Bureau of Land Management November 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) adopting the Final United States Forest Service's (USFS) ``White River National Forest Oil and Gas Leasing Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),'' which identifies the lands available for oil and gas leasing in the White River National Forest, including stipulations to protect surface resources.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment for the Roan Plateau planning area in Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado. The BLM Director signed the ROD on November 16, 2016, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting that the Secretary of the Interior withdraw, for a 20-year term, approximately 30,370 acres of National Forest System lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws, but not from leasing under mineral and geothermal laws. The purpose of the withdrawal is to protect and preserve the scenic integrity, important wildlife corridors, and high quality recreation values of the Emigrant Crevice area located in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, Park County, Montana. Publication of this notice temporarily segregates the lands for up to 2 years from location and entry under the United States mining laws while the withdrawal application is being processed. The lands have been and will remain open to such forms of disposition as may be allowed by law on National Forest System lands, and to leasing under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws. This notice also gives the public an opportunity to comment on the withdrawal application, and announces the date, time and location of the public meeting.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is processing an application under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), to convey the undivided phosphate mineral interest owned by the United States in 160 acres located in Lee County, Florida, to the surface owner, Stonewater II, LLC, a Michigan Limited Liability Company. The fair market value of the phosphate mineral interest has been determined to be $4,000.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days from the date of this publication.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Eastern Montana Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

This final rule replaces Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 3, Site Security (Order 3), with new regulations codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The final rule establishes minimum standards for oil and gas facility site security, and includes provisions to ensure that oil and gas produced from Federal and Indian (except Osage Tribe) oil and gas leases are properly and securely handled, so as to ensure accurate measurement, production accountability, and royalty payments, and to prevent theft and loss. The BLM developed this rule based on the proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2015, and tribal and public comments the BLM received on the proposed rule. This rule strengthens the BLM's policies governing production verification and accountability by updating and replacing the existing requirements of Order 3 to address changes in technology and industry practices that have occurred in the 25 years since Order 3 was issued, and to respond to recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) with respect to the BLM's production verification efforts. Like the proposed rule, the final rule addresses Facility Measurement Points (FMPs), site facility diagrams, the use of seals, bypasses around meters, documentation, recordkeeping, commingling, off- lease measurement, the reporting of incidents of unauthorized removal or mishandling of oil and condensate, and immediate assessments for certain acts of noncompliance. The final rule also establishes a process for the BLM to consider variances from the requirements of the final regulation. Some of the key changes from the proposed rule that are incorporated into the final rule include: Additional exemptions from the final rule's commingling requirements; a streamlined FMP application and approval process; simplified site facility diagram submissions; and clarifications to tank gauging procedures and frequency. The BLM believes that this final rule, as well as the final rules to update and replace Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 4 (Order 4), related to measurement of oil, and Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 5 (Order 5), related to measurement of gas enhance the BLM's overall production verification and accountability program.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is scheduled to file plats of survey thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this publication in the BLM Wyoming State Office, Cheyenne, Wyoming. The surveys were executed at the request of the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service and are necessary for the management of these lands. The lands surveyed are: The plat and field notes representing the dependent resurvey of a portion of the west boundary, Tracts 37, 38 and 40, portions of Tract 41, and portions of the subdivisional lines, and the survey of the subdivision of section 27, Township 13 North, Range 101 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming, Group No. 937, was accepted November 8, 2016. The plat and field notes representing the dependent resurvey of portions of the west and north boundaries, and portions of the subdivisional lines, and the survey of the subdivision of section 6, Township 26 North, Range 71 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming, Group No. 941, was accepted November 8, 2016. The plat and field notes representing the dependent resurvey of portions of Tracts 37 and 38, and portions of the subdivisional lines, and the survey of the subdivision of sections 12, 26 and 27, Township 26 North, Range 72 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming, Group No. 942, was accepted November 8, 2016. The plat and field notes representing the dependent resurvey of portions of the west boundary and subdivisional lines, the survey of the subdivision of section 18, and the survey of the meanders of portions of the left bank of Belle Fourche River, Township 53 North, Range 65 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming, Group No. 945, was accepted November 8, 2016. The plat and field notes representing the dependent resurvey of portions of the subdivisional lines and the survey of the subdivision of sections 12 and 13, Township 53 North, Range 66 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming, Group No. 945, was accepted November 8, 2016.

Notice is hereby given that an emergency closure is in effect on public lands administered by the Marys Peak Field Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to provide for public health and safety during operations of the Fall-Cole Timber Sale.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC) will meet as indicated below:

Notice is hereby given that a two-year motor vehicle closure is in effect for a one-quarter mile section of the Point Barr Road (BLM 5969), located on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Royal Gorge Field Office. The motorized vehicle road closure is needed to protect the public and property due to unsafe road conditions. The public is permitted to use this road during the closure period without the use of a motorized vehicle. Access by foot, horse or bicycle travel is allowed. Heavy rains and flash flooding in late summer 2015 caused a constructed road retention wall to fail, making this and other portions of the road unsafe for motorized vehicle traffic.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Coastal Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below:

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Dominguez- Escalante National Conservation Area (NCA) Advisory Council (Council) will meet as indicated below.