Minerals management: Oil and gas leasing— Performance standards in lieu of current prescriptive requirements,

[Federal Register: June 1, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 104)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 29256-29257]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr01jn99-22]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

43 CFR Parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, 3150, 3160, 3170, and 3180

[WO-310-1310-00-2I-IP]

RIN 1004-AC94

Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing and Operations

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of extension of public comment period.

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is extending the public comment period on a Notice of Proposed Rule, published in the Federal Register on December 3, 1998 (63 FR 66840). On March 26, 1999, BLM extended the comment period for 60 days (64 FR 14666). The proposed rule would revise BLM's oil and gas leasing and operations regulations. The rule uses performance standards in certain instances in lieu of the current prescriptive requirements. It would also cite industry standards and incorporate them by reference rather than repeat those standards in the rule itself. Also, BLM's onshore orders and national notices to lessees would be incorporated into the regulations to eliminate overlap with existing regulations. The rule would increase certain minimum bond amounts and would revise and replace BLM's current unitization regulations with a more flexible unit agreement process. Finally, the proposed rule would eliminate redundancies, clarify procedures and regulatory requirements, and streamline processes. In response to public requests for additional time, BLM extends the comment period 45 days from the comment period closing date of June 4, 1999, to the extended comment period's closing date of July 19, 1999.

DATES: Comments. Send your comments to BLM on or before July 19, 1999. BLM will consider comments received or postmarked on or before this date in preparing the final rule.

ADDRESSES: Please send your comments to the Bureau of Land Management Administrative Record, Room 401 LS, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, or hand deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington DC. For information about filing comments electronically, see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section under ``Electronic access and filing address.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Duletsky of BLM's Fluid Minerals Group at (202) 452-0337 or Ian J. Senio of BLM's Regulatory Affairs Group at (202) 452-5049. If you require a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access and Filing Address

You can view an electronic version of this proposed rule at BLM's Internet home page: www.blm.gov. You can also comment via the Internet at: WOComment@wo.blm.gov. Please include ``Attention: AC94'' and your name and return address in your Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from our system that we have received your Internet message, contact us directly at (202) 452-5030.

Written Comments

Written comments on the proposed rule are most helpful if you:

(A) Are specific;

(B) Confine comments to issues pertinent to the proposed rule;

(C) Explain the reason for any recommended change; and

(D) Reference the specific section or paragraph of the proposal you are addressing.

We welcome suggested regulatory language.

BLM may not necessarily consider or include in the Administrative Record for the final rule comments which BLM receives after the close of the comment period (See DATES) or comments delivered to an address other than those listed above (See ADDRESSES).

You can review comments, including names, street addresses, and other contact information of respondents at this address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you are an individual respondent you may request confidentiality. If you request that BLM consider withholding your name, street address, and other

[[Page 29257]]

contact information (such as Internet address, FAX or phone number) from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. BLM will honor requests for confidentiality on a case-by-case basis to the extent allowed by law. BLM will make available for public inspection in their entirety all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses.

Dated: May 26, 1999. Sylvia V. Baca, Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.

[FR Doc. 99-13850Filed5-28-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-84-P