Minerals Management Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Minerals Management Service (MMS), in accordance with Federal Regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), announces the availability of NEPA-related Site-Specific Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI), prepared by MMS for the following oil and gas activities proposed on the Gulf of Mexico OCS.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR part 250, subpart H, ``Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems.''

The MMS proposes to incorporate the Eleventh Edition of the American Petroleum Institute's Specification for Subsurface Safety Valve Equipment (API Spec 14A), into the regulations. The rule also proposes that lessees and operators provide supporting design verification information for subsurface safety valves intended for use in high pressure high temperature environments. The MMS proposes to incorporate the Eleventh Edition of API Spec 14A because it updated the design validation and functional testing requirements, incorporated new design changes, and corrected ambiguous areas open to misinterpretation. These proposed changes would ensure that lessees and operators use the best available and safest technologies while operating in the Outer Continental Shelf.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR part 280, ``Prospecting for Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur on the Outer Continental Shelf.''

This is a correction to the May 2, 2008 (73 FR 24308), request for comments. This notice is necessary to correct the hour burden for the requirements in Sec. 250.301(a) in the burden table. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart C, ``Pollution Prevention and Control.''

The MMS proposes to amend the regulations on distribution and disbursement of royalties, rentals, and bonuses to include the allocation and disbursement of revenues from certain leases on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf in accordance with the provisions of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. The regulations would set forth the formula and methodology for calculating and allocating revenues to the States of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas and their eligible political subdivisions. This proposed rule seeks to establish and ensure that the process for implementing the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 provisions and the resulting distribution of revenues is accurate, transparent, and fully complies with our statutory responsibilities.

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 revise an approval of the paperwork requirements that address the MMS's Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) which is a grant program. This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these requirements.

The MMS published a Notice in the Federal Register on Friday, April 18, 2008 (73 FR 21152), announcing proposed areas of the OCS for limited alternative energy leasing and requesting indications of competitive interest in such proposed lease areas. That original Notice also requested public comment on the areas proposed for limited leasing. This correction Notice corrects the table in the original Notice identifying the proposed lease areas for alternative energy resource data collection and technology testing activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, we are inviting comments on information collection request (ICR) that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This ICR concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (CFO). This ICR is titled ``Accounts Receivable Confirmations.''

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, 2008 through October 31, 2008. The List of Restricted Joint Bidders published in the Federal Register November 14, 2007, covered the period November 1, 2007 through April 30, 2008.

On November 6, 2007, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) published in the Federal Register (72 FR 214, pp. 62673-62675) a request for information and nominations of areas for leases authorizing alternative energy resource assessment and technology testing activities pursuant to subsection 8(p) of the OCS Lands Act, as amended. We received over 40 nominations of areas for limited leases authorizing such activities relating to wind, wave, and ocean current energy resources on the OCS. The MMS has considered the nominations in light of relevant criteria for proceeding with the issuance of leases. As required by subsection 8(p), MMS must issue such leases on a competitive basis unless we determine after public notice that there is no competitive interest. Subsection 8(p) also requires MMS to coordinate and consult with relevant Federal agencies and affected State and local governments concerning the issuance of OCS alternative energy leases. This Notice provides the required public notice of proposed leases by announcing the nominations that MMS has decided to process as a priority and inquiring as to the existence of any competitive interest in these nominated areas. Also, with this announcement we intend to inform all interested and affected parties of these nominations and invite comments and informationincluding information on environmental issues and concernsthat will be useful in our consideration of the nominated areas for the issuance of limited alternative energy leases.

This document makes minor technical changes to regulations that were published in various Federal Register documents and are codified in the Code of Federal Regulations. These changes will correct various citations and typographical errors in 30 CFR parts 250, 270, 281, and 282.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The previous title of this information collection request (ICR) was ``30 CFR Part 208Sale of Federal Royalty Oil; Sale of Federal Royalty Gas; and Commercial Contracts (Forms MMS-4070, Application for the Purchase of Royalty Oil; MMS-4071, Letter of Credit; and MMS-4072, Royalty-in-Kind Contract Surety Bond).'' The new title of this ICR is ``30 CFR Part 208, RIK Oil and Gas.''

This notice provides a listing of civil penalties paid from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2007, for violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. The goal of the MMS Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties Program is to assure safe and clean operations on the Outer Continental Shelf. Through the pursuit, assessment, and collection of civil penalties and referrals for the consideration of criminal penalties, the program is designed to encourage compliance with applicable statutes and regulations. The purpose of publishing the penalties summary is to provide information to the public on violations of special concern in Outer Continental Shelf operations and to provide an additional incentive for safe and environmentally sound operations.

The MMS announces the availability of the proposed Notice of Sale for proposed Sale 207 in the WPA. 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.

The Minerals Management Service hereby gives notice that it is extending the public comment period for the Cape Wind Energy Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which was published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2008, (Volume 73, No. 13) for an additional 30 days. Please see the Notice of Availability of the DEIS (73 FR 3482) for more detailed information related to the Cape Wind Energy Project. In response to requests for additional time, the MMS will extend the comment period from March 20, 2008, to April 21, 2008. Federal, State, tribal, and local governments and other interested parties are requested to comment on the DEIS. Comments will be accepted through the MMS Web site, by mail or in person at the public hearings as stated below. 1. Electronically using MMS's on-line commenting system at: https:// ocsconnect.mms.gov/pcs-public/. This is the preferred method for commenting. 2. In written form, mailed or delivered to MMS Cape Wind Energy Project, TRC Environmental Corporation, Wannalancit Mills, 650 Suffolk Street, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854. 3. In person at the public hearings. Public Hearings: The MMS will hold public hearings to receive comments on the DEIS. The public hearings are scheduled as follows: Monday, March 10, 2008 at Mattacheese Middle School Auditorium, 400 Higgins-Crowell Road, West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at Nantucket High School Auditorium, 10 Surfside Road, Nantucket, Massachusetts, 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Auditorium, 100 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, 5 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 2008 at Campus Center Ballroom, University of Massachusetts, Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, South Boston, Massachusetts, 6 p.m. Correction: The January 18, 2008, Federal Register Notice indicated that pre-registration would be available prior to the public hearings. There is no pre-registration for the public hearings. Registration for the public hearings will begin one hour before each hearing starts.

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 I, Platforms and Structures. This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

The OCS Policy Committee will meet at the Washington Dulles Crowne Plaza Hotel in Herndon, Virginia.

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 Form MMS-144, ``Rig Movement Notification Report.'' This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2008, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in GOM Eastern Planning Area (EPA) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 224, pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as amended), the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR Part 256), and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act . The Final Notice of Sale 224 Package (FNOS 224 Package) contains information essential to bidders, and bidders are charged with the knowledge of the documents contained in the Package.

The MMS proposes to amend its regulations for oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf to implement a mandate in the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. This proposed rule would (1) provide a credit to lessees who relinquish certain eligible leases in the Gulf of Mexico; (2) define eligible leases as those within 125 miles of the Florida coast in the Eastern Planning Area and certain leases within 100 miles of the Florida coast in the Central Planning Area; and (3) allow lessees to use the credits in lieu of monetary payment for either a lease bonus bid or royalty due on oil and gas production from most other leases in the Gulf of Mexico or to transfer the credits to other Gulf of Mexico lessees for their use.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is announcing the availability of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Cape Wind Energy Project. Cape Wind Associates, LLC (CWA) has requested a lease, easement or right-of-way pursuant to section 8(p) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (43 U.S.C 1337) as amended, and proposes to construct and operate a wind energy facility on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts. The purpose of the proposed project is to provide a renewable energy facility that utilizes the unique wind resources offshore of New England, using a technology that is currently available, technically feasible, and economically viable. The project ostensibly is designed to interconnect with and deliver electricity to the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) grid, making a substantial contribution to enhancing the region's electrical reliability and achieving renewable energy requirements under the Massachusetts and regional renewable portfolio standards (RPS). The draft EIS is intended to inform the public of the proposed action and alternatives, including the ``no action'' alternative; address public comment received during the scoping period; analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of the proposed action and each of the reasonable alternatives; and provide information to support decision-making. The MMS invites comment on the draft EIS.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is requesting written comments from interested parties, particularly refiners who qualify under the RIK eligible refiner program, regarding their experiences in the crude oil marketplace. Specifically, we are interested in eligible refiners' experiences in gaining access to adequate supplies of crude oil at equitable prices. This Determination of Need process will assist the Secretary of the Interior in deciding whether or not to continue with sales of Federal Government royalty crude oil under the RIK eligible refiner program.

MMS prepared the ROD for the establishment of an alternative energy and alternate use (AEAU) program on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), as authorized by Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), and codified in subsection 8(p) of the OCS Lands Act. In accordance with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the MMS is announcing the availability of this ROD. The decision is to select the Preferred Alternative described in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This decision establishes an AEAU program for the issuance of leases, easements and rights-of-way (ROW) for alternative energy activities and the alternate use of structures on the OCS and the promulgation of regulations to govern the program. Selection of the Preferred Alternative also provides MMS the option to authorize individual projects on a case-by-case basis before promulgation of the final rule. The Director, MMS signed the ROD on December 21, 2007.

This notice announces the January 17, 2008, 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 updates from the Subcommittee on Royalty Management and the Coal and Indian Oil Valuation 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.