Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Western Planning Area (WPA), Oil and Gas Lease Sale for the 2007-2012 5-Year OCS Program

BOEM has prepared a ROD on an oil and gas lease sale tentatively scheduled for December 14, 2011 for WPA Lease Sale 218, which is the final WPA lease sale in the 2007-2012 5-Year OCS Program. The proposed sale is in the GOM WPA off the States of Texas and Louisiana. In preparing its decision, BOEM considered alternatives to the Proposed Action and the impacts as presented in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and all comments received throughout the NEPA process. The Final SEIS updated the environmental and socioeconomic analyses for WPA Lease Sale 218, originally evaluated in the GOM OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2007-2012; WPA Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218; Central Planning Area (CPA) Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222, Final EIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007- 018) (Multisale EIS), completed in April 2007 and updated the environmental and socioeconomic analyses for WPA Lease Sale 218 in the GOM OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2009-2012; CPA Sales 208, 213, 216, and 222; WPA Sales 210, 215, and 218; Final SEIS (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2008- 041) (2009-2012 Supplemental EIS), completed in September 2008. BOEM has selected the proposed action, identified as the Agency's preferred alternative (Alternative A) in the Final SEIS, and will offer for lease all unleased blocks within the WPA for oil and gas operations, except whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and whole and partial blocks in the Western Gap buffer area.