[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 147 (Thursday, July 31, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 44910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19459]



[[Page 44910]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Parts 250 and 254

RIN 1010-AC57


Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental 
Shelf--Incident Reporting Requirements

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Extension of comment period for proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This document extends to December 5, 2003, the previous 
deadline of October 6, 2003, for submitting comments on the proposed 
rule published on July 8, 2003, (68 FR 40585), that describes MMS 
Incident Reporting Requirements.

DATES: We will consider all comments received by December 5, 2003, and 
we may not fully consider comments received after December 5, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand-carry written comments (three copies) to the 
Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; 381 Elden 
Street; Mail Stop 4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817; Attention: Rules 
Processing Team.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melinda Mayes, MMS Engineering and 
Operations Division, Herndon, VA, at (703) 787-1063 or Staci Atkins, 
MMS Engineering and Operations Division, Herndon, VA, at (703) 787-
1620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMS published a proposed rulemaking on 
July 8, 2003 (68 FR 40585) to revise the requirements for lessees/
operators to report incidents associated with Outer Continental Shelf 
activities. In developing this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MMS 
worked with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) with the goal of making the 
reporting requirements between the two agencies consistent. The MMS and 
USCG also are developing an electronic reporting system to help 
eliminate duplicative reporting between the two agencies.
    In a letter to MMS dated July 14, 2003, the International 
Association of Drilling Contractors has requested that we extend the 
comment period. The IADC stated that the additional time was necessary 
to develop their response and coordinate it with their sister trade 
associations, particularly in view of the time that must also be 
devoted to the recent Maritime Security rules issued by the USCG.
    On September 3, 2003, MMS and the USCG will hold a meeting to 
explain the proposed rule and allow meeting participants to ask 
questions. The original proposed rule comment due date is just over one 
month after this meeting. We believe that additional time to develop 
comments after the meeting should be provided. Therefore, we are 
extending the comment period for 60 days and this notice extends the 
comment period to December 5, 2003.

Public Comments Procedures

    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the rulemaking record, which we will honor to 
the extent allowable by law. There may be circumstances in which we 
would withhold from the rulemaking record a respondent's identity, as 
allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, 
you must 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: July 25, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-19459 Filed 7-30-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P