Minerals Management Service July 21, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The MMS is proposing new regulations implementing the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) governing the payment of royalty on geothermal resources produced from Federal leases and the payment of direct use fees in lieu of royalties. The EPAct provisions amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (GSA). The new regulations would amend the current MMS geothermal royalty valuation regulations and simplify the royalty calculations for geothermal resources for leases issued under the EPAct and leases whose terms are modified under the EPAct. The new regulations would also amend various related provisions in the MMS rules.