61700 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 249 / Friday, December 29, 2017 / Proposed Rules 

1 Fast-Start Pricing in Markets Operated by 

Regional Transmission Organizations and 

Independent System Operators, 81 FR 96,391 (Dec. 

30, 2016), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 32,720 (2016). 

2NOPR, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 32,720 at PP 36– 

37. 

3NOPR, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 32,720 at P 44. 

4New York Independent System Operator, Inc., 

161 FERC ¶ 61,294; PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 161 

FERC ¶ 61,295; and Southwest Power Pool, Inc., 161 

FERC ¶ 61,296, (2017). 

1As explained further below, in this document, 

the term ‘‘fentanyl-related substances’’ is defined to 

include substances structurally related to fentanyl 

1. On December 15, 2016, the 

Commission issued a Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) in this 

proceeding.1 For the reasons set forth 

below, we are exercising our discretion 

to withdraw the NOPR and terminate 

this rulemaking proceeding. 

2. In the NOPR, the Commission 

preliminarily found that some existing 

regional transmission organization/ 

independent system operator (RTO/ISO) 

fast-start pricing practices, or lack of 

fast-start pricing practices, may not 

result in rates that are just and 

reasonable.2 As a result, the 

Commission proposed to require that 

each RTO/ISO establish the following 

set of requirements for its fast-start 

pricing: (1) Apply fast-start pricing to 

any resource committed by the RTO/ISO 

that is able to start up within ten 

minutes, has a minimum run time of 

one hour or less, and that submits 

economic energy offers to the market; 

(2) incorporate commitment costs, i.e., 

start-up and no-load costs, of fast-start 

resources in energy and operating 

reserve prices; (3) modify fast-start 

pricing to relax the economic minimum 

operating limit of fast-start resources 

and treat them as dispatchable from zero 

to the economic maximum operating 

limit for the purpose of calculating 

prices; (4) if the RTO/ISO allows offline 

fast-start resources to set prices for 

addressing certain system needs, the 

resource must be feasible and economic; 

and (5) incorporate fast-start pricing in 

both the day-ahead and real-time 

markets. The Commission sought 

comment on the proposed reforms.3

3. The Commission received a number 

of comments in response to the 

proposed reforms in the NOPR. Some 

commenters expressed support for the 

proposed reforms. Other commenters 

raised concerns about the need for the 

proposed reforms relative to the burden 

of implementing changes. Additionally, 

some commenters discussed the need 

for regional flexibility to allow RTOs/ 

ISOs to implement fast-start pricing 

practices that are appropriate for their 

regions. 

4. Upon further consideration and 

after review of the comments received 

in response to the NOPR, we will 

withdraw the NOPR and terminate this 

proceeding. We appreciate the feedback 

received in response to the NOPR. We 

continue to believe that improved faststart pricing practices have the potential 

to achieve the goals outlined in the 

NOPR; however, we are persuaded by 

comments that question whether the 

proposed reforms would bring sufficient 

value in all RTOs/ISOs and argued for 

regional flexibility. Having considered 

these comments, we are persuaded to 

not require a uniform set of fast-start 

pricing requirements that would apply 

to all RTOs/ISOs. Instead, we will 

pursue the goals of the NOPR through 

section 206 actions involving NYISO, 

PJM, and SPP 4 focusing on specific 

concerns with each RTO’s/ISO’s 

implementation of fast-start pricing 

consistent with the concerns outlined in 

the NOPR. 

5. The Commission therefore 

withdraws the NOPR and terminates 

this rulemaking proceeding. 

By direction of the Commission. 

Issued: December 21, 2017. 

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2017–28201 Filed 12–28–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

Drug Enforcement Administration 

21 CFR Part 1308 

[Docket No. DEA–476] 

Schedules of Controlled Substances: 

Temporary Placement of FentanylRelated Substances in Schedule I 

AGENCY: Drug Enforcement 

Administration, Department of Justice. 

ACTION: Proposed amendment; notice of 

intent. 

SUMMARY: The Administrator of the Drug 

Enforcement Administration is 

publishing this notice of intent to issue 

an order temporarily scheduling 

fentanyl-related substances that are not 

currently listed in any schedule of the 

Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The 

temporary order will place these 

substances in schedule I. This action is 

based on a finding by the Administrator 

that the placement of these synthetic 

opioids in schedule I is necessary to 

avoid an imminent hazard to the public 

safety. When it is issued, the temporary 

scheduling order will impose regulatory 

requirements under the CSA on the 

manufacture, distribution, reverse 

distribution, possession, importation, 

exportation, research, and conduct of 

instructional activities, and chemical 

analysis of these synthetic opioids, as 

well as administrative, civil, and 

criminal remedies with respect to 

persons who fail to comply with such 

requirements or otherwise violate the 

CSA with respect to these substances. 

DATES: December 29, 2017. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael J. Lewis, Diversion Control 

Division, Drug Enforcement 

Administration; Mailing Address: 8701 

Morrissette Drive, Springfield, Virginia 

22152; Telephone: (202) 598–6812. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice of intent is issued pursuant to the 

temporary scheduling provisions of 21 

U.S.C. 811(h). The Drug Enforcement 

Administration (DEA) intends to issue a 

temporary order (in the form of a 

temporary amendment) placing 

fentanyl-related substances in schedule 

I of the Controlled Substances Act. The 

temporary scheduling order will be 

published in the Federal Register on or 

after January 29, 2018. 

Legal Authority 

Section 201 of the Controlled 

Substances Act (CSA), 21 U.S.C. 811, 

provides the Attorney General with the 

authority to temporarily place a 

substance in schedule I of the CSA for 

two years without regard to the 

requirements of 21 U.S.C. 811(b) if he 

finds that such action is necessary to 

avoid an imminent hazard to the public 

safety. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1). In addition, 

if proceedings to control a substance 

permanently are initiated under 21 

U.S.C. 811(a)(1) while the substance is 

temporarily controlled under section 

811(h), the Attorney General may 

extend the temporary scheduling for up 

to one year. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(2). 

Where the necessary findings are 

made, a substance may be temporarily 

scheduled if it is not listed in any other 

schedule under section 202 of the CSA, 

21 U.S.C. 812, or if there is no 

exemption or approval in effect for the 

substance under section 505 of the 

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 

(FD&C Act), 21 U.S.C. 355. 21 U.S.C. 

811(h)(1). The Attorney General has 

delegated scheduling authority under 21 

U.S.C. 811 to the Administrator of the 

DEA. 28 CFR 0.100. 

Background 

The Nature of the Problem and DEA’s 

Approach To Correct It 

It is well known that deaths 

associated with the abuse of substances 

structurally related to fentanyl 1 in the 


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but which are not controlled under a separate 

scheduling action (listed under another 

Administration Controlled Substance Code 

Number). Thus, all ‘‘fentanyl-related substances’’ 

are structurally related to fentanyl, but some 

fentanyl-related substances are controlled under 

separate scheduling actions. 

2Provisional synthetic opioid death overdose 

counts are based on CDC data available for analysis 

as of August 6, 2017, based on the 12-month 

reporting period ending January 2017. See https:// 

www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/health_policy/monthlydrug-overdose-death-estimates.pdf accessed 09–06– 

2017. 

3Such trafficking is actually illegal as persons 

who do so can be prosecuted using the controlled 

substance analogue provisions of the CSA. 21 

U.S.C. 802(32), 813. However, prosecution under 

the analogue provisions requires proof of additional 

elements not required for prosecuting trafficking in 

scheduled substances. 

United States are on the rise and have 

already reached alarming levels. While 

a number of factors appear to be 

contributing to this public health crisis, 

chief among the causes is the sharp 

increase in recent years in the 

availability of illicitly produced, potent 

substances structurally related to 

fentanyl. Fentanyl is approximately 100 

times more potent than morphine, and 

the substances structurally related to 

fentanyl that DEA will be temporarily 

controlling also tend to be potent 

substances. Typically, these substances 

are manufactured outside the United 

States by clandestine manufacturers and 

then smuggled into the United States. 

Fentanyl is often mixed with heroin 

and other substances (such as cocaine 

and methamphetamine) or used in 

counterfeit pharmaceutical prescription 

drugs. As a consequence, users who buy 

these substances on the illicit market are 

often unaware of the specific substance 

they are actually consuming and the 

associated risk. According to the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC), drug overdose deaths involving 

synthetic opioids (excluding 

methadone), such as fentanyl and 

tramadol, increased from 5,544 in 2014 

to 9,580 in 2015. According to 

provisional data released in August 

2017 by the CDC, National Center for 

Health Statistics (NCHS), an estimated 

55 Americans are dying every day from 

overdoses of synthetic opioids 

(excluding methadone).2 Drug overdose 

deaths involving synthetic opioids 

excluding methadone for the 12-month 

period ending in January of 2017 

(20,145 deaths) more than doubled from 

the corresponding data for the period 

ending in January of 2016 (9,945 

deaths). 

DEA has responded to this crisis by 

issuing six temporary scheduling orders 

to control nine substances structurally 

related to fentanyl since 2015 and 

recently issued a notice of intent on 

November 21, 2017 to temporarily 

control another such substance. 

However, this approach has not been 

completely effective in preventing the 

emergence of new substances 

structurally related to fentanyl. This is 

because when DEA temporarily controls 

a given substance structurally related to 

fentanyl, illicit manufacturers located 

abroad begin producing new such 

substances through other structural 

modifications. Those new nonscheduled 

substances then are smuggled into the 

United States, where they are 

distributed by traffickers in this country 

as a purportedly ‘‘noncontrolled’’ 

substance.3 In this way, traffickers are 

effectively circumventing the temporary 

control mechanism that Congress 

established under 21 U.S.C. 811(h) to 

combat newly emerging dangerous 

drugs. Post mortem toxicology and 

medical examiner reports collected by 

the DEA show mortality connected to 

substances structurally related to 

fentanyl. Control of these substances is 

necessary to avoid an imminent hazard 

to the public safety. 

Given the gravity of the ongoing 

fentanyl-related overdose crisis in the 

United States, protection of the public 

safety demands the utilization of 21 

U.S.C. 811(h) in a manner that cannot be 

readily circumvented by drug 

traffickers. Specifically, in issuing the 

upcoming temporary scheduling order, 

DEA will exercise its authority to avoid 

an imminent hazard to the public safety 

by placing fentanyl-related substances, 

as defined later in this document, in 

schedule I. As explained below, these 

fentanyl-related substances—including 

those that have not yet been introduced 

by traffickers into the U.S. market— 

present a significant risk to the public 

health and safety and need to be 

controlled under section 811(h) to avoid 

an imminent hazard to the public safety. 

It should also be noted that none of the 

substances that will be temporarily 

controlled has an accepted medical use 

in the United States; nor is any of the 

substances the subject of an exemption 

or approval under section 505 of the 

FD&C Act. In accordance with section 

811(h), if any exemption or approval is 

in effect under section 505 of the FD&C 

Act with respect to a substance that falls 

within the definition of a fentanylrelated substance set forth in this 

document, such substance will be 

excluded from the temporary 

scheduling order. 

What Will Be Controlled Under the 

Temporary Scheduling Order 

When the temporary scheduling order 

is issued, fentanyl-related substances 

will be placed in schedule I of the CSA 

for two years. DEA may extend the 

temporary scheduling for an additional 

year (a total of three years) if 

proceedings to permanently schedule 

the substances are pending. DEA’s 

intention is that the temporary 

scheduling order will define fentanylrelated substances to include any 

substance not otherwise controlled in 

any schedule (i.e., not included under 

any other Administration Controlled 

Substance Code Number) that is 

structurally related to fentanyl by one or 

more of the following modifications: 

(A) Replacement of the phenyl 

portion of the phenethyl group by any 

monocycle, whether or not further 

substituted in or on the monocycle; 

(B) substitution in or on the phenethyl 

group with alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyl, 

hydroxyl, halo, haloalkyl, amino or 

nitro groups; 

(C) substitution in or on the 

piperidine ring with alkyl, alkenyl, 

alkoxyl, ester, ether, hydroxyl, halo, 

haloalkyl, amino or nitro groups; 

(D) replacement of the aniline ring 

with any aromatic monocycle whether 

or not further substituted in or on the 

aromatic monocycle; and/or 

(E) replacement of the N-propionyl 

group by another acyl group. 

How DEA Will Identify Individual 

Fentanyl-Related Substances That Fall 

Within This Temporary Scheduling 

Order 

As indicated, the temporary 

scheduling order that is the subject of 

this Notice of Intent will include all 

substances that fall within the above 

definition—even if such substances 

have not yet emerged on the illicit 

market in the United States. As a result, 

DEA cannot currently specify the 

chemical name of every potential 

substance that might fall under this new 

definition. In the future, if and when 

DEA identifies a specific new substance 

that falls under the definition, the 

agency will publish in the Federal 

Register, and on the agency website, the 

chemical name of such substance. Thus, 

the text of the definition of fentanylrelated substance will include language 

indicating that it ‘‘includes, but is not 

limited to, the following substances:’’ It 

bears emphasis, however, that even in 

the absence of a future publication by 

DEA specifically identifying such a 

substance, the substance will be 

controlled by virtue of the temporary 

scheduling order—at the time the 

temporary scheduling order is 

published—if it falls within the 

definition of fentanyl-related substance. 


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4As discussed in a memorandum of 

understanding entered into by the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA) and the National Institute on 

Drug Abuse (NIDA), the FDA acts as the lead agency 

within the HHS in carrying out the Secretary’s 

scheduling responsibilities under the CSA, with the 

concurrence of NIDA. 50 FR 9518, Mar. 8, 1985. 

The Secretary of the HHS has delegated to the 

Assistant Secretary for Health of the HHS the 

authority to make domestic drug scheduling 

recommendations. 58 FR 35460, July 1, 1993. 

Notification to the Secretary of Health 

and Human Services 

Section 201(h)(4) of the CSA, 21 

U.S.C. 811(h)(4), requires the 

Administrator to notify the Secretary of 

the Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) of his intention to 

temporarily place a substance in 

schedule I of the CSA.4 On November 6, 

2017, the Administrator transmitted 

notice by letter to the Assistant 

Secretary for Health of HHS of his intent 

to place fentanyl-related substances, 

unless listed in another schedule, in 

schedule I on a temporary basis. The 

Assistant Secretary responded by letter 

dated November 29, 2017, and advised 

that based on a review by the Food and 

Drug Administration (FDA), they are not 

aware of any investigational new drug 

applications or approved new drug 

applications for fentanyl-related 

substances as defined above under 

section 505 of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 

355 and that HHS has no objection to 

the temporary placement of these 

substances into schedule I of the CSA. 

As indicated, in accordance with 

section 811(h), fentanyl-related 

substances will be defined under the 

temporary scheduling order to exclude 

any substance for which an exemption 

or approval is in effect under section 

505 of the FD&C Act. 

Grounds for Temporary Scheduling 

Order 

To find that placing a substance 

temporarily in schedule I of the CSA is 

necessary to avoid an imminent hazard 

to the public safety, the Administrator is 

required to consider three of the eight 

factors set forth in 21 U.S.C. 811(c): The 

substance’s history and current pattern 

of abuse; the scope, duration and 

significance of abuse; and what, if any, 

risk there is to the public health. 21 

U.S.C. 811(h)(3). These factors include, 

but are not limited to, actual abuse, 

diversion from legitimate channels, and 

clandestine importation, manufacture, 

or distribution. Id. DEA has considered 

these factors for fentanyl-related 

substances, as defined above, and finds 

that the information is consistent across 

this class of substances. The DEA’s 

three-factor analysis is available in its 

entirety under ‘‘Supporting and Related 

Material’’ of the public docket for this 

action at www.regulations.gov under 

Docket Number DEA–476. 

Substances that are included in the 

above-listed structural modifications 

and any combination of these structural 

modifications have been found to cause 

pharmacological effects that are similar 

to those of fentanyl. It therefore is 

reasonable to expect that all such 

substances, even if they have yet to 

appear on the illicit market in the 

United States, share the dangerous and 

potentially lethal properties that have 

caused the recent spike in fentanylrelated overdose deaths in the United 

States. By temporarily placing these 

fentanyl-related substances in schedule 

I, it is DEA’s intention to deter the 

production and introduction of these 

substances into the United States that 

traffickers might be considering—before 

such activity ever begins—thereby 

avoiding an imminent hazard to the 

public safety. The alternative approach, 

of only temporarily controlling 

substances that have already appeared 

in the illicit U.S. market, is beneficial 

but has not eliminated the danger these 

newly created substances pose and is 

not as effective in preventing future 

deaths and serious injuries associated 

with these substances. In addition, by 

controlling fentanyl-related substances, 

the temporary scheduling order will 

facilitate the development of 

international, national, and local 

prevention strategies that decrease 

morbidity and mortality from overdoses 

caused by or associated with fentanylrelated substances. 

For these reasons, DEA has concluded 

that issuing a temporary scheduling 

order is necessary to avoid an imminent 

hazard to the public safety. 

Schedule I Classification 

A substance meeting the statutory 

requirements for temporary scheduling 

may only be placed in schedule I. 21 

U.S.C. 811(h)(1). Substances in schedule 

I are those that have a high potential for 

abuse, no currently accepted medical 

use in treatment in the United States, 

and a lack of accepted safety for use 

under medical supervision. 21 U.S.C. 

812(b)(1). 

As indicated, DEA finds that the 

fentanyl-related substances that will be 

temporarily controlled have a high 

potential for abuse. Information 

provided by the Assistant Secretary of 

HHS indicates that these fentanylrelated substances, as defined, have no 

currently accepted medical use in 

treatment in the United States, and lack 

accepted safety for use under medical 

supervision. 

Conclusion 

This notice of intent provides the 30- 

day notice pursuant to section 201(h) of 

the CSA, 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1), of DEA’s 

intent to issue a temporary scheduling 

order. The temporary placement of 

fentanyl-related substances in schedule 

I of the CSA will take effect pursuant to 

a temporary scheduling order, which 

will not be issued before January 29, 

2018. Because the Administrator hereby 

finds that it is necessary to temporarily 

place fentanyl-related substances in 

schedule I to avoid an imminent hazard 

to the public safety, the temporary order 

scheduling these substances will be 

effective on the date that order is 

published in the Federal Register, and 

will be in effect for a period of two 

years. DEA may extend the temporary 

scheduling for an additional year (a total 

of three years) if proceedings to 

permanently schedule the substances 

are pending. 21 U.S.C. 811(h)(1) and (2). 

It is the intention of the Administrator 

to issue a temporary scheduling order as 

soon as possible after the expiration of 

30 days from the date of publication of 

this document. Upon publication of the 

temporary order, fentanyl-related 

substances, as defined in the order, will 

be subject to the full range of regulatory, 

civil, and criminal provisions of the 

CSA that apply to schedule I controlled 

substances. 

Regulatory Matters 

Section 201(h) of the CSA, 21 U.S.C. 

811(h), provides for a temporary 

scheduling action where such action is 

necessary to avoid an imminent hazard 

to the public safety. As provided in this 

subsection, the Attorney General may, 

by order, schedule a substance in 

schedule I on a temporary basis. Such 

an order may not be issued before the 

expiration of 30 days from (1) the 

publication of a notice in the Federal 

Register of the intention to issue such 

order and the grounds upon which such 

order is to be issued and (2) the date that 

notice of the proposed temporary 

scheduling order is transmitted to the 

Assistant Secretary of HHS. 21 U.S.C. 

811(h)(1). 

Inasmuch as section 201(h) of the 

CSA directs that temporary scheduling 

actions be issued by order and sets forth 

the procedures by which such orders are 

to be issued, the notice-and-comment 

requirements of section 553 of the 

Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 

U.S.C. 553, do not apply to this notice 

of intent. In the alternative, even if this 

notice were subject to section 553 of the 

APA, the Administrator would find that 

there is good cause to forgo the noticeand-comment requirements of section 


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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 249 / Friday, December 29, 2017 / Proposed Rules 61703 

553, as any further delays in the process 

for issuance of temporary scheduling 

orders would be contrary to the public 

interest in view of the urgent need to 

control fentanyl-related substances to 

avoid an imminent hazard to the public 

safety. 

Since this notice of intent is not a 

‘‘rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C. 601(2), it 

is not subject to the requirements of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). The 

requirements for the preparation of an 

initial regulatory flexibility analysis in 5 

U.S.C. 603(a) are not applicable where, 

as here, the DEA is not required by 

section 553 of the APA or any other law 

to publish a general notice of proposed 

rulemaking. 

Additionally, this action is not a 

significant regulatory action as defined 

by Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory 

Planning and Review), section 3(f), and, 

accordingly, this action has not been 

reviewed by the Office of Management 

and Budget. 

This action will not have substantial 

direct effects on the States, on the 

relationship between the national 

government and the States, or on the 

distribution of power and 

responsibilities among the various 

levels of government. Therefore, in 

accordance with Executive Order 13132 

(Federalism) it is determined that this 

action does not have sufficient 

federalism implications to warrant the 

preparation of a Federalism Assessment. 

List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 1308 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, Drug traffic control, 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

For the reasons set out above, the DEA 

proposes to amend 21 CFR part 1308 as 

follows: 

PART 1308—SCHEDULES OF 

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 1308 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 21 U.S.C. 811, 812, 871(b), 

956(b), unless otherwise noted. 

■ 2. In § 1308.11, add paragraph (h)(30), 

to read as follows: 

§ 1308.11 Schedule I 

* * * * * 

(h) * * * 

(30) Fentanyl-related substances, their 

isomers, esters, ethers, salts and salts of 

isomers, esters and ethers . . . 9850 

(i) Fentanyl-related substance means 

any substance not otherwise listed 

under another Administration 

Controlled Substance Code Number, 

and for which no exemption or approval 

is in effect under section 505 of the 

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 

[21 U.S.C. 355], that is structurally 

related to fentanyl by one or more of the 

following modifications: 

(A) Replacement of the phenyl 

portion of the phenethyl group by any 

monocycle, whether or not further 

substituted in or on the monocycle; 

(B) Substitution in or on the 

phenethyl group with alkyl, alkenyl, 

alkoxyl, hydroxyl, halo, haloalkyl, 

amino or nitro groups; 

(C) Substitution in or on the 

piperidine ring with alkyl, alkenyl, 

alkoxyl, ester, ether, hydroxyl, halo, 

haloalkyl, amino or nitro groups; 

(D) Replacement of the aniline ring 

with any aromatic monocycle whether 

or not further substituted in or on the 

aromatic monocycle; and/or 

(E) Replacement of the N-propionyl 

group by another acyl group. 

(ii) This definition includes, but is not 

limited to, the following substances: 

[Reserved] 

* * * * * 

Dated: December 21, 2017. 

Robert W. Patterson, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2017–28114 Filed 12–28–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4410–09–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Safety and Environmental 

Enforcement 

30 CFR Part 250 

[Docket ID: BSEE–2017–0008; 189E1700D2 

ET1SF0000.PSB000 EEEE500000] 

RIN 1014–AA37 

Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations 

on the Outer Continental Shelf—Oil 

and Gas Production Safety Systems— 

Revisions 

AGENCY: Bureau of Safety and 

Environmental Enforcement, Interior. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Safety and 

Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) 

proposes to amend the regulations 

regarding oil and natural gas production 

to reduce certain unnecessary regulatory 

burdens imposed under the existing 

regulations, while correcting errors and 

clarifying current requirements. 

Accordingly, after thoroughly 

reexamining the current regulations, 

and based on experiences from the 

implementation process, and BSEE 

policy, BSEE proposes to amend, revise, 

or remove current regulatory provisions 

that create unnecessary burdens on 

stakeholders while maintaining or 

advancing the level of safety and 

environmental protection. 

DATES: Submit comments by January 29, 

2018. BSEE may not fully consider 

comments received after this date. You 

may submit comments to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) on the 

information collection burden in this 

proposed rule by January 29, 2018. The 

deadline for comments on the 

information collection burden does not 

affect the deadline for the public to 

comment to BSEE on the proposed 

regulations. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the rulemaking by any of the 

following methods. Please use the 

Regulation Identifier Number (RIN) 

1014–AA37 as an identifier in your 

message. See also Public Availability of 

Comments under Procedural Matters. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. In the entry titled 

Enter Keyword or ID, enter BSEE–2017– 

0008, then click search. Follow the 

instructions to submit public comments 

and view supporting and related 

materials available for this rulemaking. 

The BSEE may post all submitted 

comments. 

• Mail or hand-carry comments to the 

Department of the Interior (Department 

or DOI); Bureau of Safety and 

Environmental Enforcement; Attention: 

Regulations Development Branch; 45600 

Woodland Road, VAE–ORP, Sterling VA 

20166. Please reference ‘‘Oil and Gas 

Production Safety Systems—Revisions, 

1014–AA37’’ in your comments and 

include your name and return address. 

• Send comments on the information 

collection in this proposed rule to: 

Interior Desk Officer 1014–0003, Office 

of Management and Budget; 202–395– 

5806 (fax); email: oira_submission@

omb.eop.gov. Please send a copy to 

BSEE. 

• 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. 

In order for BSEE to withhold from 

disclosure your personal identifying 

information, you must identify any 

information contained in the submittal 

of your comments that, if released, 

would constitute a clearly unwarranted 

invasion of your personal privacy. You 

must also briefly describe any possible 

harmful consequence(s) of the 

disclosure of information, such as 

embarrassment, injury, or other harm. 

While you can ask us in your comment 


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