Page 11 - March 2018 Newsletter
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Regulatory for decades to come." They added BOEM acknowledged the concerns
that U.S. economic and national
raised by the IAGC, and asks for
News security interests "necessarily specific estimates and
recommendations to consider
depends upon a national long-term
energy policy that relies upon U.S. modification of the burden hours. The
Federal Register notice also extends the
oil and natural gas exploration and
United States production to meet our energy comment period to 30 March 2018. As
part of this extension, the IAGC is
IAGC, Trades Submit needs." asking for your assistance in detailing
Comment Letters on Draft the specific burden hour estimates.
Proposed Program BOEM Responds Favorably to Please contact the IAGC if you have
thoughts or suggestions regarding
IAGC, API G&G ICR Requests these estimates.
On 9 March, the comment period
for the Bureau of Ocean Energy On 28 February, the Bureau of Industry Comments on FWS
Management's (BOEM) 2019-2024 Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) CCAA Policy and Regulations
National OCS Draft Proposed issued a Federal Register notice with
Program (DPP) closed. Ending the responses to submitted comments to On 22 January 2018, the IAGC, along
comment period with a flurry of the BOEM information collection with the American Exploration &
industry support, IAGC submitted request (ICR) for Geological and Production Council (AXPC), the
comments in support of the DPP as Geophysical Explorations of the Independent Petroleum Association of
well as signed onto a joint trades Outer Continental Shelf. The IAGC America (IPAA), and the American
comment letter backing the draft and API were the only comments Petroleum Institute (API), submitted
plan. received by BOEM, so many of their comments in response to the U.S. Fish
requests were answered favorably by and Wildlife Service's Candidate
In the IAGC's individual comment BOEM. Conservation Agreements with
letter to BOEM, the IAGC noted its Assurances (CCAAs) Policy.
"full support" for the DPP and urges In particular, BOEM added a change
that no additional areas be removed to Form BOEM-0327 at A.6 that The associations believe that the
from future leasing consideration. allows the details of the vessel (other Service should continue support for
Calling for "predicability and than "type") to be provided at a later CCAAs, but request that the Service
certainty" in the offshore leasing date. The IAGC originally asked withdraw and revise the current CCAA
program, the IAGC also pointed to BOEM to allow for the applicant to policy to encourage additional
the need for seismic surveys. The provide the type of vessel to be used participation by owners of private
IAGC wrote that seismic surveys instead of identifying the specific property and by entities in the private
are a safe and proven way for vessel. BOEM will allow third party sector proposing projects for economic
companies, as well as the federal notification letters to be submitted at and resource development.
government, to assess offshore a later stage in the process after the
resources, and called for the submission of the application but CCAAs can encourage such actions at
approval of the much-delayed before the permit is issued. BOEM an early stage in the development of a
seismic survey permit applications also noted that they are open to project when these actions can be more
in the Atlantic OCS. discussions with the IAGC on this effective in exchange for assurances as
topic. to the continued use of the property
In the joint trades letter, industry should the species of concern be listed.
highlighted their support for full BOEM has also requested more
access to all of the 25 areas information in regards to the burden
proposed for leasing in the DPP, hours associated with processing a
the trades say the plan creates an permit application.
opportunity to "fuel our economy
March | 2018 11
topic.
