Department of the Interior March 3, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Rawlins Field Office, announces its intent to prepare an EIS on the potential impacts of a proposed natural gas development project consisting primarily of conventional natural gas well development with some coalbed natural gas wells. In April 2005, Devon Energy Corporation (Devon), representing itself and other lease holders, submitted to BLM a proposal to drill and develop up to 1,250 wells from an estimated 1,000 well pads and associated facilities. The Devon proposal was named ``Creston/Blue Gap II Natural Gas Project.'' The BLM published its NOI to prepare an EIS for this project in the Federal Register on September 8, 2005. In November 2005, BP America Production Company (BP), representing itself and other lease holders, submitted a proposal to drill and develop up to 7,700 wells and associated facilities within a portion of the Continental Divide/Wamsutter II (CD/W2) Natural Gas Project area adjacent to the Creston/Blue Gap II EIS (CBC2) project area. Upon reviewing BP's proposal the BLM determined that the CD/W2 proposal and the CBC2 proposal were similar actions within the same geographic area, with similar timing. Based on these factors, the BLM has determined that the best way to analyze these actions and identify their cumulative impacts adequately is to treat them in a single impact statement. The combined proposals, henceforth known as the Continental DivideCreston (CDC) Natural Gas Project, will be considered in one EIS.

Agenda items for the meeting of the Royalty Policy Committee (RPC) will include remarks from the Director, MMS, and the Associate Director, Minerals Revenue Management (MRM), as well as updates from the following subcommittees: Coal, Federal Oil and Gas Valuation, Oil and Gas Royalty Reporting, and Indian Oil Valuation. The RPC will also hear an update on the Royalty In Kind program. The RPC membership includes representatives from states, Indian tribes, individual Indian mineral owner organizations, minerals industry associations, the general public, and other Federal departments.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) will hold Public Scoping Meetings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Proposed 5-Year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2007-2012. Pursuant to the regulations implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the MMS will hold Public Scoping Meetings on the Draft EIS for the 2007- 2012 OCS Oil and Gas 5-Year Leasing Program. The MMS stated its intent to prepare an EIS in the August 24, 2005, Federal Register notice and Request for Information (RFI). In the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) and Federal Register notice and RFI on February 9, 2006, the MMS again solicited comments and provided procedures for submitting them, and again stated its intent to hold Public Scoping Meetings. The following Public Scoping Meetings are planned for the DEIS development.

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing this rule to more effectively manage motor vessel use in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. It proposes to revise existing regulations regarding vessel quotas and operating requirements for five types of motor vessels cruise ships, tour vessels, charter vessels, private vessels, and passenger ferrieswithin Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. This rule is proposed in conjunction with the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and the Record of Decision (ROD) for Vessel Quotas and Operating Requirements in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, completed in October and November 2003, respectively, and implements decisions made in the ROD.