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

The MMS announces the availability of the proposed Notice of Sale for proposed Sale 205 in the Central GOM OCS. This Notice is published pursuant to 30 CFR 256.29(c) as a matter of information to the public. 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 the affected States the opportunity to review the proposed Notice. The proposed Notice sets forth the proposed terms and conditions of the sale, including minimum bids, royalty rates, and rentals.

Notice is hereby given that effective with this publication, the following NAD 27-based Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams and Leasing Maps last revised on the date indicated are available for information only, in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Regional Office, New Orleans, Louisiana. Copies are also available for download at https://www.mms.gov/ld/maps.htm. The Minerals Management Service in accordance with its authority and responsibility under Title 43, Code of Federal Regulations, is updating the basic record used for the description of mineral and oil and gas lease sales in the geographic areas they represent.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart L, ``Oil and Gas Production Measurement, Surface Commingling, and Security,'' and related documents. This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

The MMS has issued a proposed final program for 2007-2012. This is the third and final proposal for a new OCS oil and gas leasing program, following the February 2006 draft proposed program and August 2006 proposed program. A final EIS prepared in accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act has been issued along with the proposed final program. The proposed final program schedules 21 sales in 8 OCS planning areas8 sales in 4 Alaska planning areas, 12 sales in 3 Gulf of Mexico planning areas, and 1 sale in the Mid-Atlantic planning area. This includes 1 sale in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico as mandated by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-432, December 20, 2006). The proposed final program has been submitted to the President and Congress as required by section 18 of the OCS Lands Act. In accordance with section 18, the Secretary of the Interior may approve the new leasing program after a period of 60 days.

The MMS is promulgating new regulations to implement 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 amend the current MMS geothermal royalty valuation regulations and simplify the royalty and direct use fee calculations for geothermal resources for leases issued under the EPAct and leases whose terms are modified under the EPAct. The new regulations also amend various related provisions in the MMS rules.