[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7086-7087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3466]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Part 206

RIN 1010-AC24


Establishing Oil Value for Royalty Due on Indian Leases

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Reopening of public comment period and notice of public 
workshops.

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SUMMARY: The MMS is reopening the public comment period on the proposed 
rule regarding the valuation for royalty purposes of crude oil produced 
from Indian leases.

DATES: We must receive comments on or before April 14, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments directly to Sharron L. Gebhardt, 
Regulatory Specialist, Minerals Management Service, Mineral Revenue 
Management, P.O. Box 25165, MS 320B2, Denver, Colorado 80225. If you 
use an overnight courier service, our courier address is Building 85, 
Room A-614, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225. You may also 
e-mail your comments to us at [email protected]. Also include your 
name and return address. Submit electronic comments as an ASCII file 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. If 
you do not receive a confirmation that we have

[[Page 7087]]

received your e-mail, contact Ms. Gebhardt at (303) 231-3211.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharron L. Gebhardt, telephone (303) 
231-3211, FAX (303) 231-3385, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS published a notice of proposed 
rulemaking regarding the value for royalty purposes of crude oil 
produced from Indian leases on February 12, 1998 (63 FR 7089) and a 
supplementary proposed rule on January 5, 2000 (65 FR 403). In today's 
Federal Register, MMS is announcing dates, places, and times for 
workshops on issues related to the existing rules adopted in March 2000 
governing the valuation for royalty purposes of crude oil produced from 
Federal leases.
    The workshops will address, among other things, issues related to 
calculation of transportation allowances (including the rate of return 
allowed for calculating actual costs under non-arm's-length 
transportation arrangements), timing and application of published index 
prices, and calculation of location and quality differentials under 
certain circumstances.
    Because of the substantive overlap between these issues and issues 
involved in the proposed Indian oil valuation rule, and to give persons 
interested in Indian lease issues an opportunity to participate in the 
workshops, MMS is reopening the comment period on the proposed Indian 
oil valuation rule for 60 days so it can include in the record any 
relevant comments received. The MMS then can consider those comments as 
it proceeds with the Indian oil valuation rule.
    The policy of the Department of the Interior is to give the public 
an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking process. Accordingly, 
you may submit your written comments, suggestions, or objections 
regarding this notice to the location identified in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice. You should submit comments on or before the 
date identified in the DATES section of this notice.
    We will also make copies of the comments available for public 
review, including names and addresses of respondents, during regular 
business hours at our offices in Lakewood, Colorado. Individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from the 
public record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. 
There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold from the 
rulemaking record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If you 
request that we withhold your name and/or address, state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we will not 
consider anonymous comments. 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: February 5, 2003.
Lucy Querques Denett,
Associate Director for Minerals Revenue Management.
[FR Doc. 03-3466 Filed 2-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P