National Environmental Policy Act

It is imperative to minimize further oil and gas leasing and development in the Gulf of Mexico to protect the wellbeing of Gulf Coast communities and
abide by our nation’s climate commitments. This Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) process provides the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) an opportunity to take a hard look at the environmental, health, and social harms from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) development and give them appropriate consideration when exercising its discretion in holding Lease Sales 259 and 261. The National Environmental Policy Act process provides guidance for BOEM’s decision-making process for those sales.

In September 2022, more than 100 environmental justice and conservation groups urged Congressional leaders to reject the API-labeled federal permitting bill and instead pass the Environmental Justice For All Act.