Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Proposed Rules 16121

(h) You are bound by these minimum

requirements whether or not they are set

forth in the confidentiality agreement.

§ 243.18 May MMS require me to meet

more stringent confidentiality standards in

some cases?

MMS, at its discretion, may advise

you in writing that it will hold you to

more stringent standards. For example,

MMS may require that only outside

counsel review relevant proprietary

information if you have breached a

previous confidentiality and/or liability

agreement, or if you are a direct

competitor of the submitter of the thirdparty proprietary information.

§ 243.19 Am I relieved of the

confidentiality and liability agreements and

all liability after the appeals process or the

ADR process is over?

You must comply with the terms of

the confidentiality and liability

agreements even after the appeals

process or the ADR process is

completed. For example, if a final

decision is reached through the

administrative process or ADR, or you

withdraw your appeal or ADR request,

you will continue to be liable for any

damage resulting from your wrongful

disclosure of the proprietary

information.

§ 243.20 What do I do with the relevant

proprietary information after the appeals

process or the ADR process is over?

(a) You must return all relevant

proprietary information to the MMS

FOIA Officer at the address in § 243.12

(a), along with all copies, excerpts, or

summaries of such information, within

60 days after:

(1) The Department issues a final

decision;

(2) You and MMS conclude ADR with

a final agreement; or

(3) You withdraw the appeal or

request for ADR.

§ 243.21 What happens if I don’t return the

relevant proprietary information?

You will be subject to appropriate

sanctions including civil penalties

under 30 CFR Part 241 if you fail to

return the relevant proprietary

information.

[FR Doc. 97–8689 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

30 CFR Parts 202 and 216

RIN 1010–AC23

Amendments to Standards for

Reporting and Paying Royalties on

Gas and the Gas Analysis Report

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service

(MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Minerals Management

Service proposes to amend its

regulations requiring operators in the

Gulf of Mexico Region to report gas at

the standard conditions of 14.73 psia

(instead of 15.025 psia) and adjusted to

60 degrees Fahrenheit. This change will

make the regulations consistent with

proposed changes to 30 CFR Part 250.

MMS also proposes to change the

requirement for submitting Form MMS–

4055, Gas Analysis Report (GAR), from

a semiannual basis to submitting a GAR

when requested by MMS. This

reduction of reporting will help satisfy

the requirements of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 by eliminating

reports that are no longer used.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before May 5, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent

to: David S. Guzy, Chief, Rules and

Procedures Staff, Royalty Management

Program, Minerals Management Service,

P.O. Box 25165, MS 3101, Denver,

Colorado 80225–0165; courier delivery

to Building 85, Denver Federal Center,

Denver, Colorado 80225; or e-Mail

DavidlGuzy@smtp.mms.gov.

Comments received will be posted on

the Internet at http://

www.rmp.mms.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are

limiting the comment period to 30 days

because this proposal is a minor

wording change to the existing

regulations, and it parallels the

proposed offshore rule.

The intention of the amendments is to

keep the regulations in parts 202 and

216 relating to royalty consistent with

those relating to offshore minerals

management and to reduced reporting

requirements on the public.

MMS is seeking comments on the

applicable industry standards and

practices regarding the pressure at

which gas should be measured. Please

comment on whether reporting gas

measurement at the standard pressure of

14.73 psia is appropriate or whether

some other pressure should be adopted.

The principal author of this proposed

rulemaking is Lawrence K. Barker of the

Compliance Verification Division,

Lakewood, Colorado.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Department certifies that this

proposed rule will not have a significant

economic effect on a substantial number

of small entities under the Regulatory

Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.).

This proposed rule would revise RMP’s

rules for reporting gas at the same

standards as Offshore Minerals

Management’s rules.

Executive Order 12630

The Department certifies that this

proposed rule does not represent a

governmental action capable of

interference with constitutionally

protected property rights. Thus, a

Takings Implication Assessment need

not be prepared under Executive Order

12630, ‘‘Governmental Actions and

Interference with Constitutionally

Protected Property Rights.’’

Paperwork Reduction Act

This proposed rule has been

examined under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995; no new

reporting and information collection

requirements are included. The current

information collection requirements

have been approved by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) under

44 U.S.C. § 3501 et seq., and assigned

Clearance Number 1010–0040.

Executive Order 12866

This proposed rule does not meet the

criteria for a significant rule requiring

review by OMB.

Executive Order 12988

The Department has certified to OMB

that this proposed rule meets the

applicable reform standards in section 3

(a) and (b)(2).

Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995

The Department has determined and

certifies that this proposed rule will not

impose a cost of $100 million or more

in any given year on local, tribal, State

governments, or the private sector.

National Environmental Policy Act of

1969

We have determined that this

proposed rulemaking is not a major

Federal action significantly affecting the

quality of the human environment, and

a detailed statement under section

192(2)(c) of the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c))

is not required.

List of Subjects

30 CFR Part 202

Coal, Continental shelf, Geothermal

energy, Government contracts, Indian
16122 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Proposed Rules

lands, Mineral royalties, Natural gas,

Petroleum, Public lands-mineral

resources, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements.

30 CFR Part 216

Coal, Continental shelf, Geothermal

energy, Government contracts, Indian

lands, Mineral royalties, Natural gas,

Penalties, Petroleum, Public landsmineral resources, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: March 27, 1997.

Bob Armstrong,

Assistant Secretary—Land and Minerals

Management.

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, 30 CFR Parts 202 and 216 are

proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 202—ROYALTIES

1. The authority citation for part 202

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301 et seq.; 25 U.S.C.

396 et seq., 396a et seq., 2101 et seq.; 30

U.S.C. 181 et seq., 351 et seq., 1001 et seq.,

1701 et seq.; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 43 U.S.C. 1301

et seq., 1331 et seq., 1801 et seq.

Subpart D—Federal and Indian Gas

2. Section 202.152(a)(1) is revised to

read as follows:

§ 202.152 Standards for reporting and

paying royalties on gas.

(a)(1) If you are responsible for

reporting production or royalties, you

must:

(A) Report gas volumes and Btu

heating values, if applicable, under the

same degree of water saturation as

stated in your sales contract;

(B) Report gas volumes in units of

1,000 cubic feet (mcf); and

(C) Report gas volumes and Btu

heating value at a standard pressure

base of 14.73 psia and a standard

temperature base of 60 degrees

Fahrenheit.

* * * * *

PART 216—PRODUCTION

ACCOUNTING

1. The authority citation for part 216

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301 et seq.; 25 U.S.C.

396 et seq., 396a et seq., 2101 et seq.; 30

U.S.C. 181 et seq., 351 et seq., 1001 et seq.,

1701 et seq.; 31 U.S.C. 3716, 3720A, 9701; 43

U.S.C. 1301 et seq., 1331 et seq., 1801 et seq.

Subpart B—Oil and Gas, General

2. Section 216.54 is revised to read as

follows:

§ 216.54 Gas Analysis Report.

When requested by MMS, any

operator must file a Gas Analysis Report

(GAR) (Form MMS–4055) for each sale

or transfer meter. The form must contain

accurate and detailed gas analysis

information. This requirement applies

to offshore, onshore, or Indian leases.

(a) MMS may request a GAR when

you sell gas or transfer gas for

processing before the point of royalty

computation.

(b) When MMS first requests this

report, the report is due within 30 days.

If MMS requests subsequent reports,

they will be due no later than 45 days

after the month covered by the report.

[FR Doc. 97–8721 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD08–97–007]

RIN 2115–AE47

Drawbridge Operation Regulation;

Lake Pontchartrain, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to

temporarily change the regulation for

the operation of the north bascule twin

span drawbridges across Lake

Pontchartrain between Metairie and

Mandeville, Louisiana to authorize them

to remain closed to navigation from June

9, 1997, until October 10, 1997, except

on alternating weekends. On alternating

weekends during this period when

working is not being conducted, the

draws will open if 3 hours notice is

given. This action is necessary to

facilitate cleaning and painting of the

bascule structures.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before May 5, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Unless otherwise indicated,

documents referred to in this preamble

are available for inspection or copying

at the office of the Eighth Coast Guard

District, Bridge Administration Branch,

Hale Boggs Federal Building, room

1313, 501 Magazine Street, New

Orleans, Louisiana 70130–3396 between

7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays. The

telephone number is (504) 589–2965.

Commander (ob) maintains the public

docket for this proposed temporary rule.

Comments may be submitted to the

above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Phil Johnson, Bridge Administration

Branch, (504) 589–2965.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

Interested parties are invited to

participate in the proposed rulemaking

by submitting written views, comments,

or arguments. Persons submitting

comments should include their names

and addresses, identify the bridge and

give reasons for concurrence with or any

recommended change in this proposal.

Please submit two copies of all

comments and attachments in an

unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2 by

11 inches, suitable for electronic filing.

Persons desiring acknowledgement that

their comments have been received

should enclose a stamped, selfaddressed postcard or envelope.

The Coast Guard plans no public

hearing. Persons may request a public

hearing by writing to the Eighth Coast

Guard District at the address under

ADDRESSES. The request should include

reasons why a hearing would be

beneficial. If it is determined that the

opportunity for oral presentations will

aid in the implementation of this

rulemaking, the Coast Guard will hold

a public hearing at a time and place

announced by a later notice in the

Federal Register. Because of the need to

proceed to final rule by June 1997, a 30

day comment period is being used. The

affected area is a small geographic area;

notice of publication will be provided in

the local notice to mariners, and local

business will be contacted.

The Coast Guard will evaluate all

comments received and determine a

course of final action on this proposal.

The proposed regulation may be

changed in the light of comments

received.

Background and Purpose

The north bascule span of the Greater

New Orleans Expressway Commission

(GNOEC) across Lake Pontchartrain,

Louisiana has a vertical clearance of 42

feet above mean high water in the

closed to navigation position and

unlimited clearance in the open to

navigation position. The Lake

Pontchartrain Causeway South Channel

fixed span offers an alternate route with

a vertical clearance of 50 feet above

mean high water. Navigation on the

waterway consists of small tugs with

tows, fishing vessels, sailing vessels,

and other recreational craft.

For protection of the environment, the

cleaning and painting operation requires

a fully enclosed system with negative

air pressure. The special equipment

used for this procedure has to be

removed each time the draw span is

opened. Since this process is time

consuming and costly, the equipment