Department of the Interior June 29, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (``PRA''), the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (``ONRR'') is proposing to renew an information collection. Through this Information Collection Request renewal (``ICR''), ONRR seeks renewed authority to collect information related to the paperwork requirements necessary to post a bond or other surety, or to demonstrate financial solvency to suspend compliance with an order or to stay the assessment or accrual of civil penalties.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California State University Chico (CSU Chico) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Butte and Glenn Counties, CA.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Beloit College, Logan Museum of Anthropology (LMA) has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains were removed from Yell County, AR.

The Department of the Interior (the Department or DOI), acting through BOEM, proposes to modify its criteria for determining whether oil, gas, and sulfur lessees, right-of-use and easement (RUE) grant holders, and pipeline right-of-way (ROW) grant holders may be required to provide bonds or other financial assurance above the current regulatorily prescribed base bonds to ensure compliance with their Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) obligations. This proposed rule would also remove existing restrictive provisions for third-party guarantees and decommissioning accounts and would add new criteria under which a bond or third-party guarantee that was provided as supplemental financial assurance may be canceled. Additionally, this proposed rule would clarify bonding requirements for RUEs serving Federal leases. Based on the proposed framework, BOEM estimates that the aggregate amount of supplemental financial assurance required of lessees and grant holders under this proposed rulemaking available to the U.S. government for decommissioning activities would increase by an estimated $9.2 billion over current levels. This value represents less than one-quarter of all offshore decommissioning liabilities, which is currently estimated at $42.8 billion. This proposed rulemaking would not apply to renewable energy activities.