81 FR 32694 - Leasing of Sulfur or Oil and Gas in the Outer Continental Shelf MMAA104000

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 100 (May 24, 2016)

On March 30, 2016, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published in the Federal Register a final rule that updates and streamlines the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas and sulfur leasing regulations, which will become effective on May 31, 2016. BOEM wishes to clarify the language in one section of that rule. Therefore, BOEM is proposing to revise that section and give the public an opportunity to comment. The final rule was issued under Docket ID: MMS- 2007-OMM-0069, which has expired and is no longer accessible. Therefore, BOEM is utilizing a new Docket ID for this proposed rule (BOEM-2016-0031).

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 24, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 32694-32695]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12097]



[[Page 32694]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

30 CFR Parts 550, 556, 559, and 560

[Docket ID: BOEM-2016-0031]
RIN 1010-AD06


Leasing of Sulfur or Oil and Gas in the Outer Continental Shelf 
MMAA104000

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; revision to final rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: On March 30, 2016, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 
(BOEM) published in the Federal Register a final rule that updates and 
streamlines the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas and sulfur 
leasing regulations, which will become effective on May 31, 2016. BOEM 
wishes to clarify the language in one section of that rule. Therefore, 
BOEM is proposing to revise that section and give the public an 
opportunity to comment. The final rule was issued under Docket ID: MMS-
2007-OMM-0069, which has expired and is no longer accessible. 
Therefore, BOEM is utilizing a new Docket ID for this proposed rule 
(BOEM-2016-0031).

DATES: Submit comments by June 23, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Sebastian, Office of Policy, 
Regulation and Analysis at (504) 736-2761 or email at 
[email protected].

ADDRESSES: Address all comments regarding this proposed rule to BOEM by 
any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov/. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments;
     U.S. Postal Service or Other Mail Delivery Service: 
Address to Robert Sebastian, Office of Policy, Regulation and Analysis 
(OPRA), BOEM, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Mailstop 
DM5238, Washington, DC 20240; or
     Hand delivery to Office of Policy, Regulation and 
Analysis, BOEM, Department of the Interior, at 1849 C Street NW., Room 
No. 5249, Washington, DC 20240.
    Please include your name, return address and phone number and/or 
email address, so we can contact you if we have questions regarding 
your submission.
    Public Availability of Comments: BOEM does not consider anonymous 
comments; please include your name and address as part of your 
submittal. Before including your name, address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On March 30, 2016 BOEM published in the Federal Register (81 FR 
18111), a final rule that updates and streamlines the Outer Continental 
Shelf (OCS) oil and gas and sulfur leasing regulations, which will 
become effective on May 31, 2016. BOEM wishes to clarify the language 
in one definition in Sec.  556.105 of that rule. Therefore, in this 
proposed rule, BOEM proposes to make a revision to that section.

II. Analysis

Section 556.105 Definitions

    The term ``You'' was defined in proposed rule Sec.  256.103 by 
providing a list of categories of persons to whom the term would apply. 
This list was retained in the definition of ``You'' in final rule Sec.  
556.105, but an introductory sentence was added to clarify that some 
persons not yet in a legal relationship with BOEM were affected by 
portions of part 556. The resulting definition, included in the final 
rule, read as follows: ``You means any party that has, or may have, 
legal obligations to the Federal government with respect to any 
operations on the OCS in which it is or may become involved. Depending 
on the context of the regulation, the term ``you'' may include a lessee 
(record title owner), an operating rights owner, a designated operator 
or agent of the lessee, a predecessor lessee, a holder of a State or 
Federal RUE, or a pipeline ROW holder.'' The first sentence of that 
definition, by its reference to operations, may cause confusion as to 
who is considered to be subject to the regulations in part 556. 
Therefore, BOEM proposes to change the wording of the definition to 
remove the introductory sentence and add specific references to: A 
bidder; a prospective bidder; and an applicant seeking to become an 
assignee of record title or operating rights. These changes will 
specify the categories of persons who (depending on the context) must 
comply with certain sections of part 556, without the ambiguity of the 
definition as it is stated in the final rule. As amended, the 
definition would read: ``You, depending on the context of the 
regulations, means a bidder, a prospective bidder, a lessee (record 
title owner), an operating rights owner, an applicant seeking to become 
an assignee of record title or operating rights, a designated operator 
or agent of the lessee, a predecessor lessee, a RUE holder for a State 
or Federal lease, or a pipeline ROW holder.''

III. Procedural Requirements

    Section V, Legal and Regulatory Analyses, of the final rule issued 
on March 30, 2016 (81 FR 18145), summarizes BOEM's analyses of the rule 
pursuant to applicable statutes and executive orders. This proposed 
amendment to that rule would not change any conclusion described in 
that section, because the amendment is only intended to clarify the 
meaning of the regulatory text in the final rule and would not require 
any additional actions by either BOEM or the regulated community. 
Therefore, no additional analysis is necessary.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 556

    Administrative practice and procedure, Continental shelf, 
Environmental protection, Federal lands, Government contracts, 
Intergovernmental relations, Oil and gas exploration, Outer continental 
shelf, Mineral resources, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: May 16, 2016.
Amanda C. Leiter,
Acting Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, BOEM proposes to amend 30 
CFR part 556 (as amended by the final rule published on March 30, 2016, 
at 81 FR 18111) as follows:

PART 556--LEASING OF SULFUR OR OIL AND GAS AND BONDING REQUIREMENTS 
IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF

0
1. The authority citation for part 556 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  30 U.S.C. 1701 note, 30 U.S.C. 1711, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 
42 U.S.C. 6213, 43 U.S.C. 1331 note, 43 U.S.C. 1334, 43 U.S.C. 1801-
1802.

0
2. Amend Sec.  556.105 by revising the definition of ``You'' to read as 
follows:


Sec.  556.105  Acronyms and definitions.

* * * * *
    You, depending on the context of the regulations, means a bidder, a 
prospective bidder, a lessee (record title owner), an operating rights 
owner, an

[[Page 32695]]

applicant seeking to become an assignee of record title or operating 
rights, a designated operator or agent of the lessee, a predecessor 
lessee, a RUE holder for a State or Federal lease, or a pipeline ROW 
holder.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2016-12097 Filed 5-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P