(a) Any area of the OCS, which has been appropriately platted as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, may be leased for any mineral not included in an existing lease issued under the Act or meeting the requirements of subsection (a) of section 6 of the Act. Before any lease is offered or issued an area may be:

(1) Withdrawn from disposition pursuant to section 12(a) of the Act; or

(2) Designated as an area or part of an area restricted from operation under section 12(d) of the Act.

(b) BOEM will prepare leasing maps and official protraction diagrams of areas of the OCS. The areas included in each mineral lease will be in accordance with the appropriate leasing map or official protraction diagram.

[81 FR 18152, Mar. 30, 2016]