[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 31, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16916-16918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04500]



[[Page 16915]]

Vol. 86

Wednesday,

No. 60

March 31, 2021

Part X





 Department of the Interior





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Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

Federal Register / Vol. 86 , No. 60 / Wednesday, March 31, 2021 / UA: 
Reg Flex Agenda

[[Page 16916]]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

25 CFR Ch. I

30 CFR Chs. II and VII

36 CFR Ch. I

43 CFR Subtitle A, Chs. I and II

48 CFR Ch. 14

50 CFR Chs. I and IV

[167D0102DM; DS6CS00000; DLSN00000.00000; DX6CS25]


Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Semiannual regulatory agenda.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides the semiannual agenda of rules scheduled 
for review or development between Fall 2020 and Fall 2021. The 
Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866 require 
publication of the agenda.

ADDRESSES: Unless otherwise indicated, all agency contacts are located 
at the Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 
20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You should direct all comments and 
inquiries about these rules to the appropriate agency contact. You 
should direct general comments relating to the agenda to the Office of 
Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs, Department of the 
Interior, at the address above or at 202-208-3181.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this publication, the Department 
satisfies the requirement of Executive Order 12866 that the Department 
publish an agenda of rules that we have issued or expect to issue and 
of currently effective rules that we have scheduled for review.
    Simultaneously, the Department meets the requirement of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) to publish an agenda 
in April and October of each year identifying rules that will have 
significant economic effects on a substantial number of small entities. 
We have specifically identified in the agenda rules that will have such 
effects.
    This edition of the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and 
Deregulatory Actions includes The Regulatory Plan, which appears in 
both the online Unified Agenda and in part II of the Federal Register 
that includes the Unified Agenda. The Department's Statement of 
Regulatory Priorities is included in the Plan.
    In some cases, the Department has withdrawn rules that were placed 
on previous agendas for which there has been no publication activity or 
for which a proposed or interim rule was published. There is no legal 
significance to the omission of an item from this agenda. Withdrawal of 
a rule does not necessarily mean that the Department will not proceed 
with the rulemaking. Withdrawal allows the Department to assess the 
action further and determine whether rulemaking is appropriate. 
Following such an assessment, the Department may determine that certain 
rules listed as withdrawn under this agenda are appropriate for 
promulgation. If that determination is made, such rules will comply 
with Executive Order 13771.

Bivan R. Patnaik,
Deputy Director of Regulatory Affairs, Executive Secretariat and 
Regulatory Affairs.

   Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement--Proposed Rule Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
272.......................  Update of Regulations on           1014-AA50
                             Relief or Reduction in
                             Royalty Rates.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


   Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management--Proposed Rule
                                  Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
273.......................  Revisions to the                   1082-AA01
                             Requirements for
                             Exploratory Drilling on
                             the Arctic Outer
                             Continental Shelf.
274.......................  Risk Management, Financial         1082-AA02
                             Assurance and Loss
                             Prevention.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


      United States Fish and Wildlife Service--Proposed Rule Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
275.......................  Migratory Bird Hunting;            1018-BE34
                             2021-22 Migratory Game
                             Bird Hunting Regulations.
276.......................  Migratory Bird Hunting;            1018-BF07
                             2022-23 Migratory Game
                             Bird Hunting Regulations.
277.......................  Importation, Exportation           1018-BF16
                             and Transportation of
                             Wildlife; Updates to the
                             Regulations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


       United States Fish and Wildlife Service--Completed Actions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
278.......................  Migratory Bird Hunting;            1018-BD89
                             2020-2021 Migratory Game
                             Bird Hunting Regulations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 16917]]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI)

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

Proposed Rule Stage

272. <bullet> Update of Regulations on Relief or Reduction in Royalty 
Rates

    E.O. 13771 Designation: Deregulatory.
    Legal Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1337(a)(3)(A); 43 U.S.C. 1337(a)(3)(B)
    Abstract: BSEE has reviewed its current regulations pertaining to 
royalty relief and is considering modifications to streamline the 
current provisions related to royalty relief, in order to reduce 
certain unnecessary regulatory burdens imposed under the existing 
regulations. BSEE's modifications to the existing regulations would 
increase transparency, efficiency, and clarity consistent with 
governing law. Appropriately awarded royalty relief helps to ensure 
America has a stable, long-term energy supply while protecting the 
American public (i.e., relief only provided when a lease/project is 
uneconomic paying full royalty). In addition, BSEE is considering 
modifications for a streamlined approach during presidential declared 
emergencies.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   03/00/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Kirk Malstrom, Acting Chief, Regulations and 
Standards Branch, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and 
Environmental Enforcement, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166, 
Phone: 703 787-1751, Fax: 703 787-1555, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fa91938891d4979b96898e889597ba98899f9fd49d958c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c5aeacb7aeeba8a4a9b6b1b7aaa885a7b6a0a0eba2aab3">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1014-AA50

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI)

Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management (ASLM)

Proposed Rule Stage

273. Revisions to the Requirements for Exploratory Drilling on the 
Arctic Outer Continental Shelf

    E.O. 13771 Designation: Deregulatory.
    Legal Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1331 to 1356a; 33 U.S.C. 2701
    Abstract: This proposed rule would revise specific provisions of 
the regulations published in the final Arctic Exploratory Drilling 
Rule, 81 FR 46478 (July 15, 2016), which established a regulatory 
framework for exploratory drilling and related operations within the 
Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea Planning Areas on the Outer Continental 
Shelf of Alaska. The rulemaking for this RIN replaces the Bureau of 
Safety and Environmental Enforcement's RIN 1014-AA40.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   11/00/20
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Justin Abernathy, Deputy Director for Policy, 
Office of the Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs, Department 
of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, 
DC 20240, Phone: 202 513-0357, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#caa0bfb9bea3a495aba8afb8a4abbea2b38aa3a5b9e4aea5a3e4ada5bc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="acc6d9dfd8c5c2f3cdcec9dec2cdd8c4d5ecc5c3df82c8c3c582cbc3da">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1082-AA01

274. Risk Management, Financial Assurance and Loss Prevention

    E.O. 13771 Designation: Deregulatory.
    Legal Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.
    Abstract: As directed by Executive Order 13795, the Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management (BOEM) has reconsidered its financial assurance 
policies, as reflected in Notice to Lessees No. 2016-N01 (September 12, 
2016). In consideration of that review, BOEM and the Bureau of Safety 
and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) are now developing a joint rule 
that is intended to revise existing financial assurance policies for 
oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf in order to 
ensure operator compliance with financial and performance obligations 
while reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   10/16/20  85 FR 65904
NPRM Comment Period End.............   12/15/20
Final Action........................   02/00/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Justin Abernathy, Deputy Director for Policy, 
Office of the Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs, Department 
of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, 
DC 20240, Phone: 202 513-0357, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2b8a7a1a6bbbc8db3b0b7a0bcb3a6baab92bbbda1fcb6bdbbfcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="89e3fcfafde0e7d6e8ebecfbe7e8fde1f0c9e0e6faa7ede6e0a7eee6ff">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1082-AA02

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI)

United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Proposed Rule Stage

275. Migratory Bird Hunting; 2021-22 Migratory Game Bird Hunting 
Regulations

    E.O. 13771 Designation: Fully or Partially Exempt.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 703 to 712; 16 U.S.C. 742a-j
    Abstract: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to establish 
annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 
2021-22 hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits 
(frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. This 
proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, announces the Service 
Migratory Bird Regulations Committee and Flyway Council meetings, 
describes the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2021-22 duck 
hunting seasons, and requests proposals from Indian Tribes that wish to 
establish special migratory game bird hunting regulations on Federal 
Indian reservations and ceded lands.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   10/09/20  85 FR 64097
NPRM Comment Period End.............   11/09/20
NPRM--Supplemental..................   11/00/20
NPRM--Proposed Frameworks...........   01/00/21
NPRM--Proposed Tribal Regulations...   01/00/21
Final Action--Final Frameworks......   04/00/21
Final Action--Final Tribal             06/00/21
 Regulations.
Final Action--Season Selections.....   06/00/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Jerome Ford, Assistant Director--Migratory Bird 
Program, Department of the Interior, United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS-MB, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803, Phone: 
703 358-1050, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#432926312c2e261c252c3127032534306d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dab0bfa8b5b7bf85bcb5a8be9abcada9f4bdb5ac">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1018-BE34

276. Migratory Bird Hunting; 2022-23 Migratory Game Bird Hunting 
Regulations

    E.O. 13771 Designation: Fully or Partially Exempt.

[[Page 16918]]

    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 703 to 712; 16 U.S.C. 742a-j
    Abstract: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to establish 
annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 
2022-23 hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits 
(frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. This 
proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, announces the Service 
Migratory Bird Regulations Committee and Flyway Council meetings, 
describes the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2022-23 duck 
hunting seasons, and requests proposals from Indian Tribes that wish to 
establish special migratory game bird hunting regulations on Federal 
Indian reservations and ceded lands.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   06/00/21
NPRM--Supplemental..................   09/00/21
NPRM--Proposed Frameworks...........   12/00/21
NPRM--Proposed Tribal Regulations...   01/00/22
Final Action--Final Frameworks......   02/00/22
Final Action--Final Tribal             04/00/22
 Regulations.
Final Action--Season Selections.....   06/00/22
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Jerome Ford, Assistant Director--Migratory Bird 
Program, Department of the Interior, United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS-MB, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803, Phone: 
703 358-1050, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4ded1c6dbd9d1ebd2dbc6d0f4d2c3c79ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="caa0afb8a5a7af95aca5b8ae8aacbdb9e4ada5bc">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1018-BF07

277. Importation, Exportation and Transportation of Wildlife; Updates 
to the Regulations

    E.O. 13771 Designation: Other.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 668; 16 U.S.C. 704; 16 U.S.C. 712; 16 
U.S.C. 1382; 16 U.S.C. 1538(d)-(f),; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); 16 U.S.C. 33 
8(d)-(f); 16 U.S.C. 3371 to 3378; 16 U.S.C. 4223 to 4244; 16 U.S.C. 
4901 to 4916; 18 U.S.C. 42; 31 U.S.C. 42; 31 U.S.C. 9701
    Abstract: We propose to rewrite our regulations governing the 
importation and exportation of wildlife to make these regulations 
easier to understand. In addition, we propose to revise the inspection 
fees associated with the importation and exportation of wildlife and to 
update the list of species that qualify as domesticated species, for 
which U.S. Fish and Wildlife inspection and clearance is not required. 
The current inspection fees have been in effect since 2012. The 
establishment of these fees is consistent with the Independent Offices 
Appropriations Act of 1952 and OMB Circular No. A-25, which provide 
that services provided by Federal agencies are to be self-sustaining to 
the extent possible and that fees assessed should be sufficient to 
recover the full cost to the Federal Government of providing the 
service and are based on market prices.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   07/00/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Edward Grace, Assistant Director, Office of Law 
Enforcement, Department of the Interior, United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: LEO, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803, Phone: 703 358-1949, Fax: 703 358-1947, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#583d3c2f392a3c073f2a393b3d183e2f2b763f372e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6c3c2d1c7d4c2f9c1d4c7c5c3e6c0d1d588c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1018-BF16

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI)

United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Completed Actions

278. Migratory Bird Hunting; 2020-2021 Migratory Game Bird Hunting 
Regulations

    E.O. 13771 Designation: Fully or Partially Exempt.
    Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 703 to 712; 16 U.S.C. 742a-j
    Abstract: This rule establishes hunting regulations for certain 
migratory game birds for the 2020-2021 hunting season. Migratory game 
bird hunting seasons provide opportunities for recreation and 
sustenance; aid Federal, State, and Tribal governments in the 
management of migratory game birds; and permit harvests at levels 
compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat 
conditions. We annually prescribe outside limits (frameworks) within 
which States may select hunting seasons. We also work with Indian 
tribes that wish to establish special migratory game bird hunting 
regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands. For this 
rule, we used a regulatory impact analysis developed in 2013 and 
incorporated the most recent available data to quantify the costs and 
benefits of different regulatory alternatives.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPRM................................   10/15/19  84 FR 55120
NPRM Comment Period End.............   11/15/19
NPRM--Proposed Frameworks...........   03/19/20  85 FR 15870
NPRM Comment Period End.............   04/20/20
NPRM--Proposed Tribal Regulations...   04/02/20  85 FR 18532
NPRM Comment Period End.............   05/04/20
Final Frameworks....................   08/21/20  85 FR 51854
Final Tribal Regulations............   08/28/20  85 FR 53247
Season Selections...................   08/28/20  85 FR 53260
Final Action Effective..............   08/21/20
Final Action Effective..............   08/28/20
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Dr. Eric L. Kershner, Chief, Branch of 
Conservation, Permits, and Regulations, Department of the Interior, 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: MB, 
Falls Church, VA 22041, Phone: 703 358-2376, Fax: 703 358-2217, Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6401160d073b0f0116170c0a0116240213174a030b12"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d283f242e1226283f3e2523283f0d2b3a3e632a223b">[email protected]</span></a>.
    RIN: 1018-BD89

[FR Doc. 2021-04500 Filed 3-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4334-63-P


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