[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 61715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21186]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

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


Final Environmental Impact Statement Non-Federal Oil and Gas 
Regulations

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability, Final Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Nonfederal Oil 
and Gas Regulations (36 CFR part 9, subpart B) Revisions.

DATES: September 7, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS will be available for public review at 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/FEIS9B. 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. The responsible official for this FEIS is 
the Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, 1849 
C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the FEIS 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 System units. All operators in System 
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 and waters 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.

    Dated: August 30, 2016.
Raymond M. Sauvajot,
Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, 
Washington Office, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-21186 Filed 9-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P