BSEE Extends Comment Period for Analysis of Decommissioning Oil and Gas Infrastructure off California Coast

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WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is extending the comment period for the public to review and provide feedback on the draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for Oil and Gas Decommissioning Activities on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Comments will now be accepted through Jan. 10, 2023.

The PEIS will inform future decisions on decommissioning applications for offshore oil and gas platforms in federal waters off southern California. Twenty-three California OCS oil and gas platforms installed between the late 1960s and 1990s are subject to eventual decommissioning.

“Given the number of requests for additional time to review and evaluate options for the anticipated offshore oil and gas decommissioning in the Pacific Region, BSEE is extending the comment period by an additional 29 days to Jan. 10, 2023,” said Bruce Hesson, BSEE Pacific Region Director. “The comments we receive will inform our decisions on future decommissioning in the region, we must therefore give the public ample time to provide feedback, helping to ensure a robust analysis.”

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is assisting BSEE in the preparation of the environmental impact statement and is maintaining information about the draft PEIS on its website. The draft PEIS, appendices, and associated information are available for review at: www.boem.gov/Pacific-Decomm-PEIS.

The public and all interested parties, including federal, state, Tribal, and local governments or agencies, are invited to submit written comments on the draft PEIS until Jan. 10, 2023. Written comments on the draft PEIS may be submitted in one of the following ways listed below.

1. Through the federal eRulemaking Portal, Regulations.gov: Go to http://www.regulations.gov: In the search box, enter BOEM-2021-0043 and then click “Search.” Select the document on which you want to comment and follow the instructions to submit comments and view available supporting and related materials for this notice.
2. By traditional mail: In an envelope labeled “Comments on the Draft PEIS for Oil and Gas Decommissioning Activities on the Pacific OCS,” mail (or hand carry) to: Mr. Richard Yarde, Regional Supervisor, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Pacific OCS Region, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010-6002.
3. By e-mail: to BOEM.PAC.decomm.PEIS@boem.gov

Written comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time / 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Jan. 10, 2023.

The bureaus do not accept anonymous comments. Your name and contact information are required to submit comments on the Federal Rulemaking Portal. For more information on the commenting process, please contact:

Mr. Richard Yarde, BOEM Pacific Regional Supervisor,
by mail at 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, CA 93010-6002,
or by telephone at (805) 384-6379.