Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
june 2013

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federal register

Federal Register June-2013

FTZB – The Foreign-Trade Zones Board announced that the LLC dba Hawai’i Gas company proposed production activity of synthetic natural gas in Kapolei Hawaii. Approval of this request would permit Hawai’i Gas to utilize fuels from any source in foreign status. The public comment period is open until July 15, 2013. [Monday, June 03, 2013(Volume 78, Number 106)]

BLM – The Bureau of Land management Alaska State Office has announced that the nominations for tracts for oil and gas leasing for the 2013 National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska are now open. Nominations and comments are due on July 18, 2013. [ Monday, June 03, 2013(Volume 78, Number 106)]

EERE – As a participant in the International Energy Conservation Code development process administered by the International Code Council (ICC), the Department of Energy intends to submit public comments on actions taken on DOE's code change proposals and technical analysis at the ICC Committee Action Hearings held in Dallas, Texas in April 2013. This notice outlines the process by which DOE will seek stakeholder feedback and submit public comments to the ICC. [ Wednesday, June 05, 2013(Volume 78, Number 108)]

FS – The United States Department of Agriculture (Department) is issuing this final rule to update, rename, and relocate the administrative appeal regulations governing occupancy or use of National Forest System (NFS) lands and resources. [ Wednesday, June 05, 2013(Volume 78, Number 108)]

DOE – The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gave notice of the receipt of an application from Freeport-McMoRan Energy LLC (FME) requesting long-term, multi-contract authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from domestic sources. The application was filed under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act. [Thursday, June 06, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 109)]

EPA – The Environmental Protection Agency is taking final action to remove unnecessary or obsolete air quality regulations for Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. [Thursday, June 06, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 109)]

EPA – The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a rule requesting implementation of 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The rule addresses and discusses a range of requirement for state implementation plans. The proposed rule would also revoke the 1997 NAAQS and include anti-backsliding requirements that would apply upon its revocation. [Thursday, June 06, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 109)]

EOP – The President has declared June 2013 as Great Outdoors Month, urging Americans “to explore the great outdoors and to uphold our Nation's legacy of conserving our lands and waters for future generations.” [Thursday, June 06, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 109)]

EOP – The President has declared June 2013 as National Oceans Month, calling up Americans “I call upon Americans to take action to protect, conserve, and restore our oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes.” [Thursday, June 06, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 109)]

FEMA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a final rule on Base Flood Elevation (BFEs) determinations (1% annual chance) for the communities listed in the document. The BFEs are the basis for floodplain management measures that are required for each community to adopt. [Thursday, June 06, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 109)]

NFS – The National Forest Service issued an interim directive to help guide assessment, planning, and implementation of revised procedures for the Burned Area Emergency Response. They invite public comment, which will be taken into account before the final directive. [Thursday, June 06, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 109)]

BLM - The Bureau of Land Management extended the comment period for a proposed rule to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal and Indian land. The proposed rule contains regulations regarding cement evaluation, and how trade secrets claims will be handled. Comments are now due on or before August 23, 2013. [Monday, June 10, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 111)]

DOE – The Department of Energy’s State Energy Advisory Board has corrected the dates regarding an open state meeting. The new dates are July 17, 2013 and July 18, 2013. [Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 113)]

BLM – The Bureau of Land Management announced that the comment period for the proposed rule to amend the BLM's commercial oil shale regulations has been reopened for 30 day. This rule concerns the environmental protection requirements and issues about the royalty system. Comments are due by July 15, 2013. [Thursday, June 13, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 114)]

EPA – The Environment Protection Agency announced a final rule approving most of the elements of New Jersey’s revised State Implementation Plans. The revisions were submitted to ensure that the state meets the of section 110(a)(1) and (2) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the 1997 8-hour ozone and the 1997 and 2006 fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). [Friday, June 14, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 115)]

BLM – The Bureau of Land Management announced that the final Environmental Impact State (EIS) for the SunZia Southwest Transmission Line Project is available. [Friday, June 14, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 115)]

NOAA – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration proposed that the boundary of Thunder Bay National Marine Reserve be expanded. The proposed expansion for the reserve would increase the size of the sanctuary from 448 square miles to 4,300 square miles, as well as extend protection to 47 known historic shipwrecks. [Friday, June 14, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 115)]

NSF – The National Science Foundation announced an upcoming meeting of the Proposal Review Panel for Ocean Sciences to take place on June 18-19, 2013, from 8:30 AM-5:00 PM. [Friday, June 14, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 115)]

OSM – The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement announced that a previously proposed amendment to the North Dakota regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 would be reopened for comment. [Friday, June 14, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 115)]

FEMA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a final rule on Base Flood Elevation (BFE) determinations (1% annual chance) for the communities listed in the document. BFEs are the basis for floodplain management measures that are required for each community to adopt to qualify for the National Flood Insurance Program. [Monday, June 17, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 116)]

FEMA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a final rule on Base Flood Elevation (BFE) determinations (1% annual chance) for the communities listed in the document. BFEs are the basis for floodplain management measures that are required for each community to adopt to qualify for the National Flood Insurance Program. [Monday, June 17, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 116)]

NASA – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Astrophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council. The purpose of the meeting is to solicit scientific and technical information relevant to program planning. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and is open to the public. [Monday, June 17, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 116)]

BOEM – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is inviting comments on a collection of information that they will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This information is needed to fulfill paperwork requirements under 30 CFR part 550, subparts A and K, which concern general oil and gas and sulphur and production requirements in the Outer Continental Shelf. [Monday, June 17, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 116)]

EPA – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of the Chartered Science Advisory Board Panel to receive agency briefings on science topics and complete Board discussions of planned actions identified in the agency's regulatory agenda and their supporting science. The public teleconference will be held on Friday, July 19, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). [Tuesday, June 18, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 117)]

EPA - The Environmental Protection Agency submitted a proposal for a renewal of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Oil and Gas Production Information Collection Request (ICR). This ICR requires Oil and natural gas production facilities to submit a variety of information such as performance tests and periodic reports. More information is available in the notice. [Wednesday, June 19, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 118)]

EPA - The Environmental Protection Agency amended a final rule regarding the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from Petroleum Refineries. The amendments to this rule will not change level of environmental protection required under the rule. The amendment only clarifies certain parts of the rule regarding monitoring and flexibility. [Thursday, June 20, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 119)]

NSF – The National Science Foundation has announced a meeting of the Advisory Committee for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, to take place on July 18, 2013 from 1:00 pm – 5:15 pm at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Room 1235, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230. [Friday, June 21, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 120)]

NRC – The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards will hold a meeting on July 9-12, 2013, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The meeting will include discussion of spent fuel storage and proposed rulemaking to modify portions of 10 CFR Part 61, “Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste [Monday, June 24, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 121)]

NSF – The National Science Foundation (NSF) has proposed to continue the Higher Education Research and Development Survey for three years. The survey seeks to provide data on the availability of and need for scientific and technical resources in the United States and to provide a source of information for policy formulation by federal government agencies as mandated by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. This is the second notice for public comment on the survey renewal. [Tuesday, June 25, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 122)]

NASA – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee of the Aeronautics Committee of the NASA Advisory Council for the purpose of soliciting, from the aeronautics community and other persons, research and technical information relevant to program planning. The meeting is open to the public and will be held Thursday, July 18, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday July 19, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the NASA Headquarters, Room 6E40, 300 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20546. [Tuesday, June 25, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 122)]

BLM – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) seeks approval to continue the collection of information from individuals and entities seeking authorization for free use of mineral or vegetative materials. At present, the BLM uses the same form for free use of both vegetative and mineral materials. In this request, the BLM seeks approval to use one form for vegetative materials, and a different form for mineral materials. [Tuesday, June 25, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 122)]

PHMSA – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has requested comments on revisions for seven forms. These forms include reports on liquefied natural gas facilities, gathering pipeline systems, and gas distribution systems. [Thursday, June 27, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 124)]