Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 197, 7303-7306 [05-2771]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 28 / Friday, February 11, 2005 / Notices
Notice, the Act, and other applicable
regulations may be returned to the
person submitting that bid by the RD
and not considered for acceptance. The
Attorney General may also review the
results of the lease sale prior to the
acceptance of bids and issuance of
leases. To ensure that the Government
receives a fair return for the conveyance
of lease rights for this lease sale, high
bids will be evaluated in accordance
with MMS bid adequacy procedures. A
copy of current procedures,
‘‘Modifications to the Bid Adequacy
Procedures’’ at 64 FR 37560 on July 12,
1999, can be obtained from the MMS
Gulf of Mexico Region Public
Information Unit.
Successful Bidders: As required by
the MMS, each company that has been
awarded a lease must execute all copies
of the lease (Form MMS–2005 (March
1986) as amended), pay by EFT the
balance of the bonus bid amount and
the first year’s rental for each lease
issued in accordance with the
requirements of 30 CFR 218.155, and
satisfy the bonding requirements of 30
CFR part 256, subpart I, as amended.
Also, in accordance with regulations
at 43 CFR, part 42, subpart C, the lessee
shall comply with the U.S. Department
of the Interior’s nonprocurement
debarment and suspension requirements
and agrees to communicate this
requirement to comply with these
regulations to persons with whom the
lessee does business as it relates to this
lease by including this term as a
condition to enter into their contracts
and other transactions.
Affirmative Action: The MMS
requests that, prior to bidding, Equal
Opportunity Affirmative Action
Representation Form MMS 2032 (June
1985) and Equal Opportunity
Compliance Report Certification Form
MMS 2033 (June 1985) be on file in the
MMS Gulf of Mexico Region
Adjudication Unit. This certification is
required by 41 CFR part 60 and
Executive Order No. 11246 of
September 24, 1965, as amended by
Executive Order No. 11375 of October
13, 1967. In any event, prior to the
execution of any lease contract, both
forms are required to be on file in the
MMS Gulf of Mexico Region
Adjudication Unit.
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement: Pursuant to 30 CFR 251.12,
the MMS has a right to access
geophysical data and information
collected under a permit in the OCS.
Every bidder submitting a bid on a block
in Sale 194, or participating as a joint
bidder in such a bid, must submit a
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement identifying any processed or
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reprocessed pre- and post-stack depth
migrated geophysical data and
information in its possession or control
and used in the evaluation of that block.
The existence, extent (i.e., number of
line miles for 2D or number of blocks for
3D) and type of such data and
information must be clearly identified.
The statement must include the name
and phone number of a contact person,
and an alternate, knowledgeable about
the depth data sets (that were processed
or reprocessed to correct for depth) used
in evaluating the block. In the event
such data and information includes data
sets from different timeframes, you
should identify only the most recent
data set used for block evaluations.
The statement must also identify each
block upon which a bidder participated
in a bid but for which it does not
possess or control such depth data and
information.
Every bidder must submit a separate
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement in a sealed envelope. The
envelope should be labeled
‘‘Geophysical Data and Information
Statement for Oil and Gas Lease Sale
194’’ and the bidder’s name and
qualification number must be clearly
identified on the outside of the
envelope. This statement must be
submitted to the MMS at the Gulf of
Mexico Regional Office, Attention:
Resource Evaluation (1201 Elmwood
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394) by 10 a.m. on Tuesday,
March 15, 2005. The statement may be
submitted in conjunction with the bids
or separately. Do not include this
statement in the same envelope
containing a bid. These statements will
not be opened until after the public bid
reading at Lease Sale 194 and will be
kept confidential. An Example of
Preferred Format for the Geophysical
Data and Information Statement is
included in the FNOS 194 Package.
Please refer to NTL No. 2003–G05 for
more detail concerning submission of
the Geophysical Data and Information
Statement, making the data available to
the MMS following the lease sale,
preferred format, reimbursement for
costs, and confidentiality.
Dated: February 3, 2005.
R.M. ‘‘Johnnie’’ Burton,
Director, Minerals Management Service.
[FR Doc. 05–2770 Filed 2–10–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
PO 00000
7303
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Eastern
Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas
Lease Sale 197
Minerals Management Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Final notice of sale (FNOS) 197.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: On March 16, 2005, the MMS
will open and publicly announce bids
received for blocks offered in Eastern
GOM Oil and Gas Lease Sale 197,
pursuant to the OCS Lands Act (43
U.S.C. 1331–1356, as amended) and the
regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR
Part 256). The Final Notice of Sale 197
Package (FNOS 197 Package) contains
information essential to bidders, and
bidders are charged with the knowledge
of the documents contained in the
Package.
DATES: Public bid reading for Eastern
GOM Oil and Gas Lease Sale 197 will
begin after the public bid reading for
Central GOM Oil and Gas Lease Sale
194 which will begin at 9 a.m.,
Wednesday, March 16, 2005, in the
Hyatt Regency Conference Center
(Cabildo Rooms), 500 Poydras Plaza,
New Orleans, Louisiana. All times
referred to in this document are local
New Orleans times, unless otherwise
specified.
ADDRESSES: Bidders can obtain a FNOS
197 Package containing this Notice of
Sale and several supporting and
essential documents referenced herein
from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region
Public Information Unit, 1201 Elmwood
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394, (504) 736–2519 or (800)
200–GULF, or via the MMS Internet
Web site at https://www.mms.gov.
Filing of Bids: Bidders must submit
sealed bids to the Regional Director
(RD), MMS Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana 70123–2394, between 8 a.m.
and 4 p.m. on normal working days, and
from 8 a.m. to the Bid Submission
Deadline of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March
15, 2005. If the bids are mailed, please
address the envelope containing all of
the sealed bids as follows:
Attention: Supervisor, Sales and
Support Unit (MS 5422), Leasing
Activities Section, MMS Gulf of Mexico
Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394.
Contains Sealed Bids for Oil and Gas
Lease Sale 197, Please Deliver to Ms.
Jane Burrell Johnson, Room 311,
Immediately.
Please note: Bidders mailing their bid(s)
are advised to call Ms. Jane Burrell Johnson
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 28 / Friday, February 11, 2005 / Notices
(504) 736–2811 immediately after putting
their bid(s) in the mail.
If the RD receives bids later than the
time and date specified above, he will
return those bids unopened to bidders.
Bidders may not modify or withdraw
their bids unless the RD receives a
written modification or written
withdrawal request prior to 10 a.m. on
Tuesday, March 15, 2005. Should an
unexpected event such as flooding or
travel restrictions be significantly
NG16–02
NH16–11
Longitude and which range from 100 to
196 miles south of Alabama, and from
about 70 to 148 miles offshore
Louisiana. Please see the map included
in the FNOS 197 Package: ‘‘Lease
Terms, Economic Conditions, and
Stipulations, Sale 197, Final.’’ All of
these blocks are shown on the following
Official Protraction Diagrams (which
may be purchased from the MMS Gulf
of Mexico Region Public Information
Unit):
Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams (These diagrams sell for $2.00 each.)
Lloyd Ridge (revised November 1, 2000).
De Soto Canyon (revised November 1, 2000).
Please Note: A CD–ROM (in ARC/INFO
and Acrobat (pdf) format) containing all of
the GOM Leasing Maps and Official
Protraction Diagrams, except for those not yet
converted to digital format, is available from
the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region Public
Information Unit for a price of $15. For
additional information, please call Ms. Tara
Montgomery (504) 736–5722.
All blocks are shown on these two
Official Protraction Diagrams. The
available Federal acreage of all blocks in
this lease sale is shown in the document
‘‘List of Blocks Available for Leasing in
Sale 197’’ included in the FNOS 197
Package. A bid on a block must include
all of the available Federal acreage of
that block.
Areas Not Available for Leasing: The
following whole blocks located within
the sale area are currently leased and are
therefore not available for bid in this
lease sale:
De Soto Canyon Blocks 133, 134, 135,
136, 137, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182,
223, 224, 225, 226, 267, 268, 269, 270,
309, 311, 313, 314, 353, 354, 397, 398,
401, 402, 443, 445, 446, 447, 485, 486,
487, 488, 489, 490, 491, 529, 530, 534,
535, 573, 574, 576, 577, 578, 617, 618,
619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 662, 663,
664, 665, 666, 668, 706, 707, 709, 710,
751, 793, 794, 796, 798, 837, 838, 840,
842, 843, 883, 887, 927, 929, 932, 970,
971, 972, 975, 976.
Lloyd Ridge Blocks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 45,
46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 91, 94, 95, 96,
133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 139, 140, 177,
183, 221, 265, 267, 268, 309, 315, 316,
354, 355, 359, 360, 399, 400, 401, 402,
443, 444, 445, 446.
Statutes and Regulations: Each lease
issued in this lease sale is subject to the
OCS Lands Act of August 7, 1953, 67
Stat. 462; 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq., as
amended (92 Stat. 629), hereinafter
called ‘‘the Act’’; all regulations issued
pursuant to the Act and in existence
upon the Effective Date of the lease; all
regulations issued pursuant to the
statute in the future which provide for
the prevention of waste and
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disruptive to bid submission, the MMS
Gulf of Mexico Region may extend the
Bid Submission Deadline. Bidders may
call (504) 736–0557 for information
about the possible extension of the Bid
Submission Deadline due to such an
event.
Areas Offered for Leasing: The MMS
is offering for leasing all of the unleased
whole blocks located within the portion
of the Eastern GOM Planning Area that
is west of 87 degrees 30 minutes West
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Jkt 205001
conservation of the natural resources of
the OCS and the protection of
correlative rights therein; and all other
applicable statutes and regulations.
Lease Terms and Conditions: Initial
period, minimum bonus bid amount,
rental rates, royalty rates, minimum
royalty, and royalty suspension area are
shown on the map ‘‘Lease Terms,
Economic Conditions, and Stipulations,
Lease Sale 197, Final’’ for leases
resulting from this lease sale:
Initial Period: 10 years;
Minimum Bonus Bid Amount: A
bonus bid will not be considered for
acceptance unless it provides for a cash
bonus in the amount of $37.50 or more
per acre or fraction thereof; see ‘‘List of
Blocks Available for Leasing’’ contained
in the FNOS 197 Package to confirm the
exact calculation of the minimum bonus
bid amount for each block;
Rental Rates: $7.50 per acre or
fraction thereof, to be paid on or before
the first day of each lease year until a
discovery in paying quantities of oil or
gas, then at the expiration of each lease
year until the start of royalty-bearing
production;
Royalty Rates: 12 1⁄2 percent royalty
rate, except during periods of royalty
suspension, to be paid monthly on the
last day of the month next following the
month during which the production is
obtained;
Minimum Royalty: After the start of
royalty-bearing production: $7.50 per
acre or fraction thereof per year, to be
paid at the expiration of each lease year
with credit applied for actual royalty
paid during the lease year. If actual
royalty paid exceeds the minimum
royalty requirement, then no minimum
royalty payment is due;
Royalty Suspension Area: Royalty
suspension of 12 million barrels of oil
equivalent, subject to both oil and gas
price thresholds, will apply to all leases
in this lease sale. Please see the map
‘‘Lease Terms, Economic Conditions,
and Stipulations, Lease Sale 197, Final’’
PO 00000
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for specific details regarding royalty
suspension eligibility, applicable price
thresholds, and implementation.
Lease Stipulations: Four lease
stipulations apply: (1) Military Areas;
(2) Evacuation; (3) Coordination; and (4)
Protected Species. Please refer to the
map, ‘‘Lease Terms, Economic
Conditions, and Stipulations, Lease Sale
197, Final’’ in the FNOS 197 Package.
The texts of the lease stipulations are
contained in the document ‘‘Lease
Stipulations for Oil and Gas Lease Sale
197, Final’’ included in the FNOS 197
Package.
Information To Lessees: The FNOS
197 Package contains an ‘‘Information
To Lessees’’ document which provides
detailed information on certain specific
issues pertaining to this oil and gas
lease sale.
Method of Bidding: For each block bid
upon, a bidder must submit a separate
signed bid in a sealed envelope labeled
‘‘Sealed Bid for Oil and Gas Lease Sale
197, not to be opened until 9 a.m.,
Wednesday, March 16, 2005.’’ The total
amount of the bid must be in a whole
dollar amount; any cent amount above
the whole dollar will be ignored by the
MMS. Details of the information
required on the bid(s) and the bid
envelope(s) are specified in the
document ‘‘Bid Form and Envelope’’
contained in the FNOS 197 Package.
The MMS published in the Federal
Register a list of restricted joint bidders,
which applies to this lease sale, at 69 FR
61402 on October 18, 2004. Bidders
must execute all documents in
conformance with signatory
authorizations on file in the MMS Gulf
of Mexico Region Adjudication Unit.
Partnerships also must submit or have
on file a list of signatories authorized to
bind the partnership. Bidders
submitting joint bids must include on
the bid form the proportionate interest
of each participating bidder, stated as a
percentage, using a maximum of five
decimal places, e.g., 33.33333 percent.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 28 / Friday, February 11, 2005 / Notices
The MMS may require bidders to submit
other documents in accordance with 30
CFR 256.46. The MMS warns bidders
against violation of 18 U.S.C. 1860
prohibiting unlawful combination or
intimidation of bidders. Bidders are
advised that the MMS considers the
signed bid to be a legally binding
obligation on the part of the bidder(s) to
comply with all applicable regulations,
including payment of the one-fifth
bonus bid amount on all high bids. A
statement to this effect must be included
on each bid (see the document ‘‘Bid
Form and Envelope’’ contained in the
FNOS 197 Package).
Rounding: The following procedure
must be used to calculate the minimum
bonus bid, annual rental, and minimum
royalty: Round up to the next whole
dollar amount if the calculation results
in a decimal figure (see next paragraph).
Please note: The minimum bonus bid
calculation, including all rounding, is shown
in the document ‘‘List of Blocks Available for
Leasing in Lease Sale 197’’ included in the
FNOS 197 Package.
Bonus Bid Deposit: Each bidder
submitting an apparent high bid must
submit a bonus bid deposit to the MMS
equal to one-fifth of the bonus bid
amount for each such bid. Under the
authority granted by 30 CFR 256.46(b),
the MMS requires bidders to use
electronic funds transfer procedures for
payment of one-fifth bonus bid deposits
for Lease Sale 197, following the
detailed instructions contained in the
document ‘‘Instructions for Making EFT
Bonus Payments’’ included in the FNOS
197 Package. All payments must be
electronically deposited into an interestbearing account in the U.S. Treasury
(account specified in the EFT
instructions) by 1 p.m. eastern time the
day following bid reading. Such a
deposit does not constitute and shall not
be construed as acceptance of any bid
on behalf of the United States. If a lease
is awarded, however, MMS requests that
only one transaction be used for
payment of the four-fifths bonus bid
amount and the first year’s rental.
Please note: Certain bid submitters (i.e.,
those that are NOT currently an OCS mineral
lease record title holder or designated
operator OR those that have ever defaulted
on a one-fifth bonus bid payment (EFT or
otherwise)) are required to guarantee (secure)
their one-fifth bonus bid payment prior to the
submission of bids. For those who must
secure the EFT one-fifth bonus bid payment,
one of the following options may be used:
(1) Provide a third-party guarantee; (2)
Amend development bond coverage; (3)
Provide a letter of credit; or (4) Provide a
lump sum payment in advance via EFT. The
EFT instructions specify the requirements for
each option.
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17:18 Feb 10, 2005
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Withdrawal of Blocks: The United
States reserves the right to withdraw
any block from this lease sale prior to
issuance of a written acceptance of a bid
for the block.
Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of
Bids: The United States reserves the
right to reject any and all bids. In any
case, no bid will be accepted, and no
lease for any block will be awarded to
any bidder, unless the bidder has
complied with all requirements of this
Notice, including the documents
contained in the associated FNOS 197
Package and applicable regulations; the
bid is the highest valid bid; and the
amount of the bid has been determined
to be adequate by the authorized officer.
Any bid submitted which does not
conform to the requirements of this
Notice, the Act, and other applicable
regulations may be returned to the
person submitting that bid by the RD
and not considered for acceptance. The
Attorney General may also review the
results of the lease sale prior to the
acceptance of bids and issuance of
leases. To ensure that the Government
receives a fair return for the conveyance
of lease rights for this lease sale, high
bids will be evaluated in accordance
with MMS bid adequacy procedures. A
copy of current procedures,
‘‘Modifications to the Bid Adequacy
Procedures’’ at 64 FR 37560 on July 12,
1999, can be obtained from the MMS
Gulf of Mexico Region Public
Information Unit.
Successful Bidders: As required by
the MMS, each company that has been
awarded a lease must execute all copies
of the lease (Form MMS–2005 (March
1986) as amended), pay by EFT the
balance of the bonus bid amount and
the first year’s rental for each lease
issued in accordance with the
requirements of 30 CFR 218.155, and
satisfy the bonding requirements of 30
CFR 256, Subpart I, as amended.
Also, in accordance with regulations
at 43 CFR, part 42, subpart C, the lessee
shall comply with the U.S. Department
of the Interior’s nonprocurement
debarment and suspension requirements
and agrees to communicate this
requirement to comply with these
regulations to persons with whom the
lessee does business as it relates to this
lease by including this term as a
condition to enter into their contracts
and other transactions.
Affirmative Action: The MMS
requests that, prior to bidding, Equal
Opportunity Affirmative Action
Representation Form MMS 2032 (June
1985) and Equal Opportunity
Compliance Report Certification Form
MMS 2033 (June 1985) be on file in the
MMS Gulf of Mexico Region
PO 00000
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7305
Adjudication Unit. This certification is
required by 41 CFR 60 and Executive
Order No. 11246 of September 24, 1965,
as amended by Executive Order No.
11375 of October 13, 1967. In any event,
prior to the execution of any lease
contract, both forms are required to be
on file in the MMS Gulf of Mexico
Region Adjudication Unit.
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement: Pursuant to 30 CFR 251.12,
the MMS has a right to access
geophysical data and information
collected under a permit in the OCS.
Every bidder submitting a bid on a block
in Sale 197, or participating as a joint
bidder in such a bid, must submit a
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement identifying any processed or
reprocessed pre- and post-stack depth
migrated geophysical data and
information in its possession or control
and used in the evaluation of that block.
The existence, extent (i.e., number of
line miles for 2D or number of blocks for
3D) and type of such data and
information must be clearly identified.
The statement must include the name
and phone number of a contact person,
and an alternate, knowledgeable about
the depth data sets (that were processed
or reprocessed to correct for depth) used
in evaluating the block. In the event
such data and information includes data
sets from different timeframes, you
should identify only the most recent
data set used for block evaluations.
The statement must also identify each
block upon which a bidder participated
in a bid but for which it does not
possess or control such depth data and
information.
Every bidder must submit a separate
Geophysical Data and Information
Statement in a sealed envelope. The
envelope should be labeled
‘‘Geophysical Data and Information
Statement for Oil and Gas Lease Sale
197’’ and the bidder’s name and
qualification number must be clearly
identified on the outside of the
envelope. This statement must be
submitted to the MMS at the Gulf of
Mexico Regional Office, Attention:
Resource Evaluation (1201 Elmwood
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394) by 10 a.m. on Tuesday,
March 15, 2005. The statement may be
submitted in conjunction with the bids
or separately. Do not include this
statement in the same envelope
containing a bid. These statements will
not be opened until after the public bid
reading at Lease Sale 197 and will be
kept confidential. An Example of
Preferred Format for the Geophysical
Data and Information Statement is
included in the FNOS 197 Package.
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7306
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 28 / Friday, February 11, 2005 / Notices
Please refer to NTL No. 2003–G05 for
more detail concerning submission of
the Geophysical Data and Information
Statement, making the data available to
the MMS following the lease sale,
preferred format, reimbursement for
costs, and confidentiality.
Dated: February 3, 2005.
R.M. ‘‘Johnnie’’ Burton,
Director, Minerals Management Service.
[FR Doc. 05–2771 Filed 2–10–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree
Pursuant to the Comprehensive
Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act
In accordance with Departmental
policy, 28 CFR § 50.7, notice is hereby
given that a proposed consent decree in
United States v. Port of Tacoma,
Occidental Chemical Corporation,
Mariana Properties, Inc., and Pioneer
Americas, LLC, Civil Action No. 3:05–
CV–05103 FDB was lodged on February
8, 2005 with the United States District
Court for the Western District of
Washington. This consent decree
requires the defendants to perform
injunctive relief, requiring the cleanup
of the Head of the Hylebos Waterway
Problem Area of the Commencement
Bay/Nearshore Tideflats Superfund Site.
The Department of Justice will
receive, for a period of thirty (30) days
from the date of this publication,
comments relating to the proposed
consent decree. Comments should be
addressed to the Assistant Attorney
General, Environmental and Natural
Resources Division, P.O. Box 7611, U.S.
Department of Justice, Washington, DC
20044–7611, and should refer to United
States v. Atofina Chemicals, Inc., and
General Metals of Tacoma, Inc., DOJ
Ref. 90–11–2–726/2.
The proposed consent decree may be
examined at the office of the United
States Attorney, 601 Union Street, Suite
5100, Seattle, WA 98101 and at U.S.
EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue,
Seattle, WA 98101. During the comment
period, the consent decree may be
examined on the following Department
of Justice Web site, https://
www.usdoj.gov/enrd/open.html. Copies
of the consent decree also may be
obtained by mail from the Consent
Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, U.S.
Department of Justice, Washington, DC
20044–7611 or by faxing or e-mailing a
request to Tonia Fleetwood
(tonia.fleetwood@usdoj.gov), fax No.
(202) 514–0097. phone confirmation
17:18 Feb 10, 2005
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and Technology, U.S. Department of
Commerce.
Robert Maher,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental
Enforcement Section.
[FR Doc. 05–2724 Filed 2–10–05; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
BILLING CODE 4410–15–M
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
VerDate jul<14>2003
number (202) 514–1547. In requesting a
copy, please enclose a check in the
amount of $43.00 (with attachments) or
$24.25 (without attachments) for United
States v. Port of Tacoma, Occidental
Chemical Corporation, Mariana
Properties, Inc., and Pioneer Americas,
LLC, (25 cents per page reproduction
cost) payable to the U.S. Treasury.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
Notice Pursuant to the National
Cooperative Research and Production
Act of 1993—Active Fuel and Emission
Control Teaming Agreement Under
Award No. 70NANB4H3038
Notice is hereby given that, on
January 12, 2005, pursuant to section
6(a) of the National Cooperative
Research and Production Act of 1993,
15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (‘‘the Act’’),
Active Fuel and Emission Control
Teaming Agreement under Award No.
70NANB4H3038 (‘‘ATV JV’’) has filed
written notifications simultaneously
with the Attorney General and the
Federal Trade Commission disclosing
(1) the identities of the parties to the
venture and (2) the nature and
objectives of the venture. The
notifications were filed for the purpose
of invoking the Act’s provisions limiting
the recovery of antitrust plaintiffs to
actual damages under specified
circumstances.
Pursuant to section 6(b) of the Act, the
identities of the parties to the venture
are: Glennan Microsystems Inc.,
Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve
University, Cleveland, OH; ZIN, Inc.,
Brook Park, OH; and Delavan Inc., a
wholly owned subsidiary of Goodrich
Corporation d/b/a Turbine Fuel
Technologies, West Des Moines, IA. The
general area of the ATV JV’s planned
activity is to develop an Active Fuel and
Emission Control Technology
Demonstrator for gas turbine engines
based on Silicon Carbide microsystems
technology that will greatly reduce
polluting emissions while extending
engine life and preserving fuel
efficiency. The activities of this joint
venture will be partially funded by an
award from the Advanced Technology
Program, National Institute of Standards
PO 00000
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Dorothy B. Fountain,
Deputy Director of Operations, Antitrust
Division.
[FR Doc. 05–2733 Filed 2–10–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–11–M
Antitrust Division
Notice Pursuant to the National
Cooperative Research and Production
Act of 1993—American Industrial
Hygiene Association
Notice is hereby given that, on
September 17, 2004, pursuant to Section
6(a) of the National Cooperative
Research and Production Act of 1993,
15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (‘‘the Act’’),
American Industrial Hygiene
Association (‘‘AIHA’’) has filed written
notifications simultaneously with the
Attorney General and the Federal Trade
Commission disclosing (1) the name and
principal place of business of the
standards development organization
and (2) the nature and scope of its
standards development activities. The
notifications were filed for the purpose
of invoking the Act’s provisions limiting
the recovery of antitrust plaintiffs to
actual damages under specified
circumstances.
Pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Act,
the name and principal place of
business of the standards development
organization is: American Industrial
Hygiene Association, Fairfax, VA. The
nature and scope of AIHA’s standards
development activities are: development
of standards for the design, operation,
and maintenance of equipment to
provide a safe atmosphere in industrial,
manufacturing, or construction
operations by removing harmful
substances by either local exhaust or
general ventilation and safely disposing
of such substances, and such
supplementary standards on personal
protection as may be necessary to
prescribe methods for the protection of
workers. AIHA also develops a standard
of management principles and systems
to help organizations design and
implement deliberate and documented
approaches to continuously improve
their occupational health and safety
(OHS) performance. This standard will
enable organizations to integrate OHS
management into their overall business
management systems, focusing on
principles that are broadly applicable to
organizations of all sizes and types, not
on detailed specifications. The standard
will be compatible with relevant OHS,
E:\FR\FM\11FEN1.SGM
11FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 28 (Friday, February 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7303-7306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2771]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil
and Gas Lease Sale 197
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.
ACTION: Final notice of sale (FNOS) 197.
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SUMMARY: On March 16, 2005, the MMS will open and publicly announce
bids received for blocks offered in Eastern GOM Oil and Gas Lease Sale
197, pursuant to the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as amended)
and the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR Part 256). The Final
Notice of Sale 197 Package (FNOS 197 Package) contains information
essential to bidders, and bidders are charged with the knowledge of the
documents contained in the Package.
DATES: Public bid reading for Eastern GOM Oil and Gas Lease Sale 197
will begin after the public bid reading for Central GOM Oil and Gas
Lease Sale 194 which will begin at 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 16, 2005,
in the Hyatt Regency Conference Center (Cabildo Rooms), 500 Poydras
Plaza, New Orleans, Louisiana. All times referred to in this document
are local New Orleans times, unless otherwise specified.
ADDRESSES: Bidders can obtain a FNOS 197 Package containing this Notice
of Sale and several supporting and essential documents referenced
herein from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region Public Information Unit, 1201
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, (504) 736-
2519 or (800) 200-GULF, or via the MMS Internet Web site at https://
www.mms.gov.
Filing of Bids: Bidders must submit sealed bids to the Regional
Director (RD), MMS Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard,
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on normal
working days, and from 8 a.m. to the Bid Submission Deadline of 10 a.m.
on Tuesday, March 15, 2005. If the bids are mailed, please address the
envelope containing all of the sealed bids as follows:
Attention: Supervisor, Sales and Support Unit (MS 5422), Leasing
Activities Section, MMS Gulf of Mexico Region, 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394.
Contains Sealed Bids for Oil and Gas Lease Sale 197, Please Deliver
to Ms. Jane Burrell Johnson, Room 311, Immediately.
Please note: Bidders mailing their bid(s) are advised to call
Ms. Jane Burrell Johnson
[[Page 7304]]
(504) 736-2811 immediately after putting their bid(s) in the mail.
If the RD receives bids later than the time and date specified
above, he will return those bids unopened to bidders. Bidders may not
modify or withdraw their bids unless the RD receives a written
modification or written withdrawal request prior to 10 a.m. on Tuesday,
March 15, 2005. Should an unexpected event such as flooding or travel
restrictions be significantly disruptive to bid submission, the MMS
Gulf of Mexico Region may extend the Bid Submission Deadline. Bidders
may call (504) 736-0557 for information about the possible extension of
the Bid Submission Deadline due to such an event.
Areas Offered for Leasing: The MMS is offering for leasing all of
the unleased whole blocks located within the portion of the Eastern GOM
Planning Area that is west of 87 degrees 30 minutes West Longitude and
which range from 100 to 196 miles south of Alabama, and from about 70
to 148 miles offshore Louisiana. Please see the map included in the
FNOS 197 Package: ``Lease Terms, Economic Conditions, and Stipulations,
Sale 197, Final.'' All of these blocks are shown on the following
Official Protraction Diagrams (which may be purchased from the MMS Gulf
of Mexico Region Public Information Unit):
Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams (These diagrams
sell for $2.00 each.)
NG16-02 Lloyd Ridge (revised November 1, 2000).
NH16-11 De Soto Canyon (revised November 1, 2000).
Please Note: A CD-ROM (in ARC/INFO and Acrobat (pdf) format)
containing all of the GOM Leasing Maps and Official Protraction
Diagrams, except for those not yet converted to digital format, is
available from the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region Public Information Unit
for a price of $15. For additional information, please call Ms. Tara
Montgomery (504) 736-5722.
All blocks are shown on these two Official Protraction Diagrams.
The available Federal acreage of all blocks in this lease sale is shown
in the document ``List of Blocks Available for Leasing in Sale 197''
included in the FNOS 197 Package. A bid on a block must include all of
the available Federal acreage of that block.
Areas Not Available for Leasing: The following whole blocks located
within the sale area are currently leased and are therefore not
available for bid in this lease sale:
De Soto Canyon Blocks 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 177, 178, 179, 180,
181, 182, 223, 224, 225, 226, 267, 268, 269, 270, 309, 311, 313, 314,
353, 354, 397, 398, 401, 402, 443, 445, 446, 447, 485, 486, 487, 488,
489, 490, 491, 529, 530, 534, 535, 573, 574, 576, 577, 578, 617, 618,
619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 668, 706, 707,
709, 710, 751, 793, 794, 796, 798, 837, 838, 840, 842, 843, 883, 887,
927, 929, 932, 970, 971, 972, 975, 976.
Lloyd Ridge Blocks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52,
91, 94, 95, 96, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 139, 140, 177, 183, 221, 265,
267, 268, 309, 315, 316, 354, 355, 359, 360, 399, 400, 401, 402, 443,
444, 445, 446.
Statutes and Regulations: Each lease issued in this lease sale is
subject to the OCS Lands Act of August 7, 1953, 67 Stat. 462; 43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq., as amended (92 Stat. 629), hereinafter called ``the
Act''; all regulations issued pursuant to the Act and in existence upon
the Effective Date of the lease; all regulations issued pursuant to the
statute in the future which provide for the prevention of waste and
conservation of the natural resources of the OCS and the protection of
correlative rights therein; and all other applicable statutes and
regulations.
Lease Terms and Conditions: Initial period, minimum bonus bid
amount, rental rates, royalty rates, minimum royalty, and royalty
suspension area are shown on the map ``Lease Terms, Economic
Conditions, and Stipulations, Lease Sale 197, Final'' for leases
resulting from this lease sale:
Initial Period: 10 years;
Minimum Bonus Bid Amount: A bonus bid will not be considered for
acceptance unless it provides for a cash bonus in the amount of $37.50
or more per acre or fraction thereof; see ``List of Blocks Available
for Leasing'' contained in the FNOS 197 Package to confirm the exact
calculation of the minimum bonus bid amount for each block;
Rental Rates: $7.50 per acre or fraction thereof, to be paid on or
before the first day of each lease year until a discovery in paying
quantities of oil or gas, then at the expiration of each lease year
until the start of royalty-bearing production;
Royalty Rates: 12 \1/2\ percent royalty rate, except during periods
of royalty suspension, to be paid monthly on the last day of the month
next following the month during which the production is obtained;
Minimum Royalty: After the start of royalty-bearing production:
$7.50 per acre or fraction thereof per year, to be paid at the
expiration of each lease year with credit applied for actual royalty
paid during the lease year. If actual royalty paid exceeds the minimum
royalty requirement, then no minimum royalty payment is due;
Royalty Suspension Area: Royalty suspension of 12 million barrels
of oil equivalent, subject to both oil and gas price thresholds, will
apply to all leases in this lease sale. Please see the map ``Lease
Terms, Economic Conditions, and Stipulations, Lease Sale 197, Final''
for specific details regarding royalty suspension eligibility,
applicable price thresholds, and implementation.
Lease Stipulations: Four lease stipulations apply: (1) Military
Areas; (2) Evacuation; (3) Coordination; and (4) Protected Species.
Please refer to the map, ``Lease Terms, Economic Conditions, and
Stipulations, Lease Sale 197, Final'' in the FNOS 197 Package. The
texts of the lease stipulations are contained in the document ``Lease
Stipulations for Oil and Gas Lease Sale 197, Final'' included in the
FNOS 197 Package.
Information To Lessees: The FNOS 197 Package contains an
``Information To Lessees'' document which provides detailed information
on certain specific issues pertaining to this oil and gas lease sale.
Method of Bidding: For each block bid upon, a bidder must submit a
separate signed bid in a sealed envelope labeled ``Sealed Bid for Oil
and Gas Lease Sale 197, not to be opened until 9 a.m., Wednesday, March
16, 2005.'' The total amount of the bid must be in a whole dollar
amount; any cent amount above the whole dollar will be ignored by the
MMS. Details of the information required on the bid(s) and the bid
envelope(s) are specified in the document ``Bid Form and Envelope''
contained in the FNOS 197 Package.
The MMS published in the Federal Register a list of restricted
joint bidders, which applies to this lease sale, at 69 FR 61402 on
October 18, 2004. Bidders must execute all documents in conformance
with signatory authorizations on file in the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region
Adjudication Unit. Partnerships also must submit or have on file a list
of signatories authorized to bind the partnership. Bidders submitting
joint bids must include on the bid form the proportionate interest of
each participating bidder, stated as a percentage, using a maximum of
five decimal places, e.g., 33.33333 percent.
[[Page 7305]]
The MMS may require bidders to submit other documents in accordance
with 30 CFR 256.46. The MMS warns bidders against violation of 18
U.S.C. 1860 prohibiting unlawful combination or intimidation of
bidders. Bidders are advised that the MMS considers the signed bid to
be a legally binding obligation on the part of the bidder(s) to comply
with all applicable regulations, including payment of the one-fifth
bonus bid amount on all high bids. A statement to this effect must be
included on each bid (see the document ``Bid Form and Envelope''
contained in the FNOS 197 Package).
Rounding: The following procedure must be used to calculate the
minimum bonus bid, annual rental, and minimum royalty: Round up to the
next whole dollar amount if the calculation results in a decimal figure
(see next paragraph).
Please note: The minimum bonus bid calculation, including all
rounding, is shown in the document ``List of Blocks Available for
Leasing in Lease Sale 197'' included in the FNOS 197 Package.
Bonus Bid Deposit: Each bidder submitting an apparent high bid must
submit a bonus bid deposit to the MMS equal to one-fifth of the bonus
bid amount for each such bid. Under the authority granted by 30 CFR
256.46(b), the MMS requires bidders to use electronic funds transfer
procedures for payment of one-fifth bonus bid deposits for Lease Sale
197, following the detailed instructions contained in the document
``Instructions for Making EFT Bonus Payments'' included in the FNOS 197
Package. All payments must be electronically deposited into an
interest-bearing account in the U.S. Treasury (account specified in the
EFT instructions) by 1 p.m. eastern time the day following bid reading.
Such a deposit does not constitute and shall not be construed as
acceptance of any bid on behalf of the United States. If a lease is
awarded, however, MMS requests that only one transaction be used for
payment of the four-fifths bonus bid amount and the first year's
rental.
Please note: Certain bid submitters (i.e., those that are NOT
currently an OCS mineral lease record title holder or designated
operator OR those that have ever defaulted on a one-fifth bonus bid
payment (EFT or otherwise)) are required to guarantee (secure) their
one-fifth bonus bid payment prior to the submission of bids. For
those who must secure the EFT one-fifth bonus bid payment, one of
the following options may be used:
(1) Provide a third-party guarantee; (2) Amend development bond
coverage; (3) Provide a letter of credit; or (4) Provide a lump sum
payment in advance via EFT. The EFT instructions specify the
requirements for each option.
Withdrawal of Blocks: The United States reserves the right to
withdraw any block from this lease sale prior to issuance of a written
acceptance of a bid for the block.
Acceptance, Rejection, or Return of Bids: The United States
reserves the right to reject any and all bids. In any case, no bid will
be accepted, and no lease for any block will be awarded to any bidder,
unless the bidder has complied with all requirements of this Notice,
including the documents contained in the associated FNOS 197 Package
and applicable regulations; the bid is the highest valid bid; and the
amount of the bid has been determined to be adequate by the authorized
officer. Any bid submitted which does not conform to the requirements
of this Notice, the Act, and other applicable regulations may be
returned to the person submitting that bid by the RD and not considered
for acceptance. The Attorney General may also review the results of the
lease sale prior to the acceptance of bids and issuance of leases. To
ensure that the Government receives a fair return for the conveyance of
lease rights for this lease sale, high bids will be evaluated in
accordance with MMS bid adequacy procedures. A copy of current
procedures, ``Modifications to the Bid Adequacy Procedures'' at 64 FR
37560 on July 12, 1999, can be obtained from the MMS Gulf of Mexico
Region Public Information Unit.
Successful Bidders: As required by the MMS, each company that has
been awarded a lease must execute all copies of the lease (Form MMS-
2005 (March 1986) as amended), pay by EFT the balance of the bonus bid
amount and the first year's rental for each lease issued in accordance
with the requirements of 30 CFR 218.155, and satisfy the bonding
requirements of 30 CFR 256, Subpart I, as amended.
Also, in accordance with regulations at 43 CFR, part 42, subpart C,
the lessee shall comply with the U.S. Department of the Interior's
nonprocurement debarment and suspension requirements and agrees to
communicate this requirement to comply with these regulations to
persons with whom the lessee does business as it relates to this lease
by including this term as a condition to enter into their contracts and
other transactions.
Affirmative Action: The MMS requests that, prior to bidding, Equal
Opportunity Affirmative Action Representation Form MMS 2032 (June 1985)
and Equal Opportunity Compliance Report Certification Form MMS 2033
(June 1985) be on file in the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region Adjudication
Unit. This certification is required by 41 CFR 60 and Executive Order
No. 11246 of September 24, 1965, as amended by Executive Order No.
11375 of October 13, 1967. In any event, prior to the execution of any
lease contract, both forms are required to be on file in the MMS Gulf
of Mexico Region Adjudication Unit.
Geophysical Data and Information Statement: Pursuant to 30 CFR
251.12, the MMS has a right to access geophysical data and information
collected under a permit in the OCS. Every bidder submitting a bid on a
block in Sale 197, or participating as a joint bidder in such a bid,
must submit a Geophysical Data and Information Statement identifying
any processed or reprocessed pre- and post-stack depth migrated
geophysical data and information in its possession or control and used
in the evaluation of that block. The existence, extent (i.e., number of
line miles for 2D or number of blocks for 3D) and type of such data and
information must be clearly identified. The statement must include the
name and phone number of a contact person, and an alternate,
knowledgeable about the depth data sets (that were processed or
reprocessed to correct for depth) used in evaluating the block. In the
event such data and information includes data sets from different
timeframes, you should identify only the most recent data set used for
block evaluations.
The statement must also identify each block upon which a bidder
participated in a bid but for which it does not possess or control such
depth data and information.
Every bidder must submit a separate Geophysical Data and
Information Statement in a sealed envelope. The envelope should be
labeled ``Geophysical Data and Information Statement for Oil and Gas
Lease Sale 197'' and the bidder's name and qualification number must be
clearly identified on the outside of the envelope. This statement must
be submitted to the MMS at the Gulf of Mexico Regional Office,
Attention: Resource Evaluation (1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New
Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394) by 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 15, 2005.
The statement may be submitted in conjunction with the bids or
separately. Do not include this statement in the same envelope
containing a bid. These statements will not be opened until after the
public bid reading at Lease Sale 197 and will be kept confidential. An
Example of Preferred Format for the Geophysical Data and Information
Statement is included in the FNOS 197 Package.
[[Page 7306]]
Please refer to NTL No. 2003-G05 for more detail concerning
submission of the Geophysical Data and Information Statement, making
the data available to the MMS following the lease sale, preferred
format, reimbursement for costs, and confidentiality.
Dated: February 3, 2005.
R.M. ``Johnnie'' Burton,
Director, Minerals Management Service.
[FR Doc. 05-2771 Filed 2-10-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
