[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 40893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16923]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003]


U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Final 
Stakeholder Assessment and Multi-Stakeholder Group Findings

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) has retained an 
independent facilitator, the Consensus Building Institute (CBI), to 
conduct a stakeholder assessment as part of the U.S. Extractive 
Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI) implementation process. On 
July 11, 2012, Interior received CBI's final assessment regarding 
options for forming a U.S. multi-stakeholder group that will be 
responsible for determining the implementation of USEITI. By this 
notice, Interior is notifying the public of the availability on our Web 
site of CBI's final stakeholder assessment and findings regarding 
establishment of the U.S. multi-stakeholder group.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Williams, telephone (202) 254-
5573, fax number (202) 254-5589, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 24, 2012 (74 FR 11151), Interior 
published a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment on 
the formation of a multi-stakeholder group to implement USEITI. In that 
notice, Interior stated that it would hold a series of public listening 
sessions to provide additional opportunities for public comment. In 
March, Interior held those listening sessions in St. Louis, Missouri; 
Denver, Colorado; Houston, Texas; and Washington, DC. CBI analyzed the 
input from these four public listening sessions, interviews with 
potential stakeholders, and written comments submitted to Interior. The 
input formed the basis of CBI's draft independent stakeholder 
assessment and finding regarding options for establishing the U.S. 
multi-stakeholder group. On May 3, 2012 (77 FR 26315), Interior 
published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a public comment 
period, from May 18-June 29, 2012, seeking feedback on CBI's draft 
stakeholder assessment and the recommended options for establishing the 
U.S. multi-stakeholder group, which was published on May 18, 2012. As 
part of the comment period, Interior held three public listening 
sessions in Anchorage, Alaska; Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; and New 
Orleans, Louisiana; a public webinar; and a public workshop on June 22, 
2012, in Washington, DC. CBI analyzed the input from these public 
listening sessions, written comments submitted to Interior, and the 
input provided and issues raised by stakeholders at the June 22, 2012, 
USEITI public workshop. This input formed the basis of CBI's final 
stakeholder assessment and findings regarding establishment of the U.S. 
multi-stakeholder group.
    Interior published and made available all comments received during 
the public comment periods, online at http://www.doi.gov/EITI. Starting 
on July 10, 2012, CBI's final assessment will be available online at 
http://www.doi.gov/EITI. You may request a copy of the assessment from 
Matthew Williams through the contact information above.
    Background: In September 2011, President Barack Obama announced the 
United States' commitment to participate in the Extractive Industries 
Transparency Initiative. EITI is a signature initiative of the U.S. 
National Action Plan for the international Open Government Partnership 
and offers a voluntary framework for governments and companies to 
publicly disclose in parallel the revenues paid and received for 
extraction of oil, gas, and minerals that belong to the State. The 
design of each framework is country-specific, and is the result of a 
multi-year, consensus-based process by a multi-stakeholder group 
comprised of government, industry, and civil society representatives. 
On October 25, President Obama named Secretary of the Interior Ken 
Salazar as the U.S. Senior Official responsible for implementing 
USEITI. In response, Secretary Salazar posted a White House blog the 
same day, committing to work with industry and civil society to 
implement USEITI.
    For further information on EITI, please visit the USEITI Web page 
at http://www.doi.gov/EITI.

    Dated: July 2, 2012.
Amy Holley,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 2012-16923 Filed 7-10-12; 8:45 am]
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