[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 8, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52518-52519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26570]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

30 CFR Part 206

RIN 1010-AC09


Workshops on Proposed Rule--Establishing Oil Value for Royalty 
Due on Federal Leases

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of workshops.

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SUMMARY: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has reopened the public 
comment period under a proposed rule published in the Federal Register 
on January 24, 1997 (62 FR 3742), amending the royalty valuation 
regulations for crude oil produced from Federal leases. In the July 3, 
1997, Federal Register (62 FR 36030), we published a supplementary 
notice of proposed rulemaking. We received a variety of comments on the 
proposed and supplementary proposed rules. In the September 22, 1997, 
Federal Register (62 FR 49460) we published a summary of these 
comments, outlined alternatives for proceeding with further rulemaking, 
and requested public comment on those or other suggested alternatives. 
In the September 26, 1997, Federal Register (62 FR 50544) we announced 
three workshops to discuss alternatives for proceeding with the 
rulemaking.
    MMS will now hold three additional workshops to discuss 
alternatives for proceeding with the rulemaking. The main purpose of 
these workshops is to provide small producers an opportunity to learn 
more about the proposed rule and to obtain their comments on the 
alternatives described in the September 22, 1997, Federal Register 
notice (62 FR 49460), or any new alternatives or modifications to the 
proposed alternatives for MMS's consideration. We are not requesting 
comments on the original proposed rule or the supplemental proposed 
rule, nor on the summary of comments outlined in the September 22, 
1997, Federal Register notice (62 FR 49460). Interested parties are 
invited to attend and participate in these workshops.

DATES: Comments on the notice reopening the comment period must be 
submitted to MMS by October 22, 1997.
    The workshops will be held as follows:
    Workshop 1: Bakersfield, CA, October 16, 1997, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Pacific time.
    Workshop 2: Casper, WY, October 16, 1997, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Mountain time.
    Workshop 3: Roswell, NM, October 21, 1997, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 
p.m., Mountain time.

ADDRESSES: Workshop 1 will be held in the Bakersfield District Office, 
Bureau of Land Management, 3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308-
6837, telephone (805) 391-6000.
    Workshop 2 will be held in the Casper District Office, Bureau of 
Land Management, 1701 East ``E'' Street, Casper, WY 82601, telephone 
(307) 261-7600.
    Workshop 3 will be held in the Roswell District Office, Bureau of 
Land Management, 2909 West 2nd Street, Roswell, NM 88201, telephone 
(505) 627-0272.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Christnacht or Sheila Dean, 
Royalty Valuation Division, Royalty Management Program, Minerals 
Management Service, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3151, Denver, CO 80225-0165, 
telephone numbers (303) 275-7252 and (303) 275-7201, respectively; or 
David S. Guzy, Chief, Rules and Publications Staff, Royalty Management 
Program, Minerals Management Service, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3021, Denver, 
CO 80225-0165; telephone (303) 231-3432; fax number (303) 231-3385; e-
Mail
David__G[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These three workshops will be open to the 
public in order to discuss the alternatives described in the September 
22, 1997, Notice (62 FR 49460).
    While MMS is hosting other workshops involving industry 
organizations and States, the intent of the Bakersfield, Casper, and 
Roswell workshops is to provide information to, and receive comments 
from, small oil producers at locations near their operations to 
minimize their travel. However, other interested parties are welcome. 
We encourage a workshop atmosphere where members of the public 
participate in a discussion of the alternatives. Space is limited. 
However, attendees should reserve slots with Peter Christnacht or 
Shelia Dean at the telephone numbers in the FOR FUTURE INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this notice no later than October 15, 1997. For 
building security measures, each

[[Page 52519]]

person will be required to sign in and may be required to present a 
picture identification to gain entry to the workshops.

    Dated: October 2, 1997.
R. Dale Fazio,
Acting Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 97-26570 Filed 10-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P