Streamlining U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Permitting of Rights-of-Way, 5120-5129 [2021-00704]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 19, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5120-5129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00704]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 29

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2019-0017; FF09R50000-XXX-FVRS8451900000]
RIN 1018-BD78


Streamlining U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Permitting of Rights-
of-Way

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), propose to 
revise and streamline FWS regulations for permitting of rights-of-way 
by aligning FWS processes more closely with those of other Department 
of the Interior bureaus, consistent with applicable law and to the 
extent practicable. The proposed rule would require a pre-application 
meeting and use of a standard application, the SF-299, Application for 
Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands; 
allow electronic submission of applications; and provide FWS with 
additional flexibility, as appropriate, to determine the fair market 
value or fair market rental value of rights-of-way across FWS-managed 
lands. This proposed rule would reduce the time and cost necessary to 
determine a right-of-way's fair market value or fair market rental 
value, and also reduce an applicant's time and cost to obtain a right-
of-way permit. The proposed rule would also simplify the procedures 
that applicants must follow to reimburse the United States for costs 
that FWS incurs while processing right-of-way applications and 
monitoring permitted rights-of-way.

DATES: We will accept comments on this proposed rule that are received 
or postmarked on or before March 22, 2021. Comments submitted 
electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES, 
below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this proposed rule by one of the 
following methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-HQ-NWRS-2019-0017, 
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, click on the 
Search button. On the resulting page, in the Search panel on the left 
side of the screen, under the Document Type heading, click on the 
Proposed Rule box to locate this document. You may submit a comment by 
clicking on ``Comment Now!''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public 
Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2019-0017, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 
22041-3803.
    We request that you send comments only by the methods described 
above. We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide 
us (see Public Comments, below, for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Fowler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, MS: NWRS, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041; (703) 
358-1876.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Comments

    We request comments or information from other concerned government 
agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested 
party concerning this proposed rule. You may submit your comments and 
materials concerning this proposed rule by one of the methods listed in 
ADDRESSES. We request that you send comments only by the methods 
described in ADDRESSES.
    All comments submitted electronically via https://www.regulations.gov will be presented on the website in their entirety 
as submitted. For comments submitted via hard copy, we will post your 
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--on 
https://www.regulations.gov. You may request at the top of your document 
that we withhold personal information such as your street address, 
phone number, or email address from public review; however, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing this proposed rule, will be 
available for public inspection on https://www.regulations.gov.

Background

    FWS is the principal land manager and permitting authority for more 
than 89 million terrestrial acres of public lands, including 76.8 
million acres in Alaska, 12.2 million acres in the lower 48 States, and 
50,000 acres in Hawaii. The vast majority of the 89 million acres are 
part of the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System), whose 
mission is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the 
conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the 
fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the 
United States for the benefit of present and future generations of 
Americans (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2)). These acres include more than 20 
million acres of designated wilderness that the Service manages to 
preserve the wilderness character in accordance with the Wilderness Act 
of 1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). Subject to existing private rights, 
and special provisions included in wilderness-designation statutes, the 
Wilderness Act prohibits commercial enterprises and permanent roads. 
The law also prohibits temporary roads; motor vehicles, motorized 
equipment, motorboats, landing of aircraft, and other forms of 
mechanical transport; structures; and installations, unless their use 
can be demonstrated to be necessary to meet minimum

[[Page 5121]]

requirements for the administration of the area for Wilderness Act 
purposes.
    Refuge System lands and waters are managed according to the 
authorities of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act 
of 1966 (Administration Act; 16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as amended by the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Improvement 
Act; Pub. L. 105-57), which authorize FWS to permit a new use on a 
refuge when FWS determines it is a compatible use. The term 
``compatible use'' means a wildlife-dependent recreational use or any 
other use of a refuge that, in the sound professional judgment of the 
FWS Director, will not materially interfere with or detract from the 
fulfillment of the mission of the Refuge System or the purpose(s) of 
the refuge.
    A ``compatibility determination'' is a written determination, 
signed and dated by the Refuge Manager, that an existing or new use of 
a refuge is compatible or not compatible with the Refuge System mission 
or the purpose(s) of the refuge. Currently there are over 560 national 
wildlife refuges, and each refuge has different establishing 
authorities, purposes, habitat types, wildlife species, and public 
uses, which can result in different compatibility determinations for 
the same use. The Improvement Act required FWS to issue regulations 
establishing a process for determining whether a proposed use is a 
compatible use; these regulations are set forth in title 50 of the Code 
of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 26.41.
    The Improvement Act authorizes FWS to grant a right-of-way when the 
right-of-way is a compatible use. The regulations at 50 CFR 26.41 state 
that, for existing rights-of-way, FWS will not make a compatibility 
determination and will deny any request for maintenance of an existing 
right-of-way that will affect a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System, unless ``the design adopts appropriate measures to avoid 
resource impacts and includes provisions to ensure no net loss of 
habitat quantity and quality; restored or replacement areas identified 
in the design are afforded permanent protection as part of the national 
wildlife refuge or wetland management district affected by the 
maintenance; and all restoration work is completed by the applicant 
prior to any title transfer or recording of the easement, if 
applicable.''
    In instances where an existing use is authorized for more than 10 
years (such as an electric utility right-of-way), the Improvement Act 
directs FWS to reevaluate the permitted use to determine compliance 
with the authorization terms and conditions. All right-of-way permits 
issued by FWS include language allowing FWS to terminate the right-of-
way permit if the grantee's use violates the permit terms and 
conditions.
    The Improvement Act's compatibility requirements do not apply to 
FWS permitting of rights-of-way across National Fish Hatchery System 
lands, nor do they apply to permitting of rights-of-way on or across 
FWS facilities that are not located on Refuge System lands. FWS 
processes applications for these rights-of-way under the applicable 
authority cited at 43 CFR part 2800, in accordance with the application 
procedures at 50 CFR 29.21-2.
    Title XI of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
(ANILCA; Pub. L. 96-487; 16 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) requires the Secretary 
to provide adequate and feasible access to inholdings within Alaska 
refuges. The proposed access is subject to a prescribed evaluation 
process that ensures that the route or method of access avoids or 
minimizes threats to public health and safety while providing adequate 
and feasible access to the inholding (see 43 CFR 36.10).
    The Administration Act authorizes the Secretary, acting through the 
FWS Director, to issue a right-of-way permit across Refuge System lands 
only after the applicant pays FWS the fair market value or fair market 
rental value of the right-of-way, unless the applicant is exempt from 
such payment by any other provision of Federal law. In addition, before 
issuing a right-of-way permit, FWS must assess the effects of the 
proposed use, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended; the National Historic 
Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA; 54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.); and other 
applicable laws and Executive Orders.

This Proposed Rule

    Consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 13783, ``Promoting Energy 
Independence and Economic Growth,'' dated March 28, 2017, and E.O. 
13821, ``Streamlining and Expediting Requests to Locate Broadband 
Facilities in Rural America,'' dated January 8, 2018, FWS is 
streamlining its right-of-way permitting process for proposed uses on 
FWS-managed lands by aligning FWS processes more closely with those of 
other DOI bureaus, to the extent practicable and in a manner that is 
consistent with applicable law. Below, we summarize the substantive 
proposals included in this document.
    The regulations at 50 CFR 29.21-2 currently state that applicants 
may submit applications for right-of-way permits in any format. 
However, E.O. 13821 directs Federal agencies to use the ``GSA Common 
Form Application,'' which refers to the Standard Form 299 (SF-299), 
Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on 
Federal Lands. Therefore, we propose to revise 50 CFR 29.21-2 to 
require use of the SF-299 for all requests for right-of-way permits.
    The regulations at 50 CFR 29.21-2 currently require applicants to 
submit applications to a FWS Regional office in hard copy, in 
triplicate. FWS proposes to require only one copy. Also, we propose to 
allow electronic application submissions, or E-Filing, as an 
alternative to hardcopy submissions. Improvements in technology enable 
FWS to process electronic application submissions more efficiently than 
hardcopy submissions, and accepting electronic submissions may reduce 
the amount of time FWS requires to issue a right-of-way permit.
    Incomplete information is often the reason right-of-way application 
processing is delayed. The amount and type of documentation FWS 
requires to process an application varies depending on whether the 
request is for a renewal, limited additional use of an existing right-
of-way with minimal or no new environmental impacts, or a new right-of-
way where significant environmental disturbance may occur. We, 
therefore, propose to modify the right-of-way application procedures at 
50 CFR 29.21-2 to require a standard, no-cost pre-application meeting 
(in-person or teleconference) for all new proposed rights-of-way and 
all modifications and renewals of existing rights-of-way, which will 
enable FWS to determine the documentation needed to process the 
application. We also propose to revise the application procedures at 50 
CFR 29.21-2 to provide the FWS Regional Director more flexibility in 
determining the documentation required to process an application, and 
to reduce the documentation requirements for renewals. This change 
would reduce the regulatory burden on applicants by ensuring that FWS 
requests only the documentation that it requires to process each 
application.
    We propose to eliminate the requirement at 50 CFR 29.21-7 for an 
appraisal to determine fair market value or fair market rental value, 
to reduce the amount of time FWS requires to issue right-of-way 
permits, by authorizing all Regional Directors to use any DOI-approved 
method to determine these values, including the use of fee

[[Page 5122]]

schedules. This change would reduce the time and cost necessary to 
determine the fair market value or fair market rental value of many 
rights-of-way, and, therefore, reduce an applicant's time and cost to 
obtain a right-of-way permit.
    FWS cannot issue a right-of-way permit unless it can accurately 
locate the requested right-of-way. Aside from the time required to 
obtain appraisals, a missing or inadequately prepared legal description 
or survey plat, which FWS uses to accurately locate the requested 
right-of-way, is the most common cause of FWS delays in issuing a 
right-of-way permit. Therefore, we propose to clarify the requirements 
for the legal description and survey plat that applicants must provide 
with or after application submission but before FWS will issue a right-
of-way permit.
    FWS last updated the schedule of application fees and monitoring 
fees at 50 CFR 29.21-2 in 1977. FWS's cost to process applications 
routinely exceeds the 1977 fee amounts by a factor of five times or 
more. Currently, 50 CFR 29.21-2 requires applicants to pay a right-of-
way application fee and then make periodic additional payments--beyond 
the initial application fee--to FWS for all additional application 
processing costs in advance of FWS incurring those costs. We propose to 
eliminate our application fee and require applicants to reimburse FWS 
for the costs it incurs while evaluating and processing right-of-way 
applications and monitoring permitted rights-of-way, and to waive 
reimbursement of these costs for all applications for rights-of-way 
from (a) State or local governments or agencies or instrumentalities 
thereof and (b) Federal Government agencies, as well as for (c) private 
individuals or organizations when a Regional Director has certified 
that the right-of-way will contribute to accomplishing the mission of 
the Refuge System, refuge purposes of the refuge the right-of-way will 
cross, or fish hatchery purposes of the fish hatchery the right-of-way 
will cross.
    In this proposed rule, provisions for cost recovery associated with 
our application processing, and with our monitoring, are set forth in a 
separate section of the regulations. In addition, we are proposing to 
increase the charge for processing the transfer of a permit from $25 to 
$100. Finally, we are proposing to increase the amount of no-fault 
liability for injury and damage to the land and property of the United 
States from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 to account for inflation and 
increased liability measures.
    For clarity, we propose to establish separate sections in the 
regulations to set forth the requirements for pre-application meetings 
and our compatibility determinations.
    In addition, we propose to make editorial changes for clarity and 
consistency in the regulations, such as removing the word ``easement'' 
where we simply mean ``permit,'' removing out-of-date and gender-
specific references, updating and adding definitions for terms used in 
the regulations, and updating the amount of the FWS permit transfer fee 
and the maximum amount of no-fault liability for certain permits to 
account for the inflation since 1977.
    The proposed changes to the right-of-way regulations are at the end 
of this document. While the proposed revisions to some sections are 
mostly minor updates as just described, we have set forth the sections 
in their entirety for the ease and convenience of the reader.

Required Determinations

Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Orders 12866 and 13563)

    Executive Order 12866 provides that the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) will review all significant rules. The Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs has waived their review regarding 
their significance determination of this proposed rule.
    Executive Order (E.O.) 13563 reaffirms the principles of E.O. 12866 
while calling for improvements in the nation's regulatory system to 
promote predictability, to reduce uncertainty, and to use the best, 
most innovative, and least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory 
ends. The executive order directs agencies to consider regulatory 
approaches that reduce burdens and maintain flexibility and freedom of 
choice for the public where these approaches are relevant, feasible, 
and consistent with regulatory objectives. E.O. 13563 emphasizes 
further that regulations must be based on the best available science 
and that the rulemaking process must allow for public participation and 
an open exchange of ideas. We have developed this proposed rule in a 
manner consistent with these requirements.

Executive Order 13771

    We do not believe this proposed rule is an E.O. 13771 (``Reducing 
Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs'') (82 FR 9339, February 3, 
2017) regulatory action because we believe this rule is not significant 
under E.O. 12866; however, the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs has waived their review regarding their E.O. 12866 significance 
determination of this proposed rule.

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
generally requires that Federal agencies prepare a regulatory 
flexibility analysis for rules subject to the notice-and-comment 
rulemaking requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 
U.S.C. 500 et seq.), if the rule would have a significant economic 
impact, whether detrimental or beneficial, on a substantial number of 
small entities. See 5 U.S.C. 601-612. Congress enacted the RFA to 
ensure that government regulations do not unnecessarily or 
disproportionately burden small entities. Small entities include small 
businesses, small governmental jurisdictions, and small not-for-profit 
enterprises.
    FWS reviewed the Small Business Size standards for the affected 
industries. We determined that a large share of the entities in the 
affected industries are small businesses as defined by the Small 
Business Act. However, FWS believes that the impact on the small 
entities is not significant, as the proposed rule would impact a small 
number of small entities, and FWS does not believe that these effects 
would be economically significant.
    The proposed rule would benefit small businesses by streamlining 
FWS regulations for permitting rights-of-way and thereby reduce the 
amount of time that FWS requires to issue many right-of-way permits. 
The proposed rule would implement a pre-application meeting to provide 
small businesses with information upfront about the FWS's estimated 
time and cost to evaluate and process a right-of-way application, 
increasing regulatory certainty. Additionally, the proposed rule would 
eliminate the FWS application fee and provide FWS the flexibility to 
request only the documents that it requires to process a right-of-way 
application, thereby reducing the regulatory burden.
    In summary, we have considered whether this proposed rule would 
result in a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities. We certify that, if made final, this proposed rule 
would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small business entities. Therefore, an initial regulatory flexibility 
analysis is not required.

[[Page 5123]]

Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use--Executive Order 13211

    Executive Order 13211 (Actions Concerning Regulations That 
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use) requires 
agencies to prepare Statements of Energy Effects when undertaking 
certain actions. This proposed rule would streamline and expedite FWS 
processing of industry requests for rights-of-way and modifications to 
rights-of-way that cross FWS-managed lands, but it would not 
significantly affect energy supplies, distribution, or use. Therefore, 
this action is not a significant energy action, and no Statement of 
Energy Effects is required.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.)

    Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1501, et seq.):
    a. This proposed rule would not significantly or uniquely affect 
small governments. A Small Government Agency Plan is not required.
    b. This proposed rule would not produce a Federal requirement of 
$100 million or greater in any year and is not a ``significant 
regulatory action'' under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

Takings--Executive Order 12630

    Under Executive Order 12630, this proposed rule would not have 
significant takings implications as it applies only to FWS permitting 
of rights-of-way across lands, and interests in land, owned by the 
United States. A takings implication assessment is not required.

Federalism--Executive Order 13132

    In accordance with E.O. 13132 (Federalism), this proposed rule does 
not have significant Federalism effects, as it waives right-of-way 
application processing costs and right-of-way monitoring costs for 
State or local governments when the right-of-way is for governmental 
purposes that benefit the general public, and all other application 
requirements are necessary for FWS to meet Improvement Act and NEPA 
requirements. A federalism summary impact statement is not required.

Civil Justice Reform--Executive Order 12988

    In accordance with E.O. 12988 (Civil Justice Reform), the Office of 
the Solicitor has determined that the rule does not unduly burden the 
judicial system and that it meets the requirements of sections 3(a) and 
3(b)(2) of the Order.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)

    This rule does not contain any new collections of information that 
require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). OMB has 
previously approved the information collection requirements associated 
with FWS use of Common Form SF-299 and assigned OMB Control Number 
0596-0249 (expires 02/28/2023). You may view the information collection 
request(s) at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. An agency may 
not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

Government-to-Government Relationship With Tribes

    In accordance with the President's memorandum of April 29, 1994 
(Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal 
Governments; 59 FR 22951), Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and 
Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments), and the Department of the 
Interior's manual at 512 DM 2, we readily acknowledge our 
responsibility to communicate meaningfully with recognized Federal 
Tribes on a government-to-government basis. In accordance with 
Secretarial Order 3206 of June 5, 1997 (American Indian Tribal Rights, 
Federal-Tribal Trust Responsibilities, and the Endangered Species Act), 
we readily acknowledge our responsibilities to work directly with 
tribes in developing programs for healthy ecosystems, to acknowledge 
that tribal lands are not subject to the same controls as Federal 
public lands, to remain sensitive to Indian culture, and to make 
information available to tribes.
    This proposed rule has no impact on Tribal lands, as it applies 
only to FWS permitting of rights-of-way across lands, and interests in 
land, owned by the United States.

Clarity of the Rule

    We are required by Executive Orders 12866 and 12988 and by the 
Presidential Memorandum of June 1, 1998, to write all rules in plain 
language. This means that each rule we publish must:
    (1) Be logically organized;
    (2) Use the active voice to address readers directly;
    (3) Use clear language rather than jargon;
    (4) Be divided into short sections and sentences; and
    (5) Use lists and tables wherever possible.
    If you feel that we have not met these requirements, send us 
comments by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. To better help us 
revise the rule, your comments should be as specific as possible. For 
example, you should tell us the numbers of the sections or paragraphs 
that are not clearly written, which sections or sentences are too long, 
the sections where you feel lists or tables would be useful, etc.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 29

    Public lands mineral resources, Public lands rights-of-way, 
Wildlife refuges.

Proposed Regulation Promulgation

    For the reasons given in the preamble, we propose to amend part 29, 
subchapter C of chapter I, title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 
as set forth below:

PART 29--LAND USE MANAGEMENT

0
1. The authority citation for part 29 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 301; 16 U.S.C. 460k, 664, 668dd, 685, 690d, 
715i, 725, 3161; 30 U.S.C. 185; 31 U.S.C. 3711, 9701; 40 U.S.C. 319; 
43 U.S.C. 315a; 113 Stat. 1501A-140.

0
2. Amend Sec.  29.21 by revising the definition of ``National Wildlife 
Refuge System land'' and by adding a definition of ``Right-of-way'', in 
alphabetical order, to read as follows:


Sec.  29.21   What do these terms mean?

* * * * *
    National Wildlife Refuge System land means lands and waters, and 
interests therein, administered by the Secretary under the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as 
amended, including wildlife refuges, game ranges, wildlife management 
areas, conservation areas, waterfowl production areas, and other areas 
administered for the protection and conservation of fish, wildlife, and 
plant species.
* * * * *
    Right-of-way means a use on, under, or over Federal lands that is 
authorized pursuant to a right-of-way permit issued by the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (Service), unless the use is included in a 
contract for services to a Service facility or if the use is requested 
by the Service to benefit the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System or the National Fish Hatchery System.
0
3. Amend Sec.  29.21-1 by revising paragraphs (a) through (c) to read 
as follows:

[[Page 5124]]

Sec.  29.21-1   Purpose and scope.

* * * * *
    (a) National Wildlife Refuge System lands. Applications for all 
forms of rights-of-way on or over such lands shall be submitted under 
authority of Public Law 89-669, (80 Stat. 926; 16 U.S.C. 668dd) as 
amended, or for oil and gas pipelines under section 28 of the Mineral 
Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), following 
application procedures set out in Sec.  29.21-4. The Service will not 
permit a right-of-way unless it meets the compatibility determination 
requirement described in Sec.  29.21-3. See Sec.  29.21-12 for 
additional requirements applicable to rights-of-way for electric power 
transmission lines and Sec.  29.21-13 for additional requirements 
applicable to rights-of-way for pipelines for the transportation of 
oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid or gaseous fuels, or any refined 
product produced therefrom.
    (b) National Wildlife Refuge System lands--less than fee interest. 
Applications for all forms of rights-of-way across lands in which the 
United States owns only a less than fee interest may be submitted to 
the Regional Director in letter form. No map exhibit is required; 
however, the affected land should be described in the letter or shown 
on a map sketch. If the requested right-of-way will not adversely 
affect the United States' interest, the Regional Director may issue a 
letter to the applicant stating that the proposed right-of-way would 
not affect the interest of the United States and the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service has no objection to the fee owner granting the 
proposed right-of-way. If the interest of the United States will be 
affected, application for the right-of-way must be submitted in 
accordance with procedures set out in Sec.  29.21-4.
    (c) Other lands outside the National Wildlife Refuge System. 
Rights-of-way on or over other lands will be granted in accordance with 
controlling authorities cited in 43 CFR part 2800, or for oil and gas 
pipelines under section 28 of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as 
amended (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.). See Sec.  29.21-12 for additional 
requirements applicable to rights-of-way for electric power 
transmission lines and Sec.  29.21-13 for additional requirements 
applicable to rights-of-way for pipelines for the transportation of 
oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid or gaseous fuels, or any other 
refined product produced therefrom. Applications must be submitted in 
accordance with procedures set out in Sec.  29.21-4.
0
4. Revise Sec.  29.21-2 to read as follows:


Sec.  29.21-2   Pre-application meeting.

    Before submitting an application for a new right-of-way or a 
modification of an existing right-of-way across U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service-managed lands, an applicant must contact the Regional Director 
or his or her designee to schedule a pre-application meeting. The 
required pre-application meeting (e.g., in-person, web-conference, 
teleconference, etc.) provides the applicant the opportunity to ask 
questions about the application process and obtain comments from the 
Regional Director or his or her designee about a proposed right-of-way 
and its location before submitting an application. The pre-application 
meeting helps the Regional Director or his or her designee to 
understand the scope of the request so that he or she may advise the 
applicant of the documentation the Service requires to process the 
application, and provide the applicant an estimated timeline and 
estimated cost for the Service to review and process the application. 
There is no fee for this required pre-application meeting. Contact 
information for scheduling pre-application meetings is set forth at 
Sec.  29.21-4(c).
0
5. Redesignate Sec. Sec.  29.21-3 through 29.21-9 as Sec. Sec.  29.21-7 
through 29.21-13, respectively, and add new Sec. Sec.  29.21-3 through 
29.21-6, to read as follows:

Sec.
* * * * *
Sec.  29.21-3 Compatibility determination requirement.
Sec.  29.21-4 Application procedures.
Sec.  29.21-5 Survey plat and legal description.
Sec.  29.21-6 Reimbursement of costs.
* * * * *


Sec.  29.21-3  Compatibility determination requirement.

    Consistent with the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration 
Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), and the procedures set forth 
in Sec.  26.41, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not permit or 
renew a right-of-way if the Service determines that the use is not 
compatible with the Refuge System mission or the purpose(s) of the 
refuge, except for uses related to the access of privately owned 
minerals and as required by any other provision of law, such as section 
1110(b) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) for inholdings within Alaska refuges. In the case 
of any right-of-way previously permitted for a period longer than 10 
years (such as an electric utility right-of-way), the Service will, 
during the permit term, consider the permitted use to be compatible so 
long as the grantee is in compliance with all permit terms and 
conditions.


Sec.  29.21-4  Application procedures.

    (a) Application. Applicants must use Standard Form 299 (SF-299), 
Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on 
Federal Lands, to request new rights-of-way, modifications of existing 
rights-of-way, and renewals of existing rights-of-way. In addition to a 
completed and signed SF-299, each application must include the 
attachments described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section. 
There is no application fee, but applicants must reimburse the Service 
for its costs to evaluate and process the application, as set forth at 
Sec.  29.21-6(a). See paragraph (b) of this section for submission 
instructions.
    (1) Map. The map must show a general view of the proposed right-of-
way and a detailed view of the proposed project area in relationship to 
the Service boundary. If the proposed right-of-way is within a Public 
Land Survey System area, the map must show the section(s), township(s), 
and range(s) within which the proposed right-of-way would be located. 
See Sec.  29.21-5 for requirements regarding a survey plat and legal 
description of the area.
    (2) Other attachments. Following the pre-application meeting 
described in Sec.  29.21-2, the Regional Director or his or her 
designee will determine any additional documentation the Service 
requires to process the application, such as:
    (i) Preliminary site and facility construction plans. These plans 
must show all proposed construction work in detail. No site or facility 
construction plan is required for applications for renewals of existing 
rights-of-way that involve no changes to the permitted use.
    (ii) Environmental analysis. The environmental analysis supplements 
the basic environmental information on the SF-299. It must include 
information concerning the impact of the proposed right-of-way on the 
environment, including, but not limited to, the impact on air and water 
quality; scenic and aesthetic features; historic, architectural, 
archeological, and cultural features; and wildlife, fish, and marine 
life.
    (A) The environmental analysis must include sufficient data to 
enable the Service to prepare a compatibility determination; prepare an 
environmental assessment or environmental impact statement in 
accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and comply with the requirements 
of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16

[[Page 5125]]

U.S.C. 703-712), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.), the Wilderness Act of 1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the Wild 
and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.), and the 
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.). 
To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Regional 
Director may, at his or her discretion, rely on an environmental 
assessment or environmental impact statement prepared by another 
Federal agency, the applicant, or their contractor; however, in all 
cases, this documentation must be prepared in consultation with the 
Regional Director or his or her designee.
    (B) For applications for renewals of existing rights-of-way that 
involve no changes to the permitted use, the environmental analysis 
need address only the impacts of the ongoing operation and maintenance 
of the right-of-way, as well as any statutory requirements not in place 
and therefore not considered at the time of original permit issuance.
    (iii) Vegetation management plan. The vegetation management plan 
must describe how the applicant would conduct the following activities:
    (A) Vegetation clearing that may occur as part of construction and 
maintenance;
    (B) Routine vegetation management, including all physical and 
mechanical methods;
    (C) Any pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals proposed for 
use; and
    (D) Any revegetation and restoration activities.
    (b) Submission instructions. Applicants may submit applications for 
rights-of-way through E-File or certified mail.
    (1) E-file. Application submissions through E-file must include a 
digital copy of the SF-299, the map, and other attachments required by 
the Regional Director or his or her designee after the required pre-
application meeting. Additional instructions will be provided at the 
pre-application meeting.
    (2) Certified mail. Application submissions through certified mail 
must include one printed copy of the SF-299, the map, and other 
attachments required by the Regional Director or his or her designee 
after the required pre-application meeting. Applicants must send all 
documents by certified mail to the Regional Director for the region 
where the proposed right-of-way is located. Mailing envelopes should be 
clearly marked ``Attn: NWRS Realty Right-of-Way Permit Processing.''
    (c) Pre-application meeting. To request a pre-application meeting, 
contact the Division of Realty at Service headquarters at (703) 358-
1713. That division will put you in touch with the appropriate Service 
office, as determined by the location of the proposed right-of-way.


Sec.  29.21-5  Survey plat and legal description.

    (a) Before the Service will issue a right-of-way permit, the 
applicant must provide a final survey plat and legal description that 
shows and describes the proposed right-of-way in such detail that the 
Service can accurately locate the proposed right-of-way.
    (b) Survey plats and legal descriptions of the right-of-way area 
must be stamped and signed by a land surveyor or other professional 
licensed or authorized by the State to carry out land surveying 
activities.
    (1) Survey plats must meet the following standards:
    (i) Survey plats must be geodetically referenced to the current 
State or national datum. In some cases, new geodetic control points 
will need to be set within or near the right-of-way area.
    (ii) Survey plats must show ties to the monuments marking the 
boundaries of the Service-owned land that is being impacted, or from 
which those boundaries are calculated. In cases such as road 
construction that involve granting full control of the right-of-way 
area, a boundary survey is required.
    (iii) The points where the right-of-way enters and leaves Service 
project land must be annotated on the survey with distance ties to the 
nearest boundary monuments.
    (iv) For a linear strip right-of-way, the courses and distances of 
the center line and the width of the right-of-way on each side of the 
center line must be annotated.
    (v) If the right-of-way or site is located wholly within Service 
land, a minimum of two ties to boundary corners or geodetic control 
points that can be readily recovered must be shown.
    (vi) Survey plats must show the existing or proposed facilities in 
sufficient detail that an average person can determine the nature and 
extent of the proposed use.
    (vii) Survey plats must include all uses of Service-managed land 
required as part of the right-of-way, including access roads.
    (viii) Survey plats must show the location of any other right-of-
way areas in the vicinity.
    (ix) Survey plats must show major natural or cultural features such 
as roads, rivers, fences, etc., required for orientation and 
intelligent interpretation.
    (x) The acreage contained within the right-of-way area must be 
shown.
    (xi) Letter-sized plats are preferred, but larger format plats, 
such as the Right-of-Way Plan sets prepared for highway and utility 
projects, are acceptable as long as they meet the other requirements.
    (xii) A digital version of the plat in AutoCAD, ArcGIS, or similar 
format must be submitted along with a signed paper or Adobe Acrobat 
document.
    (2) The legal description must:
    (i) Be in metes-and-bounds, aliquot parts, or linear strip format;
    (ii) Conform to and reference the survey plat;
    (iii) Be tied to the controlling monuments shown on the plat;
    (iv) Reference the geodetic coordinates of the Point of Beginning 
or Point of Commencement, and have a clearly documented basis of 
bearing; and
    (v) For linear corridor projects, use a ``strip description'' 
format, based on a geometrically defined centerline. For example: ``All 
that portion of [land unit description] lying within the following 
described strip of land.''


Sec.  29.21-6   Reimbursement of costs.

    (a) Application evaluation and processing activities. (1) An 
applicant for a right-of-way permit must reimburse the United States 
for the costs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service incurs in evaluating 
and processing the application before the Service will issue a right-
of-way permit. These costs may include, but are not limited to, the 
Service's costs to review the application and related materials; 
conduct resource surveys of the proposed permit area; prepare a 
compatibility determination; prepare documentation to comply with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); obtain an 
appraisal; draft correspondence; and draft the permit.
    (2) If requested by the applicant during or after the required pre-
application meeting, the Regional Director or his or her designee will, 
within ten business days of the pre-application meeting, provide the 
applicant a preliminary estimate of the Service's application 
evaluation and processing costs using the information provided by the 
applicant during the pre-application meeting.
    (3) After receiving an application, the Regional Director or his or 
her designee will estimate the Service's application evaluation and 
processing costs using the information the applicant provided in the 
application and during the required pre-application meeting.

[[Page 5126]]

    (4) The applicant must submit a payment to reimburse the Service 
for its estimated costs, before the Service will evaluate and process 
the right-of-way permit application.
    (5) If the Service's cost to evaluate and process the right-of-way 
application exceeds the estimated amount, the Regional Director or his 
or her designee will promptly notify the applicant of the deficient 
amount, and the applicant must submit payment for the deficient amount 
before the Service will issue a right-of-way permit. Any overpayments 
may be refunded by the Regional Director as he or she deems 
appropriate.
    (b) Monitoring activities. (1) By accepting a permit under this 
subpart, the holder agrees to reimburse the Service for the costs it 
incurs in monitoring the construction, operation, maintenance, and 
termination of facilities to ensure compliance with the terms, 
conditions, and stipulations of the right-of-way permit, referred to in 
this paragraph as ``monitoring activities.''
    (2) The Regional Director or his or her designee will estimate the 
total costs the Service expects to incur for monitoring activities over 
the first 5 years of the permit term or the entire permit term, 
whichever is less. The applicant must pay the estimated amount before 
the Service will issue a right-of-way permit.
    (3) The permit holder must make an additional payment every 5 
years, or for the remainder of the permit term, whichever is less, to 
reimburse the Service for the costs the Service expects to incur for 
monitoring activities during that period.
    (4) If the Service's cost of monitoring activities exceeds the 
Service's estimated amount, then the permit holder must submit payment 
to the United States for the deficient amount at the end of the 5 years 
or the remainder of the permit term, whichever is less. Any 
overpayments may be refunded by the Regional Director as he or she 
deems appropriate.
    (c) Waiver of reimbursement for Service costs. (1) Except as 
provided under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, no reimbursement for 
Service costs for right-of-way application evaluation and processing 
activities and monitoring activities will be required of:
    (i) State or local governments or agencies or instrumentalities 
thereof;
    (ii) Federal Government agencies; or
    (iii) Private individuals or organizations when a Regional Director 
has signed a statement certifying that the proposed right-of-way 
contributes to accomplishing refuge or fish hatchery purposes.
    (2) Reimbursement of costs is required for any right-of-way permit 
issued under section 28 of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended 
(30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.).
0
6. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  29.21-7 by revising paragraph (a) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  29.21-7   Nature of interest granted.

    (a) Where the land administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service is owned in fee by the United States and the right-of-way is 
compatible with the objectives of the area, a permit may be approved 
and granted by the Regional Director. Generally, a permit will be 
issued for a term of up to 50 years, or so long as it is used for the 
purpose granted, or for a lesser term when considered appropriate.
    (1) For rights-of-way granted under authority of section 28 of the 
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), for 
pipelines for the transportation of oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid 
or gaseous fuels, or any refined product produced therefrom, the permit 
may be for a term not to exceed 30 years.
    (2) For a right-of-way issued per paragraph (a)(1) of this section, 
the right-of-way may not exceed 50 feet in width, plus the area 
occupied by the pipeline and its related facilities, unless the 
Regional Director finds, and records the reasons for the finding, that, 
in his or her judgment, a wider right-of-way is necessary for operation 
and maintenance after construction or to protect the environment or 
public safety. Related facilities include but are not limited to 
valves, pump stations, supporting structures, bridges, monitoring and 
communication devices, surge and storage tanks, terminals, etc.
    (3) A temporary permit supplementing a right-of-way may be granted 
for additional land needed during construction, operation, maintenance, 
or termination of the pipeline, or to protect the natural environment 
or public safety.
* * * * *
0
7. Revise newly redesignated Sec.  29.21-8 to read as follows:


Sec.  29.21-8   Terms and conditions.

    (a) Any right-of-way permit granted will be subject to rights 
reserved, if any, by a prior owner, and rights held, if any, by a third 
party.
    (b) An applicant, by accepting a permit, agrees to such terms and 
conditions as may be prescribed by the Regional Director in the 
granting document, including special stipulations at his or her 
discretion. (See Sec.  29.21-12 for special requirements for electric 
powerlines and Sec.  29.21-13 for special requirements for oil and gas 
pipelines.) The applicant shall agree to the following terms and 
conditions, unless waived in all or part by the Regional Director:
    (1) To comply with State and Federal laws applicable to the project 
within which the permit is granted, and to the lands that are included 
in the right-of-way, and lawful existing regulations thereunder.
    (2) To clear and keep clear the lands within the permit area to the 
extent and in the manner directed by the project manager in charge; and 
to dispose of all vegetative and other material cut, uprooted, or 
otherwise accumulated during the construction and maintenance of the 
project in such a manner as to decrease the fire hazard and also in 
accordance with such instructions as the project manager may specify.
    (3) To prevent the disturbance or removal of any public land survey 
monument or project boundary monument unless and until the applicant 
has requested and received from the Regional Director approval of 
measures the applicant will take to perpetuate the location of 
aforesaid monument.
    (4) To take such soil and resource conservation and protection 
measures, including weed control, on the land covered by the permit as 
the project manager in charge may request.
    (5) To do everything reasonably within his or her power, both 
independently and on request of any duly authorized representative of 
the United States, to prevent and suppress fires on or near lands to be 
occupied under the permit area, including making available such 
construction and maintenance forces as may be reasonably obtainable for 
the suppression of such fires.
    (6) To rebuild and repair such roads, fences, structures, and 
trails as may be destroyed or injured by construction work and, upon 
request by the Regional Director, to build and maintain necessary and 
suitable crossings for all roads and trails that intersect the works 
constructed, maintained, or operated under the right-of-way.
    (7) To pay the United States the full value for all damages to the 
lands or other property of the United States caused by him or her or by 
his or her employees, contractors, or agents of the contractors, and to 
indemnify the United States against any liability for damages to life, 
person, or property arising from the occupancy or use of the lands 
under the permit.

[[Page 5127]]

    (i) Where the permit is granted hereunder to a State or other 
governmental agency that has no legal power to assume such a liability 
with respect to damages caused by it to lands or property, such agency 
in lieu thereof agrees to repair all such damages.
    (ii) Where the permit involves lands that are under the exclusive 
jurisdiction of the United States, the holder or his or her employees, 
contractors, or agents of the contractors, shall be liable to third 
parties for injuries incurred in connection with the permit area.
    (iii) Grants of permits involving special hazards will impose 
liability without fault for injury and damage to the land and property 
of the United States up to a specified maximum limit commensurate with 
the foreseeable risks or hazards presented. The amount of no-fault 
liability for each occurrence is hereby limited to no more than 
$5,000,000.
    (8) To notify promptly the project manager in charge of the amount 
of merchantable timber, if any, that will be cut, removed, or destroyed 
in the construction and maintenance of the project, and to pay the 
United States in advance of construction such sum of money as the 
project manager may determine to be the full stumpage value of the 
timber to be so cut, removed, or destroyed.
    (9) That all or any part of the permit granted may be terminated by 
the Regional Director, for failure to comply with any or all of the 
terms or conditions of the permit, or for abandonment.
    (i) A rebuttable presumption of abandonment is raised by deliberate 
failure of the holder to use, for any continuous 2-year period, the 
permit for the purpose for which it was granted or renewed. In the 
event of noncompliance or abandonment, the Regional Director will 
notify in writing the holder of the permit of his or her intention to 
suspend or terminate such permit 60 days from the date of the notice, 
stating the reasons therefor, unless prior to that time the holder 
completes such corrective actions as are specified in the notice. The 
Regional Director may grant an extension of time within which to 
complete corrective actions when, in his or her judgment, extenuating 
circumstances not within the holder's control, such as adverse weather 
conditions, disturbance to wildlife during breeding periods or periods 
of peak concentration, or other compelling reasons, warrant.
    (ii) Should the holder of a right-of-way issued under authority of 
the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), 
fail to take corrective action within the 60-day period, the Regional 
Director will provide for an administrative proceeding pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 554, prior to a final Departmental decision to suspend or 
terminate the permit. In the case of all other right-of-way holders, 
failure to take corrective action within the 60-day period will result 
in a determination by the Regional Director to suspend or terminate the 
permit.
    (iii) No administrative proceeding shall be required where the 
permit terminates under its terms.
    (10) To restore the land to the condition it was in prior to 
issuance of the permit, so far as it is reasonably possible to do so 
upon revocation and/or termination of the permit, unless this 
requirement is waived in writing by the Regional Director.
    (11) To keep the project manager informed at all times of his or 
her address, and, in case of corporations, of the address of its 
principal place of business and the names and addresses of its 
principal officers.
    (12) That in the construction, operation, and maintenance of the 
project, he or she must not discriminate against any employee or 
applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, or 
national origin and must require an identical provision to be included 
in all subcontracts.
    (13) That the grant of the permit shall be subject to the express 
condition that the exercise thereof will not unduly interfere with the 
management, administration, or disposal by the United States of the 
land affected thereby. The applicant agrees and consents to the 
occupancy and use by the United States, its grantees, permittees, or 
lessees of any part of the permit area not actually occupied for the 
purpose of the granted rights to the extent that such use does not 
interfere with the full and safe utilization thereof by the holder. The 
holder of a permit also agrees that authorized representatives of the 
United States shall have the right of access to the permit area for the 
purpose of making inspections and monitoring the construction, 
operation, and maintenance of facilities.
    (14) That the permit herein granted shall be subject to the express 
covenant that any facility constructed thereon will be modified or 
adapted, if such is found by the Regional Director to be necessary, 
without liability or expense to the United States, so that such 
facility will not conflict with the use and occupancy of the land for 
any authorized works that may hereafter be constructed thereon under 
the authority of the United States. Any such modification will be 
planned and scheduled so as not to interfere unduly with or to have 
minimal effect upon continuity of energy and delivery requirements.
    (15) That the permit herein granted shall be for the specific use 
described and may not be construed to include the further right to 
authorize any other use within the permit area unless approved in 
writing by the Regional Director.
    (16) The Regional Director may require permit modifications at any 
future date to ensure that the permitted use is compatible with the 
Refuge System mission and the purposes of the refuge. Required permit 
modifications may include changes to permit conditions and/or 
additional stipulations that a Regional Director deems necessary based 
on new information.
    (17) The permittee will comply with the Archaeological Resources 
Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 470aa). The disturbance of archaeological or 
historical sites and the removal of artifacts from Federal land are 
prohibited. If such sites or artifacts are encountered, the permittee 
will immediately cease all work upon Federal land and notify the 
project manager.
    (18) The permittee will comply with the applicable requirements of 
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 U.S.C. 703-712), the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the Wilderness 
Act of 1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 
1968 (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.), and the National Historic Preservation 
Act of 1966 (54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.).


Sec.  29.21-9   [Amended]

0
8. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  29.21-9 by, in paragraph (a), adding 
the words ``or her'' after the word ``his''.
0
9. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  29.21-10 by:
0
a. Revising paragraph (b) to read as set forth below; and
0
b. In paragraph (c), adding the words ``or her'' after the word 
``him''.


Sec.  29.21-10   Disposal, transfer or termination of interest.

* * * * *
    (b) Transfer of permit. Any proposed transfer, by assignment, 
lease, operating agreement or otherwise, of a permit must be filed with 
the Regional Director and must be supported by a stipulation that the 
transferee agrees to comply with and be bound by the terms and 
conditions of the original grant. A $100 nonrefundable service fee must 
accompany the proposal. No transfer will be recognized unless and until

[[Page 5128]]

approved in writing by the Regional Director.
* * * * *
0
10. Revise newly redesignated Sec.  29.21-11 to read as follows:


Sec.  29.21-11   Required Payment for use and occupancy of national 
wildlife refuge lands.

    (a) Payment for use and occupancy of lands under the regulations of 
this subpart is required for the fair market value or fair market 
rental value as determined by the Regional Director using any 
Department of the Interior-approved method to determine those values.
    (1) At the discretion of the Regional Director, the payment may be 
a fair market rental payment, paid annually, or a lump sum payment, 
made in advance of permit issuance.
    (2) If any Federal, State, or local agency is exempt from such 
payment under any other provision of Federal law, such agency shall 
inform the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of the applicable Federal law 
during the required pre-application meeting, and shall otherwise 
compensate the Service by any other means acceptable to the Regional 
Director, including, but not limited to, making other land available or 
loaning of equipment or personnel, except that any such compensation 
shall relate to, and be consistent with, the mission of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System. For these agencies exempted from payment by 
law, the Regional Director may waive such requirement for other 
compensation if he or she finds such requirement impracticable or 
unnecessary.
    (b) When annual rental payments are used, such rates will be 
reviewed by the Regional Director not more than every 5 years after the 
issuance of the permit or the last revision of the permit, whichever is 
later. The Regional Director will furnish a notice in writing to the 
holder of a permit of intent to impose new charges to reflect fair 
market value commencing with the ensuing charge year. The revised 
charges will be effective unless the holder files an appeal in 
accordance with Sec.  29.22.


Sec.  29.21-12   [Amended]

0
11. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  29.21-12 by:
0
a. In the introductory text, by removing the citation ``Sec.  29.21-
4(b)'' and adding in its place the citation ``Sec.  29.21-8(b)'';
0
b. In paragraph (a), by adding the words ``or her'' after the word 
``his'' both times that it appears; and
0
c. In paragraph (b), by adding the words ``or her'' after the word 
``him'' both times that it appears.
0
12. Revise newly redesignated Sec.  29.21-13 to read as follows:


Sec.  29.21-13   Rights-of-way for pipelines for the transportation of 
oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid or gaseous fuels, or any refined 
product produced therefrom.

    (a) Application procedure. (1) Applications for pipelines and 
related facilities under this section are to be filed in accordance 
with Sec.  29.21-4 with the following exception: When the right-of-way 
or proposed facility will occupy Federal land under the control of more 
than one Federal agency and/or more than one bureau or office of the 
Department of the Interior, a single application shall be filed with 
the appropriate State Director of the Bureau of Land Management in 
accordance with regulations in 43 CFR part 2800.
    (2) Any portion of the facility occupying land of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System will be subject to the provisions of the 
regulations in this part.
    (b) Right-of-way permits. Right-of-way permits issued under this 
section will be subject to the special requirements of section 28 of 
the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.). 
Gathering lines and associated structures used solely in the production 
of oil and gas under valid leases on the lands administered by the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service are excepted from the provisions of this 
section.
    (1) Pipeline safety. Rights-of-way permits issued under this 
section will include requirements that will protect the safety of 
workers and protect the public from sudden ruptures and slow 
degradation of the pipeline. An applicant must agree to design, 
construct, and operate all proposed facilities in accordance with the 
provisions of 49 CFR parts 192 or 195 and in accordance with the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.), 
including any amendments thereto.
    (2) Environmental protection. An application for a right-of-way 
must contain environmental information required by Sec.  29.21-4(a)(2). 
If the Regional Director determines that a proposed project will have a 
significant effect on the environment, there must also be furnished a 
plan of construction, operation, and rehabilitation of the proposed 
facilities. In addition to terms and conditions imposed under Sec.  
29.21-8, the Regional Director will impose such stipulations as may be 
required to ensure:
    (i) Restoration, revegetation, and curtailment of erosion of the 
surface;
    (ii) That activities in connection with the right-of-way or permit 
will not violate applicable air and water quality standards in related 
facilities siting standards established by law;
    (iii) Control or prevention of damage to the environment including 
damage to fish and wildlife habitat, public or private property, and 
public health and safety; and
    (iv) Protection of the interests of individuals living in the 
general area of the right-of-way who rely on the fish, wildlife, and 
biotic resources of the area for subsistence purposes.
    (c) Disclosure. Applicants that are a partnership, corporation, 
association, or other business entity must disclose the identity of the 
participants in the entity. Such disclosure shall include where 
applicable:
    (1) The name and address of each partner;
    (2) The name and address of each shareholder owning 3 percentum or 
more of the shares, together with the number and percentage of any 
class of voting shares of the entity that such shareholder is 
authorized to vote; and
    (3) The name and address of each affiliate of the entity together 
with, in the case of an affiliate controlled by the entity, the number 
of shares and the percentage of any class of voting stock of that 
affiliate owned, directly or indirectly, by that entity, and in the 
case of an affiliate which controls that entity, the number of shares 
and the percentage of any class of voting stock of that entity owned, 
directly or indirectly, by the affiliate.
    (d) Technical and financial capability. The Regional Director may 
grant or renew a right-of-way permit under this section only when he or 
she is satisfied that the applicant has the technical and financial 
capability to construct, operate, maintain, and terminate the facility. 
At the discretion of the Regional Director, a financial statement may 
be required.
    (e) Reimbursement of costs. In accordance with Sec.  29.21-6, the 
holder of a right-of-way permit must reimburse the Service for the cost 
incurred in monitoring the construction, operation, maintenance, and 
termination of any pipeline or related facilities as determined by the 
Regional Director.
    (f) Public hearing. The Regional Director shall give notice to 
Federal, State, and local government agencies, and the public, and 
afford them the opportunity to comment on right-of-way applications 
under this section. A notice will be published in the Federal

[[Page 5129]]

Register, and a public hearing may be held where appropriate.
    (g) Bonding. Where appropriate, the Regional Director may require 
the holder of a right-of-way permit to furnish a bond, or other 
security satisfactory to him, to secure all or any of the obligations 
imposed by the terms and conditions of the right-of-way permit or by 
any rule or regulation, not to exceed the period of construction plus 1 
year or a longer period if necessary for the pipeline to stabilize.
    (h) Suspension of right-of-way. If the project manager determines 
that an immediate temporary suspension of activities within a right-of-
way permit area is necessary to protect public health and safety or the 
environment, he or she may issue an emergency suspension order to abate 
such activities prior to an administrative proceeding. The Regional 
Director must make a determination and notify the holder in writing 
within 15 days from the date of suspension as to whether the suspension 
should continue and list actions needed to terminate the suspension. 
Such suspension shall remain in effect for only so long as an emergency 
condition continues.
    (i) Joint use of rights-of-way. Each right-of-way permit shall 
reserve to the Regional Director the right to grant additional rights-
of-way permits for compatible uses on or adjacent to rights-of-way 
permit areas granted under this section after giving notice to the 
holder and an opportunity to comment.
    (j) Common carriers. Pipelines and related facilities used for the 
transportation of oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid or gaseous fuels, 
or any refined product produced therefrom shall be constructed, 
operated, and maintained as common carriers.
    (1) The owners or operators of pipelines subject to this subpart 
shall accept, convey, transport, or purchase without discrimination all 
oil or gas delivered to the pipeline without regard to whether such oil 
or gas was produced on Federal or non-Federal lands.
    (2) In the case of oil or gas produced from Federal lands or from 
the resources on the Federal lands in the vicinity of the pipelines, 
the Secretary may, after a full hearing with due notice thereof to the 
interested parties and a proper finding of facts, determine the 
proportionate amounts to be accepted, conveyed, transported, or 
purchased.
    (3) The common carrier provisions of this section shall not apply 
to any natural gas pipeline operated by any person subject to 
regulation under the Natural Gas Act or by any public utility subject 
to regulation by a State or municipal regulatory agency having 
jurisdiction to regulate the rates and charges for the sale of natural 
gas to consumers within the State or municipality.
    (4) Where natural gas not subject to State regulatory or 
conservation laws governing its purchase by pipelines is offered for 
sale, each such pipeline shall purchase, without discrimination, any 
such natural gas produced in the vicinity of the pipeline.
    (k) Required information. The Regional Director shall require, 
prior to granting or renewing a right-of-way, that the applicant submit 
and disclose all plans, contracts, agreements, or other information or 
material that the Regional Director deems necessary to determine 
whether a right-of-way shall be granted or renewed and the terms and 
conditions that should be included in the right-of-way. Such 
information may include, but is not limited to:
    (1) Conditions for, and agreements among owners or operators, 
regarding the addition of pumping facilities, looping, or otherwise 
increasing the pipeline or terminal's throughput capacity in response 
to actual or anticipated increases in demand;
    (2) Conditions for adding or abandoning intake, offtake, or storage 
points or facilities; and
    (3) Minimum shipment or purchase tenders.
    (l) State standards. The Regional Director shall take into 
consideration, and to the extent practical comply with, applicable 
State standards for right-of-way construction, operation, and 
maintenance.
    (m) Congressional notification. The Secretary shall promptly notify 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the United States House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the United States Senate upon receipt of an application for a right-of-
way for pipeline 24 inches or more in diameter, and no right-of-way for 
such a pipeline shall be granted until 60 days (not including days on 
which the House or Senate has adjourned for more than 3 days) after a 
notice of intention to grant the right-of-way, together with the 
Secretary's detailed findings as to the terms and conditions he or she 
proposes to impose, has been submitted to such committees.

George Wallace,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2021-00704 Filed 1-15-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P