The California State Lands Commission has provided a recirculated draft environmental impact report for the proposed Revised PRC 421 Recommissioning Project.

Venoco is seeking to return offshore Oil and Gas Lease No. PRC 421 to oil production from an existing shoreline well (Well 421-2) that has been shut-in since 1994. The recirculated DEIR replaces a final EIR published in January that the CSLC subsequently deferred action on.

CSLC staff will be holding public meetings on the Revised PRC 421 Recommissioning Project in the Goleta City Council Chambers at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sept. 15. Goleta City Hall is located at 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B. The Council Chambers are located on the backside of the building.

Each session will include the same presentation on the proposed project and the contents of the recirculated DEIR. CSLC staff will then receive oral and written comments on the proposed project and adequacy of the recirculated DEIR.

The Goleta City Council will hear a presentation on the following day, Sept. 16, at the afternoon session of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. and the agenda will be posted here by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. This will be a presentation item only. The Goleta City Council does not have a decision-making role at this juncture.

Written comments on the project may be submitted and must be received by 5 p.m. Sept. 24. Comments should be mailed to: Eric Gillies, Project Manager, California State Lands Commission, 100 Howe Avenue, Suite 100-South, Sacramento, CA 95825. If submitting written comments, CSLC encourages electronic submission by e-mail to CEQAcomments@slc.ca.gov with “Revised PRC 421 Recommissioning Recirculated DEIR Comments” in the subject line of your email. Comments may also be faxed to Eric Gillies at 916.574.1885. If written comments are faxed, the State Lands Commission suggests also mailing a copy of the comments to ensure a readable version is received.

More information can be found at the CSLC Lease PRC 421 website by clicking here or the City of Goleta’s website by clicking here.

— Valerie Kushnerov is a public information officer for the City of Goleta.