Final Environmental Impact Statement Non-Federal Oil and Gas Regulations

---
identifier: "/us/fr/2016-21186"
source: "fr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "Final Environmental Impact Statement Non-Federal Oil and Gas Regulations"
title_number: 0
title_name: "Federal Register"
section_number: "2016-21186"
section_name: "Final Environmental Impact Statement Non-Federal Oil and Gas Regulations"
positive_law: false
currency: "2016-09-07"
last_updated: "2016-09-07"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
agency: "Interior Department"
document_number: "2016-21186"
document_type: "notice"
publication_date: "2016-09-07"
agencies:
  - "Interior Department"
  - "National Park Service"
fr_citation: "81 FR 61715"
fr_volume: 81
docket_ids:
  - "NPS-WASO-NRSS-15890"
  - "PPWONRADE2.PMP00EI05.YP0000"
fr_action: "Notice of availability, Final Environmental Impact Statement."
---


#  Final Environmental Impact Statement Non-Federal Oil and Gas Regulations

**AGENCY:**

National Park Service, Interior.

**ACTION:**

Notice of availability, Final Environmental Impact Statement.

**SUMMARY:**

The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Nonfederal Oil and Gas Regulations (36 CFR part 9, subpart B) Revisions.

**DATES:**

September 7, 2016.

**ADDRESSES:**

Copies of the FEIS will be available for public review at *http://parkplanning.nps.gov/FEIS9B.* A limited number of hard copies will be available upon request.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**

David Steensen, Chief, Geologic Resource Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225; phone (303) 969-2014. The responsible official for this FEIS is the Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the FEIS evaluates the impacts of three alternatives, including the following alternative elements:

• Elimination of two regulatory provisions that exempt 60% of the oil and gas operations in System units. All operators in System units would be required to comply with the 9B regulations.

• Elimination of the financial assurance (bonding) cap. Financial assurance would be equal to the reasonable estimated cost of site reclamation.

• Improving enforcement authority by incorporating existing NPS penalty provisions. Law enforcement staff would have authority to write citations for noncompliance with the regulations.

• Authorizing compensation to the federal government for new access on federal lands and waters outside the boundary of an operator's mineral right.

• Reformatting the regulations to make it easier to identify an operator's information requirements and operating standards that apply to each type of operation.

Dated: August 30, 2016.

Raymond M. Sauvajot,

Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, Washington Office, National Park Service.