Minerals Management Service April 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces the May 10 meeting of the Royalty Policy Committee (RPC). Agenda items for the meeting of the RPC will include remarks from the Director, MMS, and the Associate Director, Minerals Revenue Management (MRM), as well as presentations on the MRM Financial Management, Audit and Compliance, and Enforcement Programs. Updates will be provided by the Federal Oil and Gas Valuation, Oil and Gas Royalty Reporting, Coal, Indian Oil Valuation, and Royalty Management subcommittees. The RPC membership includes representation from states, Indian Tribes, various mineral interests, the public-at-large (with knowledge and interest in royalty issues), and other Federal departments.

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Director of the Minerals Management Service by the joint bidding provisions of 30 CFR 256.41, each entity within one of the following groups shall be restricted from bidding with any entity in any other of the following groups at Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease sales to be held during the bidding period May 1, 2007 through October 31, 2007. The List of Restricted Joint Bidders published in the Federal Register December 5, 2006 covered the period November 1, 2006 through April 30, 2007.

This final rule requires lessees of Federal oil and gas leases in the OCS to provide information on how they will conduct their proposed activities in a manner consistent with provisions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). It identifies environmental, monitoring, and mitigation information that lessees must submit with plans for exploration and development and production. This final rulemaking specifies what information the MMS needs to ensure compliance with the OCSLA, the ESA, and the MMPA. The final rule will help assure that lessees conduct their activities in a manner consistent with the provisions of the ESA and the MMPA.