[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 181 (Monday, September 20, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50753-50754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24389]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Part 290

RIN 1010-AC21


Appeal Procedures; Correction

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Correcting amendments.

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SUMMARY: MMS is correcting an amendment to rules governing the appeal 
of Royalty Management Program and Delegated States Orders. This 
correction results from a technical error made in a recent final rule.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective on May 13, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David S. Guzy, Chief, Rules and 
Publications Staff, telephone (303) 231-3432, FAX (303) 231-3385, e-
Mail David.G[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    MMS is making corrections to a final rule published in the Federal 
Register on May 13, 1999 (64 FR 26240). The final rule, effective May 
13, 1999, amended among other things, 30 CFR part 290, Subpart B--
Appeals of Royalty Management Program and Delegated States Orders. 
Subpart B applies to all Federal and Indian mineral leases onshore and 
on the Outer Continental Shelf regardless of the statutory authority 
under which the lease was issued or maintained. This correction adds 
two sections to 30 CFR part 290, subpart B. Before May 13, 1999, these 
sections were found in 30 CFR 243.3 Exhaustion of administrative 
remedies, and in 30 CFR 243.4 Service of official correspondence. These 
sections were inadvertently omitted from the May 13, 1999, final rule.
    Amendments to these sections were proposed in the Federal Register 
on January 12, 1999 (64 FR 1986), under part 242, subpart D--Appeals 
and Service, sections 242.302 through 242.305. However, we are not 
adopting those amendments at this time. Rather, we simply are replacing 
former sections 30 CFR 243.3 and 243.4 with minor modifications to 
reflect changes in the final rule published May 13, 1999, and other 
changes to conform to the plain language of part 290.

Need for Correction

    As published, the final regulations in 30 CFR part 290, subpart B, 
inadvertently omitted the provisions regarding exhaustion of 
administrative remedies and service of official correspondence. Without 
these provisions, it is unclear where recipients of orders should seek 
resolution to royalty disputes and how those orders must be served. 
Therefore, because this was an administrative error, MMS determines 
under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) that notice and comment are unnecessary and 
contrary to public interest. Thus, good cause exists to issue this 
final rule. MMS also determines for the same reasons to make this rule 
effective immediately. Further, to avoid any gap in coverage, we are 
adding those provisions in this correction, effective retroactively to 
the date of the final rule, i.e., May 13, 1999.
    Although we received public comments on sections 242.302 through 
242.305 of the proposed rule, we are not addressing those comments at 
this time because we are not finalizing those sections of the proposed 
rule in this correction. We will address those comments at the same 
time we address all the remaining matters from the January 12, 1999, 
proposed rule.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 290

    Administrative practice and procedure.

    Dated: September 10, 1999.
Sylvia V. Baca,
Acting Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.

    Accordingly, 30 CFR part 290, subpart B, is corrected by making the 
following correcting amendments:

PART 290--APPEALS PROCEDURES

    1. The authority citation for part 290 remains as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301 et seq.; 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.

    2. Add Secs. 290.110 and 290.111 to Subpart B--Appeals of Royalty 
Management Program and Delegated State Orders to read as follows:
* * * * *


Sec. 290.110  How do I exhaust administrative remedies?

    (a) To exhaust administrative remedies, you must appeal an MMS 
Royalty Management Program (RMP) or delegated State order:
    (1) To the MMS Director (or the Deputy Commissioner of Indian 
Affairs when Indian lands are involved); and
    (2) Subsequently to the Interior Board of Land Appeals under 30 CFR 
part 290, subpart B, and 43 CFR part 4.
    (b) This section does not apply if an order was made effective by:
    (1) The Director;
    (2) The Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management;
    (3) The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs; or
    (4) The Interior Board of Land Appeals under 43 CFR part 4.


Sec. 290.111  How will MMS and delegated States serve official 
correspondence?

    (a) Method of service. The Royalty Management Program (RMP) or a 
delegated State will serve official correspondence by sending the 
document by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to 
the addressee of record established in paragraph (b) of this section. 
Instead of certified or registered mail, RMP or a delegated State may 
deliver the document personally to the addressee of record and obtain a 
signature acknowledging the addressee's receipt of the document. 
Official correspondence includes all orders that are appealable under 
this subpart.
    (b) Addressee of record. (1) The addressee of record for 
administrative correspondence for refiners participating in the 
Government's Royalty-in-Kind (RIK) Program is the position title, 
department name and address, or individual name and address identified 
in the executed royalty oil sale contract. The refiner/purchaser may 
identify, in writing, a different position title, department name and 
address, or individual name and address for billing purposes. The 
refiner must notify MMS, in writing, of all addressee changes.
    (2) The addressee of record for serving official correspondence on 
anyone required to report energy and mineral resources removed from 
Federal and Indian leases to the RMP Production Accounting and Auditing 
System is the most recent position title, department name and address, 
or individual name and address that RMP has in its records for the 
reporter/payor. The reporter/payor is responsible for notifying RMP, in 
writing, of any addressee changes.
    (3) The addressee of record for serving official correspondence 
concerning onshore Federal leases is the current lessee of record with 
the Bureau of Land Management. For Indian leases, the addressee of 
record is the current lessee of record with the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs. For offshore leases, the addressee of record is the current 
lessee

[[Page 50754]]

of record with the MMS Offshore Minerals Management Program. The lessee 
is responsible for notifying the appropriate Government office of any 
addressee changes.
    (4) The addressee of record for serving official correspondence in 
connection with reviews and audits of payor records is the position 
title, department name and address, or individual name and address 
designated, in writing, by the company at the initiation of the audit, 
or the most recent addressee that was specified, in writing, by the 
payor.
    (5) The addressee of record for serving official correspondence 
relating to reporting on the ``Report of Sales and Royalty Remittance'' 
(Form MMS-2014) is the most recent position title, department name and 
address, or individual name and address specified, in writing, by the 
payor. The payor is responsible for notifying RMP, in writing, of any 
addressee changes.
    (6) The addressee of record for serving official correspondence in 
connection with remittances pertaining to rental and bonuses from 
nonproducing Federal leases is the most recent position title, 
department name and address, or individual name and address maintained 
in RMP records. The payor is responsible for notifying RMP, in writing, 
of any addressee changes.
    (7) The addressee of record for serving official correspondence 
including orders, demands, invoices, or decisions, and other actions 
identified with payors reporting to the RMP Auditing and Financial 
System not identified above is the position title, department name and 
address or individual name and address for the payor identified on the 
most recent Payor Confirmation Report (Report No. RPI140R1) of a Payor 
Information Form (PIF) (Form MMS-4025 or Form MMS-4030) returned by RMP 
to the payor for the Federal or Indian lease (see 30 CFR 210.51 and 
210.201).
    (8) If correspondence applies to more than one category identified 
in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) of this section, MMS may serve the 
official correspondence in accordance with the requirements of any one 
paragraph.
    (c) Dates of service. Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this 
section, MMS considers official correspondence as served on the date 
that it is received at the address of record established under 
paragraph (b) of this section. A receipt signed by any person at that 
address is evidence of service. If official correspondence is served 
both personally and by registered or certified mail, the date of 
service is the earlier of the two dates, if they are different.
    (d) Constructive service. (1) If delivery cannot be made after 
reasonable effort at the address of record established under paragraph 
(b) of this section, MMS deems official correspondence as 
constructively served 7 days after the date that the document is 
mailed.
    (2) This provision covers such situations as nondelivery because 
the addressee has moved without filing a forwarding address, the 
forwarding order had expired, delivery was expressly refused, or the 
document was unclaimed where the attempt to deliver is substantiated by 
U.S. Postal Service authorities.

[FR Doc. 99-24389 Filed 9-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P