Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 129 / Wednesday, July 3, 1996 / Rules and Regulations 34729

§ 520.2160b [Removed]

11. Section 520.2160b

Styrylpyridinium chloride,

diethylcarbamazine (as base) is

removed.

§ 520.2160c [Removed]

12. Section 520.2160c

Styrylpyridinium, diethylcarbamazine

edible tablets is removed.

§ 520.2160d [Removed]

13. Section 520.2160d

Styrylpyridinium, diethylcarbamazine

film-coated tablets is removed.

§ 520.2480 [Removed]

14. Section 520.2480 Triamcinolone

tablets is removed.

§ 520.2520a [Amended]

15. Section 520.2520a Trichlorfon oral

is amended in paragraph (b) by

removing the phrase ‘‘Nos. 017800 and

000859’’ and adding in its place ‘‘No.

017800’’.

§ 520.2520c [Removed]

16. Section 520.2520c Trichlorfon oral

liquid is removed.

§ 520.2520d [Removed]

17. Section 520.2520d Trichlorfon

paste is removed.

PART 522—IMPLANTATION OR

INJECTABLE DOSAGE FORM NEW

ANIMAL DRUGS

18. The authority citation for 21 CFR

part 522 continues to read as follows:

Authority: Sec. 512 of the Federal Food,

Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360b).

§ 522.281 [Removed]

19. Section 522.281 Calcium

disodium edetate injection is removed.

§ 522.740 [Removed]

20. Section 522.740 Disophenol

sodium injection is removed.

§ 522.2022 [Removed]

21. Section 522.2022 Protokylol

hydrochloride injection is removed.

§ 522.2480 [Removed]

22. Section 522.2480 Triamcinolone

injection is removed.

PART 529—CERTAIN OTHER DOSAGE

FORM NEW ANIMAL DRUGS

23. The authority citation for 21 CFR

part 529 continues to read as follows:

Authority: Sec. 512 of the Federal Food,

Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360b).

§ 529.810 [Removed]

24. Section 529.810 Enflurane is

removed.

PART 558—NEW ANIMAL DRUGS FOR

USE IN ANIMAL FEEDS

25. The authority citation for 21 CFR

part 558 continues to read as follows:

Authority: Secs. 512, 701 of the Federal

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.

360b, 371).

§ 558.185 [Amended]

26. Section 558.185 Coumaphos is

amended by removing and reserving

paragraph (a)(1).

§ 558.367 [Removed]

27. Section 558.367 Niclosamide is

removed.

§ 558.485 [Amended]

28. Section 558.485 Pyrantel tartrate

is amended by removing and reserving

paragraph (a)(16).

§ 558.565 [Removed]

29. Section 558.565 Styrylpyridinium

chloride, diethylcarbamazine is

removed.

§ 558.625 [Amended]

30. Section 558.625 Tylosin is

amended by removing and reserving

paragraph (b)(72).

§ 558.630 [Amended]

31. Section 558.630 Tylosin and

sulfamethazine is amended in

paragraph (b)(10) by removing

‘‘012190,’’.

Dated: June 3, 1996.

Michael J. Blackwell,

Acting Director, Center for Veterinary

Medicine.

[FR Doc. 96–16886 Filed 7–2–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–01–F

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

28 CFR Part 42

[A.G. Order No. 2037–96]

Equal Employment Opportunity

AGENCY: Department of Justice

ACTION: Final Rule

SUMMARY: This document revises the

Department of Justice policy with regard

to the nondiscrimination in

employment to include sexual

orientation as a prohibited basis for

discrimination. This revised rule also

makes clear that retaliation for opposing

a prohibited practice or participating in

a related proceeding is prohibited. This

action promotes the equitable treatment

of employees and applicants for

employment

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 26, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ted McBurrows, Director, Equal

Employment Opportunity Staff, Room

1246, 10th & Pennsylvania Ave., NW,

Washington, DC 20530, (202) 616–4800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1994,

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 301, the Attorney

General issued several policy statements

prohibiting discrimination on the basis

of sexual orientation and affirmatively

promoting the principles of equal

employment opportunity. The Attorney

General is revising 28 CFR 42.1 to

reflect this policy. This policy affects

agency operation and procedures, and

therefore is exempt from the notice

requirement of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) and is

effective upon issuance.

This rule has been drafted and

reviewed in accordance with section

1(b) of Executive Order 12866. This rule

is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’

under section 3(f) of Executive Order

12866. Accordingly, this rule has not

been reviewed by the Office of

Management and Budget. In accordance

with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5

U.S.C. 605(b)), the Attorney General

certifies that this rule will not have a

significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

This rule will not have a substantial

direct impact upon the states, on the

relationships between the national

government and the states, or on

distribution of power and

responsibilities among the various

levels of government. Therefore, this

rule does not have sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment in

accordance with Executive order 12612.

List of Subjects in 28 CFR Part 42

Administrative practice and

procedure, Aged, Civil rights, Equal

employment opportunity, Grant

programs, Individuals with disabilities,

Reporting and recordkeeping, Sex

discrimination.

Accordingly, for reasons set out in the

preamble, 28 CFR Part 42 is amended as

set forth below.

PART 42—EQUAL EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

1. The authority citation for Part 42

Subpart A is revised to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301, 28 U.S.C. 509,

510; E.O. 11246, 3 CFR 1964–1965 Comp., p.

339; E.O. 11478, 3 CFR 1966–1970 Comp., p.

803.

2. Section 42.1 is revised to read as

follows:
34730 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 129 / Wednesday, July 3, 1996 / Rules and Regulations

§ 42.1 Policy.

(a) It is the policy of the Department

of Justice to seek to eliminate

discrimination on the basis of race,

color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,

national origin, marital status, political

affiliation, age, or physical or mental

handicap in employment within the

Department and to assure equal

employment opportunity for all

employees and applicants for

employment.

(b) No person shall be subject to

retaliation for opposing any practical

prohibited by the above policy or for

participating in any stage of

administrative or judicial proceedings

related to this policy.

Dated: June 26, 1996.

Janet Reno,

Attorney General.

[FR Doc. 96–16888 Filed 7–2–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Part 256

RIN 1010–AC18

Leasing of Sulphur or Oil and Gas in

the Outer Continental Shelf

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service

(MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule amends the

regulations of MMS to allow the

authorized officer to extend the 90-day

time period within which we must

accept or reject the high bids received

on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) tracts

offered for sale. Unforeseen

circumstances including a flood, a

furlough, and an extremely high bid

response may create a need for more

time to evaluate bids. The rule gives the

authorized officer authority to extend

the time period for 15 working days or

longer, beyond 90 days after the date on

which the bids are opened, when

circumstances warrant.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective

July 18, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Marshall Rose, Chief, Economic

Evaluation Branch, telephone (703)

787–1536.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The time

to accept or reject bids is established

under the regulations at 30 CFR 256.47.

The authorized officer must accept or

reject the high bids within 90 days after

the bid opening, except for tracts or

blocks identified by the Secretary of the

Interior as subject to:

(1) Another nations’s claims of

jurisdiction and control which conflict

with the claims of the United States, or

(2) Defense-related activities that may

be incompatible with mineral

exploration/development activities. Any

bid not accepted within that period is

deemed rejected.

In the Central Gulf of Mexico Sale

157, held April 24, 1996, we received

1,381 bids on 924 tracts, 632 of which

passed to Phase 2 for detailed reviews.

This unprecedented response by

industry in Sale 157 resulted from the

enactment of the Outer Continental

Shelf Deep Water Royalty Relief Act

(Pub. L. 104–58, DWRRA) and other

factors, such as higher natural gas and

oil prices. Consequently, MMS is unable

to conduct and complete the entire bid

review process within the 90 days, i.e.,

by July 22, 1996. If we do not modify

the timing restriction before the 90 days

expire for Sale 157, dozens of high bids

received on tracts offered in that sale

may be rejected because of our inability

to complete the statutorily mandated

review for fair market value. Therefore,

in accordance with 5 U.S.C.

553(b)(3)(B), this rule is effective July

18, 1996. It is in the public interest to

ensure that adequate time is available to

give all high bids a full and appropriate

review and to ensure the receipt of fair

market value.

The 90-day period was established in

1982 because of the change from

nomination to areawide sales and from

presale to postsale evaluations. Since

then, MMS has held mainly areawide

sales. The DWRRA amended the Outer

Continental Shelf Lands Act and

defined a new bidding system which

provides for royalty suspensions. The

deep water incentive law did not amend

the requirement that we receive fair

market value for tracts leased. Any lease

sale held before November 28, 2000,

must use the new bidding system for all

tracts located in water depths of 200

meters or more in the Gulf of Mexico

west of 87 degrees, 30 minutes west

longitude. The large number of bids

received in response to the new

statutory requirements resulted in an

increased workload which we expect

will exceed our ability to complete the

bid review process within 90 days as

required by 30 CFR 256.47(e)(2).

This rule allows the authorized officer

authority to extend the time period for

15 working days or longer when

circumstances warrant. Recent examples

include floods and furloughs; however,

other circumstances such as an

excessive unanticipated workload may

arise which could warrant the need for

a longer time for bid evaluation.

This rule addresses a housekeeping

issue and will enable us to adjust the

bid acceptance/rejection time period to

meet changing conditions. It recognizes

that 90 days may not be enough time to

complete the review process, which

would result in the rejection of the high

bids which we fail to evaluate within 90

days. This would result in fewer leases

being issued because of failure to

complete the bid review process within

time and resource constraints. The

Government may receive less bonus and

rental monies.

Today, without authority to extend

the bid review period, the 1982 90-day

rule is arbitrarily too rigid and may not

allow sufficient time given the current

complexities inherent in evaluating

certain tracts. It is in the public interest

to ensure that adequate time is available

to give all high bids a full and

appropriate review, to ensure the receipt

of fair market value, and ultimately to

increase natural gas and oil supplies.

This rulemaking finalizes the rule,

with one substantive modification, as

originally proposed and published in

the Federal Register (61 FR 24466, May

15, 1996). Seven respondents—a trade

organization and six companies—

submitted comments on the proposed

rule during the public comment period.

The MMS reviewed and analyzed the

comments. The following is a

discussion of the comments received

and our response.

Narrative Responses to Comments

Comment: Although MMS now pays

interest on the one-fifth bonus held

during the evaluation period, industry

must set aside the four-fifths of the

bonus and first year rental to pay for the

lease when and if awarded. Delays in

rejecting a lease may cause a company

to miss participating in a significant

opportunity elsewhere. Delays in

awarding leases can cause delays in

planning further seismic evaluation,

hazard surveys, rig commitment, and

budgeting of wells. On the other hand,

industry does not want the retention of

the 90-day period to result in the

rejection of the high bids because MMS

does not have sufficient time to evaluate

them.

Response: We realize that any

extension beyond the 90 days could

result in some missed opportunities and

impact exploration and development

activities, but MMS must fulfill its duty

to obtain fair market value for offshore

leased tracts. Because we accept tracts

sequentially during the bid review

period, on only a small portion of tracts

will MMS require more than 90 days to