[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 29, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 64205-64206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25815]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
30 CFR Parts 203 and 260
RIN 1010-AD29
Royalty Relief for Deepwater Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas
Leases--Conforming Regulations to Court Decision
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.
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SUMMARY: MMS is delaying until December 8, 2008, 60 days from the date
of publication, the effective date of a rule that will conform the
regulations at 30 CFR parts 203 and 260 to the Federal Court's decision
in Santa Fe Snyder Corp. v. Norton, 385 F.3d 884 (5th Cir. 2004). This
delay of effective date is necessary to comply with the Congressional
review provisions of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness
Act of 1996, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq. (the Congressional Review Act).
DATES: The effective date of the rule amending 30 CFR parts 203 and 260
published at 73 FR 58467, October 7, 2008 is delayed until December 8,
2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marshall Rose, Chief, Economics
Division, Minerals Management Service at (703) 787-1536.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The rule published October 7, 2008, amends
30 CFR parts 203 and 260 to conform the regulations to the decision in
Santa Fe Snyder. That decision found that certain provisions of the MMS
regulations interpreting section 304 of the Deep Water Royalty Relief
Act are contrary to the requirements of the statute. Under the rule,
MMS will determine lessees' royalty under leases subject to Deep Water
Royalty Relief Act section 304, for both past and future periods, in a
manner consistent with the decision in Santa Fe Snyder. As stated in
the preamble therein, the final rule has been determined to be both
``major'' and ``economically significant.'' Accordingly, the
Congressional Review Act requires that before this final rule can take
effect, an agency shall submit the rule to Congress for review for a
period of 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register
or receipt of the rule by Congress, whichever is later. 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(3)(A). This delay of the effective date will assure ample time
for that required review.
[[Page 64206]]
Dated: October 23, 2008.
C. Stephen Allred,
Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. E8-25815 Filed 10-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P