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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI)

Statement of Regulatory Priorities

The Department of the Interior (DOI) is the principal Federal steward of our Nation's public 

lands and resources, including many of our cultural treasures. DOI serves as trustee to Native 

Americans and Alaska native trust assets and is responsible for relations with the island 

territories under United States jurisdiction. The Department manages more than 500 million 

acres of Federal lands, including 401 park units, 560 wildlife refuges, and approximately 1.7 

billion of submerged offshore acres. These areas include natural resources that are essential for 

America's industry - oil and gas, coal, and minerals such as gold and uranium. On public lands 

and the Outer Continental Shelf, Interior provides access for renewable and conventional energy 

development and manages the protection and restoration of surface mined lands. 

The Department protects and recovers endangered species; protects natural, historic, and cultural 

resources; manages water projects that are a lifeline and economic engine for many communities 

in the West; manages forests and fights wildfires; manages Federal energy resources; regulates 

surface coal mining operations; reclaims abandoned coal mines; educates children in Indian 

schools; and provides recreational opportunities for over 400 million visitors annually in the 

Nation's national parks, public lands, national wildlife refuges, and recreation areas. 

The DOI will continue to review and update its regulations and policies to ensure that they are 

effective and efficient, and that they promote accountability and sustainability. The DOI will 

emphasize regulations and policies that: 

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• Promote environmentally responsible, safe, and balanced development of renewable and 

conventional energy on our public lands and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); 

• Use the best available science to ensure that public resources are protected, conserved, 

and used wisely; 

• Preserve America's natural treasures for future generations; 

• Improve the nation-to-nation relationship with American Indian tribes; 

• Promote partnerships with States, tribes, local governments, other groups, and individuals 

to achieve common goals; and 

• Promote transparency, fairness, accountability, and the highest ethical standards while 

maintaining performance goals. 

Major Regulatory Areas

The DOI bureaus implement congressionally mandated programs through their regulations. 

Some of these regulatory programs include: 

• Developing onshore and offshore energy, including renewable, mineral, oil and gas, and 

other energy resources; 

• Regulating surface coal mining and reclamation operations on public and private lands; 

• Managing migratory birds and preserving marine mammals and endangered species; 

• Managing dedicated lands, such as national parks, wildlife refuges, National Landscape 

Conservation System lands, and American Indian trust lands; 

• Managing public lands open to multiple use; 

• Managing revenues from American Indian and Federal minerals; 

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• Fulfilling trust and other responsibilities pertaining to American Indians and Alaska 

Natives; 

• Managing natural resource damage assessments; and 

• Managing assistance programs. 

Regulatory Policy

The DOI's regulatory programs seek to operate programs transparently, efficiently, and 

cooperatively while maximizing protection of our land, resources, and environment in a fiscally 

responsible way by: 

(1) Protecting Natural, Cultural, and Heritage Resources. 

The Department's mission includes protecting and providing access to our Nation's natural and 

cultural heritage and honoring our trust responsibilities to tribes. We are committed to this 

mission and to applying laws and regulations fairly and effectively. Our priorities include 

protecting public health and safety, restoring and maintaining public lands, protecting threatened 

and endangered species, ameliorating land- and resource-management problems on public lands, 

and ensuring accountability and compliance with Federal laws and regulations. 

(2) Sustainably Using Energy, Water, and Natural Resources. 

Since the beginning of the Obama Administration, the Department has focused on renewable 

energy issues and has established priorities for environmentally responsible development of 

renewable energy on public lands and the OCS. Industry has started to respond by investing in 

the development of wind farms off the Atlantic seacoast and solar, wind, and geothermal energy 

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facilities throughout the West. Power generation from these new energy sources produces 

virtually no greenhouse gases and, when done in an environmentally responsible manner, 

harnesses with minimum impact abundant renewable energy. The Department will continue its 

intra- and inter-departmental efforts to move forward with the environmentally responsible 

review and permitting of renewable energy projects on public lands, and will identify how its 

regulatory processes can be improved to facilitate the responsible development of these 

resources. 

In implementing these priorities through its regulations, the Department will create jobs and 

contribute to a healthy economy while protecting our signature landscapes, natural resources, 

wildlife, and cultural resources. 

(3) Empowering People and Communities. 

The Department strongly encourages public participation in the regulatory process and will 

continue to actively engage the public in the implementation of priority initiatives. Throughout 

the Department, individual bureaus and offices are ensuring that the American people have an 

active role in managing our Nation's public lands and resources. 

For example, every year FWS establishes migratory bird hunting seasons in partnership with 

flyway councils composed of State fish and wildlife agencies. FWS also holds a series of public 

meetings to give other interested parties, including hunters and other groups, opportunities to 

participate in establishing the upcoming season's regulations. Similarly, BLM uses Resource 

Advisory Councils to advise on management of public lands and resources. These citizen-based 

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groups allow individuals from all backgrounds and interests to have a voice in management of 

public lands. 

In June 2013, NPS published the final rule revising the regulations for management of 

demonstrations and the sale or distribution of printed matter in most areas of the National Park 

System to allow a small-group exception to permit requirements. In essence, under specific 

criteria, demonstrations and the sale or distribution of printed matter involving 25 or fewer 

persons may be held in designated areas, without first obtaining a permit; i.e. making it easier for 

individuals and small groups to express their views. 

Retrospective Review of Regulations

President Obama's Executive Order 13563 directs agencies to make the regulatory system work 

better for the American public. Regulations should "...protect public health, welfare, safety, and 

our environment while promoting economic growth, innovation, competitiveness, and job 

creation." DOI's plan for retrospective regulatory review identifies specific efforts to relieve 

regulatory burdens, add jobs to the economy, and make regulations work better for the American 

public while protecting our environment and resources. The DOI plan seeks to strengthen and 

maintain a culture of retrospective review by consolidating all regulatory review requirements 

into DOI's annual regulatory plan.1

 

In examining its existing regulations, DOI has also taken a hybrid regulatory approach, 

incorporating flexible, performance based standards with existing regulatory requirements where 

possible to strengthen safety and environmental protection across the onshore and offshore oil 

 

1

 DOI conducts regulatory review under numerous statutes, Executive orders, memoranda, and policies, including 

but not limited to the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA), the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 

Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA), Executive Orders 12866 and 13563, and the DOI Departmental Manual. 

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and natural gas industry while minimizing additional burdens on the economy. The Department 

routinely meets with stakeholders to solicit feedback and gather input on how to incorporate 

performance based standards. DOI has received helpful public input through this process and 

will continue to participate in this effort with relevant interagency partners as part of its 

retrospective regulatory review. 

Under section 6 of Executive Order 13563 "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review" (Jan. 

18, 2011), the following Regulation Identifier Numbers (RINs) have been identified as 

associated with retrospective review and analysis in the Department's final retrospective review 

of regulations plan. 

Bureau Title & RIN Description Reduces 

burdens on 

small 

business?

Office of 

Natural 

Resources 

Revenue 

Oil and Gas 

Royalty 

Valuation 

1012-AA13 

DOI is exploring a simplified market-based approach 

to arrive at the value of oil and gas for royalty 

purposes that could dramatically reduce accounting 

and paperwork requirements and costs on industry and 

better ensure proper royalty valuation by creating a 

more transparent royalty calculation method. 

Yes 

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Bureau Title & RIN Description Reduces 

burdens on 

small 

business?

Fish and 

Wildlife 

Service 

ESA Section 7 

Consultation 

Process; 

Incidental Take 

Statements 

1018-AX85 

Court decisions rendered over the last decade 

regarding the adequacy of incidental take statements 

have prompted us, along with the National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NOAA, Commerce), to consider 

clarifying our regulations concerning two aspects of 

issuance of incidental take statements during section 7 

consultation under the Endangered Species Act. A 

proposed rule published on September 4, 2013. The 

proposed regulatory changes specifically address the 

use of surrogates to express the limit of exempted take 

and how to determine when deferral of an incidental 

take exemption is appropriate. This is a joint 

rulemaking with NOAA. 

No 

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Bureau Title & RIN Description Reduces 

burdens on 

small 

business?

Fish and 

Wildlife 

Service 

Regulations 

Governing 

Designation of 

Critical Habitat 

Under Section 

4 of the ESA 

1018-AX86 

The proposed rule would amend existing regulations 

governing the designation of critical habitat under 

section 4 of the Endangered Species Act. The 

proposed amendments would make minor edits to the 

scope and purpose, add and remove some definitions, 

and clarify the criteria for designating critical habitat. 

A number of factors, including litigation and FWS’s 

experience over the years in interpreting and applying 

the statutory definition of critical habitat, have 

highlighted the need to clarify or revise the current 

regulations. This is a joint rulemaking with NOAA. 

No 

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Bureau Title & RIN Description Reduces 

burdens on 

small 

business?

Fish and 

Wildlife 

Service 

Policy 

Regarding 

Implementation 

of Section 

4(b)(2) of the 

Endangered 

Species Act

1018-AX87 

This draft policy would articulate our position on how 

we consider partnerships and conservation plans, 

habitat conservation plans, tribal lands, military lands, 

and Federal lands in the exclusion process. This draft 

policy is meant to complement the proposed 

amendments to our regulations regarding exclusions 

from critical habitat and is intended to clarify 

expectations regarding critical habitat and provide for 

a credible, predictable, and simplified critical-habitatexclusion process. This policy would foster clarity 

and consistency in the designation of critical habitat in 

an effort to ensure that the purposes of the 

Endangered Species Act are fully met. We will seek 

public review and comment on the proposed policy. 

This is a joint policy with NOAA. 

No 

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Bureau Title & RIN Description Reduces 

burdens on 

small 

business?

Fish and 

Wildlife 

Service 

ESA Section 7 

Consultation 

Regulations; 

Definition of 

"Destruction or 

Adverse 

Modification" 

of Critical 

Habitat 

1018-AX88 

The proposed rule would amend the existing 

regulations governing section 7 consultation under the 

Endangered Species Act to revise the definition of 

"destruction or adverse modification" of critical 

habitat. The current regulatory definition has been 

invalidated by the courts for being inconsistent with 

the language of the Endangered Species Act. The 

revised definition will provide the Services and 

Federal agencies with greater clarity in how to ensure 

that any action they authorize, fund, or carry out is not 

likely to result in the destruction or adverse 

modification of critical habitat, consistent with section 

7(a)(2) of the ESA. We therefore need to propose a 

revised definition and seek public review and 

comment This is a joint rulemaking with NOAA. 

No 

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Bureau Title & RIN Description Reduces 

burdens on 

small 

business?

Bureau of 

Indian 

Affairs 

Procedures for 

Establishing 

that an Indian 

Group Exists as 

an Indian Tribe 

1076-AF18 

The Department is examining its regulations 

governing the process and criteria by which Indian 

groups are federally acknowledged as Indian tribes to 

determine how regulatory changes could increase 

transparency, timeliness, efficiency, and flexibility, 

while maintaining the integrity of the 

acknowledgment process. 

No 

National 

Park 

Service, Fish 

and Wildlife 

Service, 

Bureau of 

Land Mgt), 

Bureau of 

Reclamation, 

and Bureau 

of Indian 

Affairs 

Commercial 

Filming on 

Public Lands 

1024-AD30 

This joint effort between the National Park Service, 

Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land 

Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bureau of 

Indian Affairs has created consistent regulations and a 

unified DOI fee schedule for commercial filming and 

still photography on public land. It provides the 

commercial filming industry with a predictable fee for 

using Federal lands, while earning the Government a 

fair return for the use of the land. The final regulation 

was published on August 22, 2013. The proposed fee 

schedule with request for public comment was 

published on the same date. Following comment 

analyses a final fee schedule will be published. 

Yes 

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DOI bureaus work to make our regulations easier to comply with and understand. Our regulatory 

process ensures that bureaus share ideas on how to reduce regulatory burdens while meeting the 

requirements of the laws they enforce and improving their stewardship of the environment and 

resources. Results include: 

• Effective stewardship of our Nation's resources in a way that is responsive to the needs of 

small businesses; 

• Increased benefits per dollars spent by carefully evaluating the economic effects of 

planned rules; and 

• Improved compliance and transparency by use of plain language in our regulations and 

guidance documents. 

Bureaus and Offices within DOI

The following sections give an overview of some of the major regulatory priorities of DOI 

bureaus and offices. 

Bureau of Indian Affairs 

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) administers and manages 55 million acres of surface land 

and 57 million acres of subsurface minerals held in trust by the United States for Indians and 

Indian tribes, provides services to approximately 1.9 million Indians and Alaska Natives, and 

maintains a government-to-government relationship with the 566 federally recognized Indian 

tribes. BIA's mission is to enhance the quality of life, promote economic opportunity, and 

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protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives, as 

well as to provide quality education opportunities to students in Indian schools. 

In the coming year, BIA will continue its focus on improved management of trust responsibilities 

with each regulatory review and revision. BIA will also continue to promote economic 

development in Indian communities by ensuring the regulations support, rather than hinder, 

productive land management. In addition, BIA will focus on updating Indian education 

regulations and on other regulatory changes to increase transparency in support of the President's 

Open Government Initiative. 

In the coming year, BIA's regulatory priorities are to: 

• Develop regulations to meet the Indian trust reform goals for rights-of-ways across Indian 

land. 

• Develop regulatory changes necessary for improved Indian education. 

BIA is reviewing regulations that require the Bureau of Indian Education to follow 23 different 

State adequate yearly progress standards; the review will determine whether a uniform standard 

would better meet the needs of students at Bureau-funded schools. With regard to undergraduate 

education, the Bureau of Indian Education is reviewing regulations that address grants to tribally 

controlled community colleges and other Indian education regulations. These reviews will 

identify provisions that need to be updated to comply with applicable statutes and ensure that the 

proper regulatory framework is in place to support students of Bureau-funded schools. 

• Develop regulatory changes to reform the process for Federal acknowledgment of Indian 

tribes. 

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Over the years, BIA has received significant comments from American Indian groups and 

members of Congress on the Federal acknowledgment process. Most of these comments claim 

that the current process is cumbersome and overly restrictive. BIA is reviewing the Federal 

acknowledgment regulations to determine how regulatory changes may streamline the 

acknowledgment process and clarify criteria by which an Indian group is examined. 

• Revise regulations to reflect updated statutory provisions and increase transparency. 

BIA is making a concentrated effort to improve the readability and precision of its regulations. 

Because trust beneficiaries often turn to the regulations for guidance on how a given BIA process 

works, BIA is ensuring that each revised regulation is written as clearly as possible and 

accurately reflects the current organization of the Bureau. The Bureau is also simplifying 

language and eliminating obsolete provisions. In the coming year, the Bureau also plans to revise 

regulations regarding rights-of-way (25 CFR 169); Indian Reservation Roads (25 CFR 170); and 

certain regulations specific to the Osage Nation. 

Bureau of Land Management

BLM manages the 245-million-acre National System of Public Lands, located primarily in the 

western States, including Alaska, and the 700-million-acre subsurface mineral estate located 

throughout the Nation. In doing so, BLM manages such varied uses as energy and mineral 

development, outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, and forestry and woodlands products. 

BLM's complex multiple-use mission affects the lives of millions of Americans, including those 

who live near and visit the public lands, as well as those who benefit from the commodities, such 

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as minerals, energy, or timber, produced from the lands' rich resources. In undertaking its 

management responsibilities, BLM seeks to conserve our public lands' natural and cultural 

resources and sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of 

present and future generations. In the coming year, BLM's highest regulatory priorities include: 

• Revising antiquated hydraulic fracturing regulations. 

BLM's existing regulations applicable to hydraulic fracturing were promulgated over 20 years 

ago and do not reflect modern technology. In seeking to modernize its requirements and ensure 

the protection of our Nation's public lands, BLM has proposed a rule that would disclose to the 

public chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing on public land and Indian land, strengthen 

regulations related to well-bore integrity, and address issues related to flowback water. 

• Creating a competitive process for offering lands for solar and wind energy development. 

BLM is preparing a proposed rule that would establish an efficient competitive process for 

leasing public lands for solar and wind energy development. The amended regulations would 

establish competitive bidding procedures for lands within designated solar and wind energy 

development leasing areas, define qualifications for potential bidders, and structure the financial 

arrangements necessary for the process. The proposed rule would enhance BLM's ability to 

capture fair market value for the use of public lands, ensure fair access to leasing opportunities 

for renewable energy development, and foster the growth and development of the renewable 

energy sector of the economy. 

• Preventing waste of produced oil and gas and regulating use for beneficial purposes. 

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A proposed rule would cover the prevention of waste by minimizing the amount of venting and 

flaring that takes place on oil and gas production facilities on Federal and Indian lands. It would 

also delineate which activities qualify for beneficial use of the oil and gas resource to ensure that 

proper royalties are paid on oil and gas removed from Federal and Trust lands. 

• Seeking public input on managing waste mine methane. 

BLM plans to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) requesting information 

from the public that might assist the bureau in the establishment of a program to capture, use, or 

destroy waste mine methane from Federal coal leases and Federal leases for other solid minerals 

• Ensuring a fair return to the American taxpayer for oil shale development. 

The rule would encourage responsible development of federal oil shale resources and evaluate 

necessary safeguards to protect scarce water resources and important wildlife habitat while 

assuring a fair royalty to the American people. 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) 

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) promotes energy independence, 

environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science-based 

management of offshore conventional and renewable energy resources. It is dedicated to 

fostering the development of both conventional and renewable energy and mineral resources on 

the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in an efficient and effective manner, balancing the need for 

economic growth with the protection of the environment and conservation of the nation's scarce 

resources. The Bureau is committed to fostering the expansion of domestic energy production, 

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domestic energy independence and providing essential revenues to support the economic 

development of the country. BOEM thoughtfully considers and balances the potential 

environmental impacts involved in exploring and extracting these resources. BOEM's near-term 

regulatory agenda will focus on a number of issues, including: 

• Expanding renewable energy resources. 

As part of President Obama’s comprehensive plan to move our economy toward domestic clean 

energy sources, BOEM is holding offshore renewable energy lease sales for the first time in U.S. 

history. BOEM is preparing to develop a number of standards and criteria to facilitate the more 

effective use of wind turbine technology on the OCS. The Bureau is completing a rulemaking to 

provide additional time for applicants for renewable projects to submit certain plans for which 

BOEM found the regulatory timeline to be unreasonable. This is designed to provide an 

appropriate balance between ensuring diligent progress on our renewable energy leases and 

accounting for the needs of renewable energy developers. 

Two proposed rulemakings address recommendations submitted to BOEM by the Transportation 

Research Board of the National Academies and its stakeholders. Specifically, these include 

recommendations to: develop and incorporate state of the art wind turbine design standards and 

to clarify the role of Certified Verification Agents as part of the process of designing, fabricating, 

and installing offshore wind energy facilities for the OCS. 

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• Promoting safe drilling activities on the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf 

BOEM, jointly with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), is 

developing proposed rules to promote safe, responsible, and effective drilling activities on the 

Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, while also ensuring the protection of Alaska’s coastal 

communities and the marine environment. 

• Protecting the Environment. 

In a continuing effort to minimize the risk that oil spills will occur and that the effects of any 

future potential spills can be minimized and fully mitigated, BOEM is raising the limits of 

liability associated with future spills up to the statutory maximum. BOEM is also revising its 

regulations designed to oversee the Oil Spill Financial Responsibility process for which it is 

responsible. In addition, working in close conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard and the 

Department of Justice, BOEM is making a concerted effort to make sure that all necessary 

resources will be made available to address all potential contingencies of an oil spill and 

associated damages. 

• Updating BOEM's Air Quality Program. 

Until recently, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has exercised jurisdiction for air quality only 

for OCS sources operating in the Gulf of Mexico. In fiscal year 2012, Congress expanded DOI’s 

authority by transferring to it responsibility for monitoring OCS air quality off the north coast of 

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Alaska. In light of this change, BOEM is undertaking a thorough review of its air quality 

program. BOEM intends to exercise its mandate by ensuring the responsible development of 

natural resources in both regions by ensuring that regulations are developed to appropriately 

balance environmental needs and requirements against the needs for economic development. In 

doing this, BOEM is consulting and coordinating its efforts with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, the National Park Service and the Environmental Protection Agency. 

• Protecting OCS Sand, Gravel, and Shell Resources. 

In light of the continuing need to provide resources to protect the coast from natural disasters like 

Hurricane Sandy, BOEM is developing policies and goals to formally address the use of OCS 

sand, gravel, or shell resources funded by the Federal government. These policies are intended 

to ensure that necessary sand and gravel resources remain available to help communities that 

have been harmed by hurricanes and other disasters, so that beaches and other natural resources 

can effectively be restored, without adversely impacting the development of transmission lines 

and pipelines needed for energy development projects. Taken together, these policies will ensure 

that the development of renewable and conventional energy resources continues to take place in 

areas adjacent to key sand and gravel resource zones and that sand and gravel resources continue 

to be available for construction projects, shore protection, beach replenishment, or wetlands 

restoration purposes. 

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Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

BSEE's mission is to regulate safety, emergency preparedness, environmental responsibility and 

appropriate development and conservation of offshore oil and natural gas resources. BSEE's 

regulatory priorities are guided by the BSEE FY 2012-2015 Strategic Plan, which includes two 

strategic goals to focus the Bureau's priorities in fulfillment of its mission: 

• Regulate, enforce, and respond to OCS development using the full range of authorities, 

policies, and tools to compel safety and environmental responsibility and appropriate 

development of offshore oil and natural gas resources. 

• Build and sustain the organizational, technical, and intellectual capacity within and across 

BSEE's key functions - capacity that keeps pace with OCS industry technology improvements, 

innovates in regulation and enforcement, and reduces risk through systemic assessment and 

regulatory and enforcement actions. 

The Three-Year Strategic Plan reflects the intent of BSEE to build a bureau capable of keeping 

pace with the rapidly advancing technologies employed by the industry, building and sustaining 

its organizational, technical, and intellectual capacity, and instilling a commitment to safe 

practices at all levels of offshore operations, at all times. Additionally, the strategic plan 

incorporates BSEE's approach to address numerous recommendations contained in Government 

Accountability Office, Office of Inspector General (OIG), and other external reports. 

BSEE has identified the following four areas of regulatory priorities: (1) Compliance; (2) Oil 

Spill Response; (3) Alaska; and (4) Managing and Mitigating Risk. Among the specific 

regulatory priorities that will be BSEE's priorities over the course of the next year are: 

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• Compliance 

BSEE will finalize revisions of its rule on production safety systems and expand the use of 

lifecycle analysis of critical equipment. This rule addresses issues such as subsurface safety 

devices, safety device testing, and expands the requirements for operating production systems on 

the OCS. 

• Oil Spill Response 

BSEE will update regulations for offshore oil spill response planning and preparedness. This 

rule will incorporate lessons learned from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, improved 

preparedness capability standards, and applicable research findings. This regulatory update will 

establish standards that drive owners, lessees, and operators to use all applicable tools in a 

system-based plan that demonstrates the ability to respond to oil spills quickly and effectively. 

• Alaska 

BSEE is working with BOEM on a joint proposed rule to promote safe, responsible, and 

effective drilling activities on the Alaska OCS while ensuring protection of Alaska’s 

communities and marine environment. 

• Managing and Mitigating Risk 

BSEE will develop a proposed rule containing requirements on blowout preventers and critical 

reforms in the areas of well design, well control, casing, cementing, real-time monitoring, and 

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subsea containment. This proposed rule will address and implement multiple recommendations 

resulting from various investigations from the Macondo blowout. 

Office of Natural Resources Revenue

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) will continue to collect, account for, and 

disburse revenues from Federal offshore energy and mineral leases and from onshore mineral 

leases on Federal and Indian lands. The program operates nationwide and is primarily 

responsible for timely and accurate collection, distribution, and accounting for revenues 

associated with mineral and energy production. ONRR's regulatory plan priorities for the 

upcoming year include: 

• Simplifying valuation regulations 

ONRR plans to simplify the regulations at 30 CFR part 1206 for establishing the value for 

royalty purposes of: (1) Oil and natural gas produced from Federal leases; and (2) coal and 

geothermal resources produced from Federal and Indian leases. Additionally, the proposed rules 

would consolidate sections of the regulations common to all minerals, such as definitions and 

instructions regarding how a payor should request a valuation determination. ONRR published 

Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRMs) to initiate the rulemaking process and to 

obtain input from interested parties. 

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

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The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) was created by the Surface 

Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). Under SMCRA, OSM has two 

principal functions - the regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations and the 

reclamation and restoration of abandoned coal mine lands. In enacting SMCRA, Congress 

directed OSM to "strike a balance between protection of the environment and agricultural 

productivity and the Nation's need for coal as an essential source of energy." In response to its 

statutory mandate, OSM has sought to develop and maintain a stable regulatory program that is 

safe, cost-effective, and environmentally sound. A stable regulatory program ensures that the 

coal mining industry has clear guidelines for operation and reclamation, and that citizens know 

how the program is being implemented. 

OSM's Federal regulatory program sets minimum requirements for obtaining a permit for surface 

and underground coal mining operations, sets performance standards for those operations, 

requires reclamation of lands and waters disturbed by mining, and requires enforcement to 

ensure that the standards are met. OSM is the primary regulatory authority for SMCRA 

enforcement until a State or Indian tribe develops its own regulatory program, which is no less 

effective than the Federal program. When a State or Indian tribe achieves "primacy," it assumes 

direct responsibility for permitting, inspection, and enforcement activities under its federally 

approved regulatory program. The regulatory standards in Federal program states and in 

primacy states are essentially the same with only minor, non-substantive differences. Today, 24 

States have primacy, including 23 of the 24 coal producing States. OSM's regulatory priorities 

for the coming year will focus on: 

• Stream Protection. 

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Protect streams and related environmental resources from the adverse effects of surface coal 

mining operations; and 

• Coal Combustion Residues. 

Establish Federal standards for the beneficial use of coal combustion residues on active and 

abandoned coal mines. 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is to work with others to conserve, 

protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the 

American people. FWS also helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing 

opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. 

FWS fulfills its responsibilities through a diverse array of programs that: 

• Protect and recover endangered and threatened species; 

• Monitor and manage migratory birds; 

• Restore native aquatic populations and nationally significant fisheries; 

• Enforce Federal wildlife laws and regulate international trade; 

• Conserve and restore wildlife habitat such as wetlands; 

• Help foreign governments conserve wildlife through international conservation efforts; 

• Distribute Federal funds to States, territories, and tribes for fish and wildlife conservation 

projects; and 

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• Manage the more than 150-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which protects 

and conserves fish and wildlife and their habitats and allows the public to engage in 

outdoor recreational activities. 

Over the course of the next year, FWS regulatory priorities will include: 

• Critical habitat regulations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

FWS will issue rules to clarify definitions of "critical habitat" and "destruction or adverse 

modification," to improve our consultation process in regard to issuing incidental take 

statements, and otherwise make improvements to the process of critical habitat designation. 

• Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act regulatory reform. 

In an effort to promote renewable energy while carrying out our responsibility to protect certain 

species of birds, we will finalize our proposal to revise our regulations for permits for 

nonpurposeful take of eagles. By proposing to extend the maximum term for programmatic 

permits to 30 years, as long as certain requirements are met, we will facilitate the development of 

renewable energy projects that are designed to be in operation for many decades. 

• Protecting refuges. 

We will issue a proposed rule to ensure that all operators conducting oil or gas operations on 

NWRS lands do so in a manner that prevents or minimizes damage to the lands, visitor values, 

and management objectives. 

• Making regulations more user-friendly. 

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We will issue rules to amend the format of the ESA lists to make them more user-friendly for the 

public, to correct errors in regard to taxonomy, to include rules issued by the National Marine 

Fisheries Service for marine species, and to more clearly describe areas where listed species are 

protected. 

National Park Service

NPS preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values within more than 400 

units of the National Park System encompassing nearly 84 million acres of lands and waters for 

the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. NPS also cooperates 

with partners to extend the benefits of natural and resource conservation and outdoor recreation 

throughout the United States and the world. 

To achieve this mission NPS adheres to the following guiding principles: 

• Excellent Service: Providing the best possible service to park visitors and partners. 

• Productive Partnerships: Collaborating with Federal, State, tribal, and local 

governments, private organizations, and businesses to work toward common goals. 

• Citizen Involvement: Providing opportunities for citizens to participate in the decisions 

and actions of the National Park Service. 

• Heritage Education: Educating park visitors and the general public about their history 

and common heritage. 

• Outstanding Employees: Empowering a diverse workforce committed to excellence, 

integrity, and quality work. 

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• Employee Development: Providing developmental opportunities and training so 

employees have the "tools to do the job" safely and efficiently. 

• Wise Decisions: Integrating social, economic, environmental, and ethical considerations 

into the decision-making process. 

• Effective Management: Instilling a performance management philosophy that fosters 

creativity, focuses on results, and requires accountability at all levels. 

• Research and Technology: Incorporating research findings and new technologies to 

improve work practices, products, and services. 

NPS’ regulatory priorities for the coming year include: 

• Managing Off Road Vehicle Use 

(1) Curecanti National Recreation Area: A proposed rule published in July of 2013. The 

rule would designate routes and areas within Curecanti National Recreation Area where off-road 

vehicles (ORVs) and snowmobiles will be allowed within the recreation area. ORV use will 

primarily occur below the high water line of the Blue Mesa Reservoir. The rule also would 

provide for designation of new snowmobile access points and designates snowmobile routes 

from the access points to the frozen surface of the Blue Mesa Reservoir. 

(2) Fire Island National Seashore: The rule would define applicable terms, designates 

driving routes, driving conditions, and establishes permit conditions for ORV use within Fire 

Island National Seashore. 

(3) Wrangell St.-Elias National Preserve: The rule would (i) designate trails in the Nabesna 

District of Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve where ORVs may be used for recreational 

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purposes; (ii) impose ORV size and weight restrictions; and (iii) close areas to ORV use for 

subsistence purposes in designated wilderness. 

(4) Lake Meredith NRA: The rule would designate ORV routes, addresses required safety 

equipment, speed limits and clarifies ORV use for the benefit of NPS personnel and the public. 

(5) Glen Canyon NRA: The rule would authorize ORV use, designate routes and areas, and 

establish criteria for operation of ORVs. 

• Managing Bicycling 

NPS rules would authorize and manage designate bicycles routes and allow for management of 

bicycle use on designated routes at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, New River Gorge National 

River, Chattahoochee NRA, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and Lake Meredith 

National Recreation Area. 

• Implementing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act 

(1) A rule will correct inaccuracies or inconsistencies in the 43 CFR part 10 regulations, 

implementing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which have been 

identified by or brought to the attention of the Department of the Interior. 

(21) A new rule would establish a process for disposition of Unclaimed Human Remains and 

Funerary Objects discovered after November 16, 1990, on Federal or Indian Lands. 

(2) A rule revising the existing regulations would describe the NAGPRA process in plain 

language with clear time parameters, eliminate ambiguity, clarify terms, and include Native 

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Hawaiians in the process. The rule would eliminate unnecessary requirements for museums and 

would not add process or new information collection. 

• Regulating non-Federal oil and gas activity on NPS land 

The rule would account for new technology and industry practices, eliminate regulatory 

exemptions, update new legal requirements, remove caps on bond amounts, and allow the NPS 

to recover compliance costs associated with administering the regulations. 

Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation's mission is to manage, develop, and protect water and related 

resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American 

public. To accomplish this mission, we employ management, engineering, and science to 

achieve effective and environmentally sensitive solutions. 

Reclamation projects provide: Irrigation water service, municipal and industrial water supply, 

hydroelectric power generation, water quality improvement, groundwater management, fish and 

wildlife enhancement, outdoor recreation, flood control, navigation, river regulation and control, 

system optimization, and related uses. We have continued to focus on increased security at our 

facilities. As we undertake our responsibilities, we are continually reviewing the regulations and 

policies that govern our work and considering potential improvements to streamline our 

processes while protecting our nation’s water resources and the environment. 

Regulations.gov Tuesday, November 26, 2013 Regulatory Plan