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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 196 (Thursday, October 9, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 61041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24165]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

30 CFR Parts 550, 551, 556, 581, 582 and 585

[Docket ID: BOEM-2013-0058; MMAA104000]
RIN 1010-AD83

Risk Management, Financial Assurance and Loss Prevention

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Interior.

ACTION: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking--Extension of Public 
Comment Period.

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SUMMARY: BOEM has recognized the need to develop a comprehensive 
program to assist in identifying, prioritizing, and managing the risks 
associated with industry activities on the Outer Continental Shelf 
(OCS). BOEM intends to design and implement a more robust and 
comprehensive risk management, financial assurance and loss prevention 
program to address the complex issues and cost differences associated 
with offshore operations. As part of its overall effort to establish 
this program and associated changes to regulations, BOEM is seeking 
stakeholder comments regarding various risk management and monitoring 
activities pertaining to financial risks to taxpayers that may result 
from activities on the OCS.
    BOEM currently requires lessees to provide performance bonds and/or 
one of various alternative forms of financial assurance to ensure 
compliance with the terms and conditions of leases, Rights-of-Use and 
Easements and Pipeline Rights-of-Way. BOEM is seeking comments on who 
is best suited to mitigate risks and whether other forms of financial 
assurance should be used, as well as whether, or to what extent, the 
current forms of financial assurance are adequate and appropriate.
    BOEM has received comments to its Advance Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (ANPR) indicating that the number of issues being addressed 
and the complexity of the topics being considered would justify a 
longer comment period. Various groups have also requested that 
additional time be provided to review and analyze the ANPR. For these 
reasons, BOEM has agreed to extend the comment period by an additional 
30 days. The new comment period will elapse 90 days from August 19, 
2014, the date of the original of publication of the ANPR.

DATES: BOEM published the ANPR on August 19, 2014 (79 FR 49027) with a 
sixty day comment period. With this extension, comments must be 
received by November 17, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the rulemaking by any of the 
following methods. Please use the Regulation Identifier Number (RIN) 
1010-AD83 as an identifier in your submission.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In 
the entry entitled, ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2013-0058, then 
click search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and 
view supporting and related materials available for this rulemaking. 
BOEM will post all comments received during the comment period.
     Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the 
Interior; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; Attention: Terry Scholten 
at terry.scholten@boem.gov (504-810-2078) or Donna Dixon at 
Donna.Dixon@boem.gov (504-731-1527), or by mail at 1201 Elmwood Park 
Boulvard, GM364D, New Orleans, LA 70123. For issues related to the 
rulemaking process or timetable, contact Peter Meffert at 
peter.meffert@boem.gov (703-787-1610), or by mail at 381 Elden Street, 
Herndon, VA 20170. Please reference ``Risk Management, Financial 
Assurance and Loss Prevention.''
     In your comments include your name and return address so 
that we may contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.
    Public Availability of Comments: 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the risk 
management, financial assurance or loss prevention aspects of this ANPR 
should be directed to Terry Scholten or Donna Dixon, using the contact 
information listed above.

    Dated: September 30, 2014.
Janice M. Schneider,
Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-24165 Filed 10-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
```