Bureau of Ocean Energy Management February 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the availability of the Proposed Notice of Sale (NOS) for the proposed Cook Inlet Planning Area Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 244 (Cook Inlet Sale 244). This Notice is published pursuant to 30 CFR 556.304(c). With regard to oil and gas leasing on the OCS, the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to section 19 of the OCS Lands Act, provides affected States the opportunity to review the Proposed NOS. The Proposed NOS sets forth the proposed terms and conditions of the lease sale, including minimum bids, royalty rates, and rental rates.

This rule adopts and finalizes the interim final rule which adjusted the level of the maximum civil monetary penalties contained in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regulations pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (FCPIA of 2015), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. This rule also implements the 2017 adjustment of the level of the maximum civil monetary penalties contained in the BOEM regulations pursuant to OCSLA, OPA, FCPIA of 2015 and OMB guidance. The 2017 adjustment of 1.01636 percent accounts for one year of inflation spanning from October 2015 to October 2016.