[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 205 (Friday, October 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64445-64446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26999]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NRSS-15890; PPWONRADE2.PMP00EI05.YP0000]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement Non-Federal Oil and Gas 
Regulations

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the 
availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the 
Nonfederal Oil and Gas Regulations (36 CFR part 9, subpart B) 
Revisions.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the DEIS from the public for a 
period of 60 days following publication by the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) of the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement in the Federal Register. We will also announce the 
dates, times and location to solicit public comments on the DEIS 
through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web 
site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/DEIS9B and media outlets. A web 
link to a pre-recorded webinar providing an overview of the project 
will also be listed.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the DEIS will be available for public review at 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/DEIS9B. A limited number of hard copies 
will be available upon request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Steensen, Chief, Geologic 
Resource Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 
80225; phone 303.969.2014.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS evaluates the impacts of three 
alternatives, including the following alternative elements:
     Elimination of two regulatory provisions that exempt 60% 
of the oil and gas operations in NPS units. All operators in NPS units 
would be required to comply with the 9B regulations.
     Elimination of the financial assurance (bonding) cap. 
Financial assurance would be equal to the reasonable estimated cost of 
site reclamation.
     Improving enforcement authority by incorporating existing 
NPS penalty provisions. Law enforcement staff would have authority to 
write citations for noncompliance with the regulations.
     Authorizing compensation to the federal government for new 
access on federal lands outside the boundary of an operator's mineral 
right.
     Reformatting the regulations to make it easier to identify 
an operator's information requirements and operating standards that 
apply to each type of operation.
    If you wish to comment electronically, you may submit your comments 
online at the PEPC Web site by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov/DEIS9B. NPS encourages commenting electronically through PEPC. The 
deadline for submitting comments online is midnight, Eastern Time, on 
the last day of the public comment period, which will be 60 days after 
the EPA's Notice of Availability for this DEIS is published in the 
Federal Register. You may also submit written comments by mail to: 
David Steensen, Chief, Geologic Resource Division, National Park 
Service, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225. Comments will not be 
accepted by fax, email, or in any other way than those specified above. 
Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on 
behalf of others will not be accepted. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    The responsible official for this DEIS is the Associate Director, 
Natural Resources, Stewardship and Science, 1849 C Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20240.


[[Page 64446]]


    Dated: January 15, 2015.
Ray Sauvajot,
Associate Director, Natural Resources, Stewardship and Science, 
Washington Office, National Park Service.

    Editorial Note: This document was received for publication by 
the Office of the Federal Register on October 20, 2015.

[FR Doc. 2015-26999 Filed 10-22-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P