[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 123 (Monday, June 26, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 39334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15959]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

43 CFR Parts 3130 and 3160

[WO-310-1310-03-2410]
RIN 1004-AD13


National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska--Unitization

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby gives notice that 
it is extending the public comment period on a Notice of Proposed Rule, 
which was published in the Federal Register on April 26, 2000 (54 FR 
24542). The comment period for the proposed rule expires on June 26, 
2000. The proposed rule would add a new subpart to BLM's oil and gas 
regulations implementing new statutory authority allowing operators to 
enter into unit agreements in the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska 
(NPRA). Units allow for the sharing of costs and spreading of revenues 
among several leases, and allow for production from unit leases to 
occur without regard to lease or property boundaries. The rule would 
also allow for waiver, suspension, or reduction of rental or royalty 
for NPRA leases; allow for suspension of operations and production for 
NPRA leases; amend existing regulatory language to set the primary 
lease term for an NPRA lease at 10 years. Current regulations allow 10 
years, or a shorter term if it is in the notice of sale; and add a new 
subpart to the NPRA regulations on subsurface storage agreements. 
Subsurface storage agreements allow operators to store gas in existing 
geologic structures on Federal lands.
    This proposal would also make it clear that existing suspension 
regulations would not apply to the NPRA. In response to requests from 
the public, BLM is extending the comment period to August 10, 2000.

DATES: Submit comments by August 10, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Mail: Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401 LS, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20240. Personal or messenger delivery: Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20036. Internet e-mail: [email protected]. (Include 
``Attn: AD13'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erick Kaarlela of BLM's Fluid Minerals 
Group at (202) 452-0340 or Ian Senio of BLM's Regulatory Affairs Group 
at (202) 452-5049.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment, you may submit your 
comments by any one of several methods. You may mail comments to 
Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Room 401 LS, 1849 C Street, 
NW, Washington, DC 20240. You may deliver comments to Room 401, 1620 L 
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. You may also comment via the Internet 
to [email protected]. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Please also include ``Attn: AD13'' and your name and return address in 
your Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation that we 
have received your Internet message, contact us directly at (202) 452-
5030. Please make your written comments on the proposed rule as 
specific as possible, confine them to issues pertinent to the proposed 
rule, and explain the reason for any changes you recommend. Where 
possible, your comments should reference the specific section or 
paragraph of the proposal that you are addressing. BLM may not 
necessarily consider or include in the Administrative Record for the 
final rule comments that BLM receives after the close of the comment 
period (see DATES) or comments delivered to an address other than those 
listed above (see ADDRESSES). Comments, including names and street 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
address listed under ``ADDRESSES: Personal or messenger delivery'' 
during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. Individual respondents may request 
confidentiality, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. If 
you wish to withhold your name or address, except for the city or town, 
you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We 
will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

    Dated: June 20, 2000.
Michael Schwartz,
Group Manager, Regulatory Affairs Group.
[FR Doc. 00-15959 Filed 6-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P