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We invite you to submit your comments on the Proposed Regulations Now Open for Comments via regulations.gov. Regulatory ActionsAdvance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Open for Comment
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Extension Closed for Comment
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Closed for Comment -- 4/30/07
Proposed Rules Open for Comment
Proposed Rules Extension of Comment Period Closed
Proposed Rules Closed for Comment -- 7/24/07
Further Proposed Rules Open for Comment
Further Proposed Rules Closed for Comment
Notice of Intent Closed for Comment
Notice of Interim Final Supplementary Rules Closed for Comment
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Open for CommentAdvance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Extension of Comment Period Closed Proposed Rules Open for Comment Further Proposed Rules Open for Comment Further Proposed Rules Closed for Comment Proposed Rules Extension of Comment Period Closed Proposed Rules Closed for Comment - 43 CFR Part 3130--Oil and Gas Leasing; National Petroleum Reserve--Alaska (NPR-A), 5/22/07, RIN: 1004-AD78
- 43 CFR Part 3800--Mining Claims Under the General Mining Laws; Surface Management; reopening of comment period, 4/12/02, RIN 1004-AD44
- 43 43 CFR Part 3800--Mining Claims Under the General Mining Laws; Surface Management, 10/30/01, RIN 1004-AD44
- 43 CFR Parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, 3150, 3160, 3170, and 3180--Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Operations, 12/3/98, RIN 1004-AC94
- 43 CFR Part 2610--Carey Act, 9/10/96, RIN 1004-AC80
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Closed for Comment Notice of Intent Closed for Comment Notice of Interim Final Supplementary Rules Closed for Comment
Proposed Rules Open for Comment Further Proposed Rules Open for Comment Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Open for Comment Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) Extension Closed for Comment - Complete a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands resources on public lands, with emphasis on the most geologically prospective lands with Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming; and
- Publish a final rule establishing such program, not later than 180 days after completion of the PEIS. On May 18, 2006, BLM published a final rule for the leasing of tar sands.
As an aid in preparing the proposed rule to establish an oil shale commercial leasing system and regulate oil shale mining operations, we encourage members of the public to provide comments and suggestions on the following key components--
- royalty rate;
- fair market value for conversion of preference right acreage and for commercial leasing;
- diligence;
- royalty determination point; and
- small tract leasing.
See Section III of the ANPR for a list of specific questions relating to these topics.
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) Comment Period Closed - 43 CFR Part 3800--Surface Management (Federal Register, February 23, 2007, 72 FR 8139-8149). The comment period for the ANPR closed on April 24, 2007.
This ANPR relates to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) surface management regulations for mining operations authorized by the Mining Law. In a previous Federal district court proceeding, environmental groups challenged the BLM's regulations on surface management under the Mining Law in 43 CFR subpart 3809, issued by the Department in 2001, in part, because the regulations did not require fair market value payment for use of Federal lands for mining operations when the lands are "invalidly claimed" or "unclaimed under the Mining Law. For the most part the Court upheld the 3809 regulations, but remanded them in part to the Department "for evaluation, in light of Congress's expressed policy goal for the United States to 'receive fair market value of the use of the public lands and their resources."' This ANPR is intended to assist the BLM in the evaluatoin ordered by the Court. - 43 CFR Parts 2800 and 2880--Update of Linear Right-of-Way Rental Schedule (Federal Register, April 27, 2006, 71 FR 24836-24838). The comment period for the ANPR closed on May 30, 2006.
The BLM requested comments and suggestions to assist in the writing of a proposed rule to update the linear right-of-way rental schedule in 43 CFR Parts 2800 and 2880. The rental schedule covers most linear rights-of-way granted under Section 28 of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1920, as amended. Both laws require the holder of a right-of-way to pay annually, in advance, the fair market value to occupy, use or traverse public lands for facilities such as power lines, fiber optic lines, pipelines, roads, and ditches. Section 367 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 directs the Secretary of the Interior to update the per-acre rental fee schedule found in 43 CFR 2806.20.
Notice of Intent Closed for Comment Proposed Rules--Extension of Comment Period Closed Notice of Interim Final Supplementary Rules Closed for Comment The interim final supplementary rules published in this notice include prohibitions of specific activities and types of activities--
- Public nudity on Public Lands within the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
- Unauthorized organized activities, including musical events and band concerts, shows, organized parties.
- Riding in open truckbeds where there are no proper means of securing passengers.
The comment period is closed for the following proposed regulations. Amend its regulations at 43 CFR part 3130 pertaining to oil and gas resources in the NPR-A; Make oil and gas administrative procedures in NPR-A consistent with Section 347 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 on competitive leasing for oil and gas resources in the NPR-A; Amend the administrative for the efficient transfer, consolidation, segregation, suspension, and unitization of Federal leases in the NPR-A; Make changes to the way the BLM processes lease renewals, lease extensions, lease expirations, lease agreements, exploration incentives, lease consolidations, and termination of administration for conveyed lands in the NPR-A; and Make the NPR-A regulation on additional bonding consistent with the regulations that apply outside of the NPR-A.
- Allow the public an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed rule published on October 30, 2001 (66 FR 54683-54870);
- Obtain further public comment on changes to the Surface Management regulations adopted in a final rule also published on October 30, 2001 (66 FR 54833-54862); and
- Seek comment on other changes in the regulations that were not directly addressed in the final rule of October 30, 2001.
- 43 CFR Part 3800--Mining Claims Under the General Mining Laws; Surface Management--RIN 1004-AD44 (Federal Register, October 30, 2001, 66 FR 54863-54870). The comment period closed on December 30, 2001. The proposed rule would--
- Give the public an additional opportunity to comment on final regulations published in the Federal Register on October 30, 2001 (see 66 FR 54833-54862); and
- Define casual use as including the use of gas drywashers of less than 10 horsepowers.
- 43 CFR Parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, 3150, 3160, 3170, and 3180--Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing and Operations--RIN 1004-AC94 (Federal Register, 12/3/98, 63 FR 66839-66937). The extended comment period closed on July 19, 1999 (Federal Register, 6/1/99, 64 FR 29256-29257). This proposed rule would revise BLM's current Federal oil and gas leasing and operations regulations, except those concerning drainage, combined hydrocarbon leasing (part 3140), and oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve--Alaska (part 3130) and would--
- Use performance standards in certain places instead of prescriptive requirements, to allow more flexibility for operators and protect the environment and Federal royalty interests;
- Cite industry standards and incorporate them by reference rather than repeating those standards in the rule itself;
- Incorporate the requirements of the Onshore Oil and Gas Orders and national notices to lessees into the regulations to eliminate their overlap with the current regulations;
- Increase bonding for statewide and lease bonding;
- Add a fair market value user fee for geophysical exploration;
Revise and replace BLM's current unitization regulations with a more flexible unit agreement process; and - Eliminate redundancies, clarify procedures and regulatory requirements and streamline procedures.
- 43 CFR Part 2610–Carey Act--RIN 1004-AC80 (Federal Register, 9/10/96, 61 FR 47725-47726). The public comment period closed on October 10, 1996. This rule would remove these regulations because the provisions are obsolete. Since 1980 when regulations were issued, only one public land State has applied for a grant of desert lands under the Carey Act.
Further Proposed Rules Open for Comment Further Proposed Rules Closed for Comment
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