Management of Non-Federal Oil and Gas Rights, 79408-79409 [2016-27215]
Download as PDF
79408
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 219 / Monday, November 14, 2016 / Proposed Rules
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST
SERVICES
Adrienne Y. Denysyk, Media Bureau,
(202) 418–2700.
This is a
synopsis of the Commission’s Notice of
Proposed Rule Making, MB Docket No.
16–362, adopted October 27, 2016. The
FM Table of Allotment does not contain
vacant Channel 224A at Mullins, Texas
because the channel was removed from
the FM Table because it was auctioned
in Auction 93, and considered an
authorized station. See 79 FR 64125,
published October 28, 2014. Channel
224A at Mullins, Texas is no longer
considered an authorized station but
instead a vacant allotment because the
construction permit for Station DKFON
was cancelled on January 8, 2016. See
File No. BNPH–20120523ABP. The full
text of this Commission decision is
available for inspection and copying
during normal business hours in the
FCC’s Reference Information Center at
Portals II, CY–A257, 445 12th Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20554. The full
text is also available online at https://
apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. This document does
not contain proposed information
collection requirements subject to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. In addition,
therefore, it does not contain any
proposed information collection burden
‘‘for small business concerns with fewer
than 25 employees,’’ pursuant to the
Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of
2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(4).
Provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act of l980 do not apply to
this proceeding.
Members of the public should note
that from the time a Notice of Proposed
Rule Making is issued until the matter
is no longer subject to Commission
consideration or court review, all ex
parte contacts are prohibited in
Commission proceedings, such as this
one, which involve channel allotments.
See 47 CFR 1.1204(b) for rules
governing permissible ex parte contacts.
For information regarding proper
filing procedures for comments, see 47
CFR 1.415 and 1.420.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with PROPOSALS
Radio, Radio broadcasting.
Federal Communications Commission.
Nazifa Sawez,
Assistant Chief, Audio Division, Media
Bureau.
For the reasons discussed in the
preamble, the Federal Communications
Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR
part 73 as follows:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:04 Nov 10, 2016
Jkt 241001
1. The authority citation for part 73
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334, 336
and 339.
§
73.202 [Amended]
2. In § 73.202(b) amend the table
under Texas by adding Mullin, Channel
277A to read as follows:
■
§ 73.202
*
Table of Allotments.
*
*
*
*
(b) Table of FM Allotments.
Texas
*
*
*
Mullin ....................................
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
277A
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2016–27221 Filed 11–10–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Parts 28 and 29
[Docket No. FWS–HQ–NWRS–2012–0086;
FXRS12610900000–167–FF09R24000]
RIN 1018–AX36
Management of Non-Federal Oil and
Gas Rights
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; availability of
record of decision.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), make
available the final record of decision
(ROD) on revising regulations governing
non-Federal oil and gas activities on
National Wildlife Refuge System lands
in order to improve our ability to protect
refuge resources, visitors, and the
general public’s health and safety from
potential impacts associated with nonFederal oil and gas operations located
within refuges. The Service has selected
Alternative B, implementation of the
final rule, Management of Non-Federal
Oil and Gas Rights, which revises
current Service regulations, as its final
decision. This decision is described and
analyzed in the final environmental
impact statement and summarized in
the ROD.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are
available for public review at https://
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
www.fws.gov/refuges/oil-and-gas/
rulemaking.html and at https://
www.regulations.gov under Docket No.
FWS–HQ–NWRS–2012–0086.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott Covington, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Natural Resources
and Planning, MS: NWRS, 5275
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia
22041; telephone 703–358–2427. If you
use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD), call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 800–877–8339.
Further contact information can be
found on the Refuge’s Energy Program
Web site at https://www.fws.gov/refuges/
oil-and-gas/rulemaking.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
With this document, we announce the
availability of the record of decision
(ROD) for the final environmental
impact statement (EIS) analyzing
revisions to the Service’s regulations
governing non-Federal oil and gas
development on lands of the National
Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). NonFederal oil and gas development refers
to oil and gas activities associated with
any private, State, or tribally owned
mineral interest where the surface estate
is administered by the Service as part of
the Refuge System.
On February 24, 2014, we issued an
advance notice of proposed rulemaking
(79 FR 10080) to assist us in developing
a proposed rule and announced our
intent to prepare an EIS; the comment
period for this document closed April
25, 2014. In response to requests we
received, on June 9, 2014, we reopened
the comment period until July 9, 2014
(79 FR 32903). During the two comment
periods, we received almost 80,000
responses, mostly form letters, of which
greater than 99 percent were in support
of revising the existing regulations. We
reviewed and considered substantive
comments as we drafted the proposed
rule. On December 11, 2015, we
published a proposed rule and draft EIS
(80 FR 77200). In response to the
proposed rule and draft EIS, we
received almost 40,000 responses,
mostly form letters. All comments we
received were carefully considered and,
where appropriate, incorporated into
the final rule and EIS. On August 22,
2016, we announced the availability of
a final EIS, which evaluated the impacts
of three alternatives (81 FR 56575):
The FEIS evaluates the impacts of the
following three alternatives:
Alternative A, the no-action
alternative, retains the current level of
regulation and oversight of oil and gas
activities by the Service.
E:\FR\FM\14NOP1.SGM
14NOP1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 219 / Monday, November 14, 2016 / Proposed Rules
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with PROPOSALS
Alternative B, the Service’s selected
alternative to implement, establishes a
uniform process for when and how an
operator must obtain an ‘‘operations
permit’’ and ensures that all new
operations on the NWRS are conducted
under a suite of performance-based
standards for avoiding or minimizing
impacts to refuge resources or visitor
uses. Alternative B also ensures that all
operators on the NWRS successfully
reclaim their area of operations once
operations end. Under Alternative B,
operations in Alaska would continue to
be governed by title XI of the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation
Act (16 U.S.C. 410hh–410hh–5, 16
U.S.C. 3101 et seq., 43 U.S.C. 1601 et
seq.), and the Department’s
implementing regulations and standards
found at 43 CFR part 36.
Alternative C includes all the
proposed changes in Alternative B, with
these additions: Service jurisdiction
would expand to regulate non-Federal
oil and gas operations that occur on
private surface within the boundary of
a refuge (i.e., inholdings) and to
operations on non-Federal surface
locations that use directional drilling to
access non-Federal oil and gas
underneath the surface of a refuge; and
performance-based standards and the
permitting process would expand to
actively regulate downhole operations
such as well cementing, well casing,
and well integrity testing.
Decision
The Service has determined that
Alternative B, the agency-preferred
alternative, best meets the agency’s
purpose and needs for revising
regulations governing non-Federal oil
and gas activities on the NWRS, because
it most appropriately balances
protection for refuge resources and uses
with the administrative and cost burden
imposed on both the regulated
community and the Service. Therefore,
it is the Service’s decision to implement
Alternative B, and make final the rule
defined by that alternative for managing
non-Federal oil and gas activities on the
NWRS. This decision is based on the
information contained in the final EIS.
The ROD was prepared pursuant to the
requirements of the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations for
implementing NEPA at 40 CFR parts
1500–1508 and the Department of the
Interior’s implementing regulations.
Authority
We issue this document under the
authority of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.) and the Department of the Interior
regulations that implement NEPA (part
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:04 Nov 10, 2016
Jkt 241001
46 of title 43 of the Code of Federal
Regulations) and the National Wildlife
Refuge System Administration Act, as
amended by the National Wildlife
Refuge System Improvement Act (16
U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).
Dated: October 5, 2016
Michael J. Bean,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish
and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2016–27215 Filed 11–10–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 635
RIN 0648–BD22
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
Atlantic Shark Management Measures;
Draft Amendment 5b
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of change of public
hearing location.
AGENCY:
On October 18, 2016, NMFS
published a proposed rule for
Amendment 5b to the 2006
Consolidated Highly Migratory Species
(HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
based on the results of the 2016 stock
assessment update for Atlantic dusky
sharks. Based on the assessment update,
NMFS determined that the stock
remains overfished and is experiencing
overfishing. As described in the
proposed rule, NMFS proposed
management measures that would
reduce fishing mortality on dusky
sharks and rebuild the dusky shark
population, consistent with legal
requirements. The proposed rule
included times and locations of several
public hearings. This notice announces
that we are changing the location of the
Florida public hearing.
DATES: NMFS will hold six public
hearings on Draft Amendment 5b as
announced in the October 18, 2016
proposed rule, except the November 21,
2016 meeting location has changed from
Melbourne, Florida, to Satellite Beach,
Florida. Written comments on the
October 18, 2016 proposed rule for
Amendment 5b will be accepted until
December 22, 2016. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for the revised Florida
meeting location. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION in the Amendment 5b
proposed rule (October 18, 2016, 81 FR
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
79409
71672) for the other public hearings,
conference calls, and an HMS Advisory
Panel meeting dates, times, and
locations.
ADDRESSES: NMFS will hold a public
hearing on the proposed rule for
Amendment 5b to the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP (October 18,
2016, 81 FR 71672) in Satellite Beach,
FL. For specific location, date and time
see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document.
Copies of the supporting documents—
including the draft environmental
impact statement (DEIS), Regulatory
Impact Review (RIR), Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and the
2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP
are available from the HMS Web site at
https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or
by contacting Tobey Curtis at 978–281–
9273.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tobey Curtis at 978–281–9273 or Karyl
Brewster-Geisz at 301–427–8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 18, 2016, NMFS
published a proposed rule (81 FR
71672) for Draft Amendment 5b to the
2006 Consolidated HMS FMP based on
the results of the 2016 stock assessment
update for Atlantic dusky sharks. Based
on this assessment, NMFS determined
that the dusky shark stock remains
overfished and is experiencing
overfishing and in the Draft Amendment
proposed management measures that
would reduce fishing mortality on
dusky sharks and rebuild the dusky
shark population consistent with legal
requirements. The comment period for
the proposed rule closes December 22,
2016, and any comments received
during the comment period will be
considered in the development of Final
Amendment 5b to the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP.
Request for Comments
As announced in the proposed rule,
NMFS will hold six public hearings (in
New Jersey, Rhode Island, Louisiana,
Texas, Florida, and North Carolina) to
provide the opportunity for public
comment on the proposed measures.
NMFS will also hold one public
conference call/webinar to provide
individuals an opportunity to submit
public comment if they are unable to
attend a public hearing. Due to a
scheduling conflict at the Melbourne
Public Library, the location of the
Florida public hearing announced in the
proposed rule has changed. The public
hearing will now be held in Satellite
Beach, FL; the date and time have not
E:\FR\FM\14NOP1.SGM
14NOP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 219 (Monday, November 14, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 79408-79409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27215]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Parts 28 and 29
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2012-0086; FXRS12610900000-167-FF09R24000]
RIN 1018-AX36
Management of Non-Federal Oil and Gas Rights
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; availability of record of decision.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), make
available the final record of decision (ROD) on revising regulations
governing non-Federal oil and gas activities on National Wildlife
Refuge System lands in order to improve our ability to protect refuge
resources, visitors, and the general public's health and safety from
potential impacts associated with non-Federal oil and gas operations
located within refuges. The Service has selected Alternative B,
implementation of the final rule, Management of Non-Federal Oil and Gas
Rights, which revises current Service regulations, as its final
decision. This decision is described and analyzed in the final
environmental impact statement and summarized in the ROD.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are available for public review at https://www.fws.gov/refuges/oil-and-gas/rulemaking.html and at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2012-0086.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Covington, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Natural Resources and Planning, MS: NWRS,
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia 22041; telephone 703-358-
2427. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339. Further
contact information can be found on the Refuge's Energy Program Web
site at https://www.fws.gov/refuges/oil-and-gas/rulemaking.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
With this document, we announce the availability of the record of
decision (ROD) for the final environmental impact statement (EIS)
analyzing revisions to the Service's regulations governing non-Federal
oil and gas development on lands of the National Wildlife Refuge System
(NWRS). Non-Federal oil and gas development refers to oil and gas
activities associated with any private, State, or tribally owned
mineral interest where the surface estate is administered by the
Service as part of the Refuge System.
On February 24, 2014, we issued an advance notice of proposed
rulemaking (79 FR 10080) to assist us in developing a proposed rule and
announced our intent to prepare an EIS; the comment period for this
document closed April 25, 2014. In response to requests we received, on
June 9, 2014, we reopened the comment period until July 9, 2014 (79 FR
32903). During the two comment periods, we received almost 80,000
responses, mostly form letters, of which greater than 99 percent were
in support of revising the existing regulations. We reviewed and
considered substantive comments as we drafted the proposed rule. On
December 11, 2015, we published a proposed rule and draft EIS (80 FR
77200). In response to the proposed rule and draft EIS, we received
almost 40,000 responses, mostly form letters. All comments we received
were carefully considered and, where appropriate, incorporated into the
final rule and EIS. On August 22, 2016, we announced the availability
of a final EIS, which evaluated the impacts of three alternatives (81
FR 56575):
The FEIS evaluates the impacts of the following three alternatives:
Alternative A, the no-action alternative, retains the current level
of regulation and oversight of oil and gas activities by the Service.
[[Page 79409]]
Alternative B, the Service's selected alternative to implement,
establishes a uniform process for when and how an operator must obtain
an ``operations permit'' and ensures that all new operations on the
NWRS are conducted under a suite of performance-based standards for
avoiding or minimizing impacts to refuge resources or visitor uses.
Alternative B also ensures that all operators on the NWRS successfully
reclaim their area of operations once operations end. Under Alternative
B, operations in Alaska would continue to be governed by title XI of
the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 410hh-
410hh-5, 16 U.S.C. 3101 et seq., 43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and the
Department's implementing regulations and standards found at 43 CFR
part 36.
Alternative C includes all the proposed changes in Alternative B,
with these additions: Service jurisdiction would expand to regulate
non-Federal oil and gas operations that occur on private surface within
the boundary of a refuge (i.e., inholdings) and to operations on non-
Federal surface locations that use directional drilling to access non-
Federal oil and gas underneath the surface of a refuge; and
performance-based standards and the permitting process would expand to
actively regulate downhole operations such as well cementing, well
casing, and well integrity testing.
Decision
The Service has determined that Alternative B, the agency-preferred
alternative, best meets the agency's purpose and needs for revising
regulations governing non-Federal oil and gas activities on the NWRS,
because it most appropriately balances protection for refuge resources
and uses with the administrative and cost burden imposed on both the
regulated community and the Service. Therefore, it is the Service's
decision to implement Alternative B, and make final the rule defined by
that alternative for managing non-Federal oil and gas activities on the
NWRS. This decision is based on the information contained in the final
EIS. The ROD was prepared pursuant to the requirements of the Council
on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA at 40 CFR
parts 1500-1508 and the Department of the Interior's implementing
regulations.
Authority
We issue this document under the authority of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the
Department of the Interior regulations that implement NEPA (part 46 of
title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations) and the National Wildlife
Refuge System Administration Act, as amended by the National Wildlife
Refuge System Improvement Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).
Dated: October 5, 2016
Michael J. Bean,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2016-27215 Filed 11-10-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P