[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 111 (Monday, June 10, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34611-34612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13708]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

43 CFR Part 3160

[WO-300-L13100000.FJ0000]
RIN 1004-AE26


Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Lands

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: On May 11, 2012, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published 
in the Federal Register a proposed rule to regulate hydraulic 
fracturing on Federal and Indian land. Due to the complexity of the 
rule and the issues surrounding it, the BLM extended the comment period 
for 60 days beyond the end of the initial comment period. On May 24, 
2013, the BLM published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking 
and request for comment. Key issues in the revised proposed rule 
include: the use of an expanded set of cement evaluation tools to help 
ensure that usable water zones have been isolated and protected from 
contamination and more detailed guidance on how trade secrets claims 
will be handled. The revised proposed rule would also provide 
opportunities for the BLM to coordinate standards and processes with 
individual States and tribes to reduce administrative costs and improve 
efficiency. This notice extends the public comment period on the 
revised proposed rule for 60 days beyond the initial comment period.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published May 24, 2013 
(78 FR 31636), is extended. Send your comments on this proposed rule to 
the BLM on or before August 23, 2013. The BLM need not consider, or 
include in the administrative record for the final rule, comments that 
the BLM receives after the close of the comment period or comments 
delivered to an address other than those listed below (see ADDRESSES).

ADDRESSES: Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Director (630), 
Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 2134 LM, 1849 C St. NW., 
Washington, DC 20240, Attention: 1004-AE26. Personal or messenger 
delivery: Bureau of Land Management, 20 M Street, SE., Room 2134 LM, 
Attention: Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20003. Federal 
eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions 
at this Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Wells, Division Chief, Fluid 
Minerals Division, 202-912-7143, for information regarding the 
substance of the rule or information about the BLM's Fluid Minerals 
Program. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to contact the above individual during normal business hours. FIRS is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to leave a message or question 
with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Comment Procedures

    If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of 
several methods: Mail: You may mail comments to U.S. Department of the 
Interior, Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 2134LM, 
1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, Attention: 1004-AE26. 
Personal or messenger delivery: Bureau of Land Management, 20 M Street, 
SE., Room 2134 LM, Attention: Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20003. 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions at this Web site.
    Please make your comments as specific as possible by confining them 
to issues directly related to the content of the revised proposed rule, 
and explain the basis for your comments. The comments and 
recommendations that will be most useful and likely to influence agency 
decisions are:
    1. Those supported by quantitative information or studies; and
    2. Those that include citations to, and analyses of, the applicable 
laws and regulations.

The BLM is not obligated to consider or include in the Administrative 
Record for the rule comments received 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 
during regular hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Monday through Friday, 
except holidays.
    Before including your address, telephone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that 
your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--
may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask in your 
comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Background

    The revised proposed rule was published on May 24, 2013 (78 FR 
31636), with a 30-day comment period closing on June 24, 2013. Since 
publication, the BLM has received numerous requests for extension of 
the comment period on the revised proposed rule. Because of the 
complexity of the rule and due to the controversial nature of well 
stimulation procedures, the BLM is hereby extending the comment period 
on the rule for 60 days. The closing date of the extended comment 
period is August 23, 2013.


[[Page 34612]]


    Dated: June 5, 2013.
Tommy P. Beaudreau,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2013-13708 Filed 6-7-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P