[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 188 (Thursday, September 29, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 56853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19532]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Parts 250 and 282

RIN 1010-AC47


Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental 
Shelf--Plans and Information

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: MMS is delaying until January 1, 2006, the effective date of a 
rule that regulates plans and information that lessees and operators 
must submit in connection with oil and gas exploration, development and 
production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This delay is 
necessary because of damage in the New Orleans area caused by Hurricane 
Katrina and subsequent flooding. This temporary delay will provide 
relief to the government and the oil and gas industry as they recover 
from this disaster.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the rule amending 30 CFR Parts 
250 and 282 published at 70 FR 51478, August 30, 2005, is delayed until 
January 1, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kumkum Ray, Offshore Regulatory 
Programs (703) 787-1604.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The rule on Plans and Information that was 
published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2005 (70 FR 51478) 
provides that MMS will also publish a Notice to Lessees (NTL) to 
provide further guidance. The primary office responsible for developing 
the NTL, the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office in New Orleans, 
Louisiana, has been temporarily moved since Hurricane Katrina and the 
flooding that followed that disaster. While critical functions have 
been continuously maintained, a portion of the associated staff and 
systems are expected to require two months to become fully functional. 
Moreover, many of the lessees and operators subject to the rule are 
similarly engaged in the restoration of normal operations following 
Hurricane Katrina. Lessees and operators will be making changes in 
their own procedures to comply with the rule. Lessees and operators 
whose operations have been interrupted as a result of the hurricane may 
not be able to make these changes until normal operations resume. 
Accordingly, the Department of the Interior is postponing the effective 
date of the final rule and the accompanying NTL until January 1, 2006.

    Dated: September 23, 2005.
Chad Calvert,
Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 05-19532 Filed 9-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P