management Service has announced that public scoping meetings will be held to solicit information that will be used to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate potential environmental effects of multiple Geological and Geophysical Exploration (G&G;) activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). These activities are associated with Atlantic OCS siting for renewable energy projects, oil and gas exploration, and marine minerals extraction; these activities could take place over a period of several years. The purpose of the scoping meetings will be to receive comments on the scope of the PEIS, identify significant resources and issues to be analyzed in the PEIS, and identify possible alternatives to the proposed action.
The following public hearings on Atlantic Seismic Survey Operations and the preparation of a PEIS on these activities are scheduled:
* April 20, 2010-Marriott Houston
Intercontinental Hotel, George Bush
Intercontinental Airport, 18700 John F.
Kennedy Boulevard, Houston, Texas
77032; one meeting beginning at 1 p.m.
CST;
* April 21, 2010-Jacksonville
Marriott, 4760 Salisbury Road,
Jacksonville, Florida 32256; two
meetings, the first beginning at 1 p.m.
EST and the second beginning at 7 p.m.
EST;
* April 23, 2010-Coastal Georgia
Center, 305 Fahm Street, Savannah,
Georgia 31401; two meetings, the first
beginning at 1 p.m. EST and the second
beginning at 7 p.m. EST;
* April 27, 2010-Sheraton Newark
Airport Hotel, 128 Frontage Road,
Newark, New Jersey 07114; two
meetings, the first beginning at 1 p.m.
EST and the second beginning at 7 p.m.
EST;
* April 27, 2010-Embassy Suites
North Charleston, 5055 International
Boulevard, North Charleston, South
Carolina 29418; two meetings, the first
beginning at 1 p.m. EST and the second
beginning at 7 p.m. EST;
* April 29, 2010-Hilton Wilmington
Riverside, 301 North Water Street,
Wilmington, North Carolina 28401; two
meetings, the first beginning at 1 p.m.
EST and the second beginning at 7 p.m.
EST; and
* April 29, 2010-Hilton Norfolk
Airport, 1500 N. Military Highway,
Norfolk, Virginia 23502; two meetings,
the first beginning at 1 p.m. EST and the
second beginning at 7 p.m. EST.
Comments may be submitted in one of the following two ways:
• In written form enclosed in an envelope labeled “Comments on the PEIS Scope”
and mailed (or hand carried) to the Regional Supervisor, Leasing and
Environment (MS 5410), Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS
Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394; or
• Electronically to the MMS email address: GGEIS@mms.gov.
For further information regarding the Atlantic OCS G&G; PEIS, visit the MMS website.
