[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 19, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2874-2876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1200]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Parts 203, 250, 251, 253, 254, and 256


Outer Continental Shelf Regulations

AGENCY:  Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION:  Technical amendments.

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SUMMARY:  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 
the name of form MMS-126; correct a citation in 30 CFR 250, subpart N; 
and correct the instructions in 30 CFR parts 203, 251, 253, 254, and 
256 for commenting on information collection burdens.

[[Page 2875]]


EFFECTIVE DATE:  January 19, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Alexis London, (703) 787-1600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    These technical amendments affect all offshore oil, gas, and 
sulphur operators and lessees. The following are explanations of the 
corrections.
    (1) On February 5, 1997 (62 FR 5331), we published a final rule 
revising the 30 CFR 250, subpart N, regulations on OCS civil penalties 
(subsequently redesignated at 63 FR 29479 on May 29, 1998). The final 
rule contained a citation error in Sec. 250.1409(d)(3). We are 
correcting the citation.
    (2) In September 1999, under the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
reapproved the information collected on form MMS-126. When we submitted 
the form to OMB for approval, we made no changes to the information 
collected, but we did shorten the official title of the form. We are 
correcting the regulations in 30 CFR 250, subpart K, to reflect the 
change in the title of this form.
    (3) Under the PRA, the OMB must approve the information collection 
burden of all our requirements. Each part of our regulations has a 
section that provides the OMB control numbers of the approved 
information collection burdens and other required information. These 
sections provide instructions on how the public may comment on the 
burdens. The regulations currently indicate that comments may be 
submitted directly to the OMB and to MMS. The OMB has now determined 
that comments should be made only to the agency and not directly to 
OMB. Agencies are required to address any comments received in 
subsequent submissions to OMB for reapproval of the information 
collection burdens. We are correcting our regulations to reflect this 
change in comment procedures. In addition, we are bringing the section 
on authority for collecting information in part 256 up-to-date to 
reflect the 1995 amendments to the PRA and to make the part 256 section 
consistent with the corresponding sections in the other parts of our 
regulations.

Need for Correction

    As published, the final regulations contain errors which may prove 
to be misleading or have sections which are no longer technically 
correct and are in need of clarification.

List of Subjects

30 CFR Part 203

    Continental shelf, Government contracts, Indians--lands, Mineral 
royalties, Oil and gas exploration, Public lands--mineral resources, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Sulphur.

30 CFR Part 250

    Continental shelf, Environmental impact statements, Environmental 
protection, Government contracts, Investigations, Mineral royalties, 
Oil and gas development and production, Oil and gas exploration, Oil 
and gas reserves, Penalties, Pipelines, Public lands--mineral 
resources, Public lands--rights-of-way, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Sulphur development and production, Sulphur exploration, 
Surety bonds.

30 CFR Part 251

    Continental shelf, Freedom of information, Oil and gas exploration, 
Public lands--mineral resources, Public lands--rights-of-way, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Research.

30 CFR Part 253

    Continental shelf, Environmental protection, Insurance, Oil and gas 
exploration, Oil pollution, Penalties, Pipelines, Public lands--mineral 
resources, Public lands--rights-of-way, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Surety bonds.

30 CFR Part 254

    Continental shelf, Environmental protection, Oil and gas 
development and production, Oil and gas exploration, Pipelines, Public 
lands--mineral resources, Public lands--rights-of-way, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

30 CFR Part 256

    Administrative practice and procedure, Continental shelf, 
Environmental protection, Government contracts, Mineral royalties, Oil 
and gas exploration, Pipelines, Public lands--mineral resources, Public 
lands--rights-of-way, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Surety 
bonds.
    Accordingly, 30 CFR parts 203, 250, 251, 253, 254, and 256 are 
amended by making the following technical amendments:

PART 203--RELIEF OR REDUCTION IN ROYALTY RATES

    1. The authority citation for part 203 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  25 U.S.C. 396 et seq., 25 U.S.C. 396a et seq., 25 
U.S.C. 101 et seq., 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq., 30 U.S.C. 351 et seq., 30 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq., 30 U.S.C. 1701 et seq., 31 U.S.C. 9701 et seq., 
43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq., 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq., and 43 U.S.C. 1801 
et seq.

    2. In Sec. 203.82, paragraph (d) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 203.82  What is MMS's authority to collect this information?

* * * * *
    (d) Send comments regarding any aspect of the collection of 
information under this part, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Minerals 
Management Service, Mail Stop 4230, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20240.

PART 250--OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER 
CONTINENTAL SHELF

    3. The authority citation for part 250 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.

    4. In Sec. 250.1102, the second sentence of paragraph (b)(2) is 
corrected to read as follows:


Sec. 250.1102  Oil and gas production rates.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * * Within 15 days after the end of the test period, the 
lessee must submit a proposed MPR with well potential test for the 
individual well completion on Form MMS-126, Well Potential Test Report. 
* * *


Sec. 250.1409  [Amended]

    5. In Sec. 250.1409(d)(3), the citation ``43 CFR part 62, subpart 
D'' is corrected to read 43 CFR part 12, subpart D''.

PART 251--GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL (G&G) EXPLORATIONS OF THE 
OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF

    6. The authority citation for part 251 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. I117. In Sec. 251.15, 
paragraph (e) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 251.15  Authority for information collection.

* * * * *
    (e) Send comments regarding any aspect of the collection of 
information under this part, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Minerals 
Management Service, Mail Stop 4230, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20240.

[[Page 2876]]

PART 253--OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE 
FACILITIES

    8. The authority citation for part 253 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.

    9. In Sec. 253.5, paragraph (d) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 253.5  What is the authority for collecting Oil Spill Financial 
Responsibility (OSFR) information?

* * * * *
    (d) Send comments regarding any aspect of the collection of 
information under this part, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Minerals 
Management Service, Mail Stop 4230, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20240.

PART 254--OIL SPILL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITIES LOCATED 
SEAWARD OF THE COAST LINE

    10. The authority citation for part 254 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  33 U.S.C. 1321 et seq.

    11. In Sec. 254.9, paragraph (d) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 254.9  Authority for information collection.

* * * * *
    (d) Send comments regarding any aspect of the collection of 
information under this part, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Minerals 
Management Service, Mail Stop 4230, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20240.

PART 256--LEASING OF SULPHUR OR OIL AND GAS IN THE OUTER 
CONTINENTAL SHELF

    12. The authority citation for part 256 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 6213, 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.

    13. Section 256.0 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 256.0  Authority for information collection.

    (a) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the 
information collection requirements in this part under 44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq. OMB assigned the control number 1010-0006. The title of this 
information collection is ``30 CFR Part 256, Leasing of Sulphur or Oil 
and Gas in the Outer Continental Shelf.''
    (b) MMS collects this information to determine if the applicant 
filing for a lease on the Outer Continental Shelf is qualified to hold 
such a lease. Response is required to obtain a benefit according to 43 
U.S.C. 1331 et seq. MMS will protect proprietary information collected 
according to section 26 of the OCS Lands Act and 30 CFR 256.10.
    (c) An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.
    (d) Send comments regarding any aspect of the collection of 
information under this part, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Minerals 
Management Service, Mail Stop 4230, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20240.

    Dated: January 6, 2000.
E. P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 00-1200 Filed 1-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P