The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has filed another request for comment on renewal of Information Correction Request for authority to seek information required under the regulations in 30 CFR part 550, part 556, and part 560, Leasing of Sulfur or Oil and Gas in the Outer Continental Shelf. BOEM is seeking comments again because no comments were received in response to BOEM’s April 2019 request for comments.
The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. §§ 1331 et
seq., and 43 U.S.C. §§ 1801 et seq.), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to prescribe rules and regulations to administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease. Operations on the OCS must preserve, protect, and develop oil and natural gas resources in a manner that is consistent with the need to make such resources available to meet the Nation’s energy needs; balance orderly energy resource development with protection of human, marine, and coastal environments; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and preserve and maintain free enterprise competition. Also, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) prohibits certain lease bidding arrangements (42 U.S.C. § 6213(c)).
The Independent Offices Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. § 9701), the Omnibus
Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 104-133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26, 1996), and Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-25, authorize Federal agencies to recover the full cost of services that provide special benefits. Under the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) implementing policy, BOEM is required to charge the full cost for services that provide special benefits or privileges to an identifiable non-Federal recipient above and beyond those that accrue to the public at large. Approvals of the transfer of a lease or interest therein are subject to cost recovery, and BOEM regulations specify the filing fee for these transfer applications.
This notice concerns the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of BOEM
regulations at 30 CFR part 550, Subpart J, Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of-Way; 30 CFR part 556, Leasing of Sulphur or Oil and Gas in the OCS; 30 CFR part 560, OCS Oil and Gas Leasing; as well as the related Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that clarify and provide additional guidance on some aspects of these regulations. This ICR also concerns the use of forms to process bonds, transfer interest in leases, and file relinquishments.
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