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🐬Authorization Notice for Marine Mammal Taking in Gulf of Mexico

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to TGS for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

🌊Executive Order on Restoring American Heritage Through Renaming

Executive Order 14172 aims to restore names that celebrate American heritage, specifically renaming significant landmarks and waterways. It directs the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to consider appointments and renaming applications that honor historic figures, and emphasizes the economic significance of the newly named Gulf of America while requiring regulations to be updated accordingly.

🌊Letter of Authorization for Marine Mammals in Gulf Geophysical Surveys

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to bp Exploration and Production, Inc., (bp) for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

🌍EPA Proposes Revisions to Oil and Gas Emission Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is modifying proposed amendments to the New Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources for the Crude Oil and Natural Gas Source Category in response to petitions for reconsideration. This action corrects information collection estimates in the January 15, 2025 notice of proposed rulemaking.

⚖️Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustments for Oil and Gas Operations

This final rule adjusts the amounts of civil monetary penalties contained in the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) regulations governing onshore oil and gas operations and coal trespass. This final rule is required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and is consistent with applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. The adjustments made by this final rule constitute the 2025 annual inflation adjustments and account for one year of inflation spanning the period from October 2023 through October 2024.

🌊Withdrawal of Key U.S. Offshore Areas from Oil Leasing Regulations

🌊Oil and Gas Leasing Withdrawal in the Northern Bering Sea

🌍BLM Announces Environmental Impact Statement for Oil and Gas Leasing

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for approximately 3,224 oil and gas leases sold in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming and issued pursuant to 74 individual lease sale decisions. The EIS will provide a comprehensive analysis of the potential environmental impacts from these leases, which have been remanded to BLM for further review, including the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions (to include the social cost of carbon) and other common impacts.

🌍EPA Proposes Changes to Oil and Gas Emission Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing amendments to the New Source Performance Standards and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources for the Crude Oil and Natural Gas Source Category in response to petitions for reconsideration. Specifically, this action proposes discrete technical changes to two different aspects of the rules. First, this action proposes discrete technical changes to the temporary flaring provisions for associated gas in certain situations. Second, this action proposes discrete technical changes to the vent gas net heating value (NHV) continuous monitoring requirements and alternative performance test (sampling demonstration) option for flares and enclosed combustion devices. In a letter dated May 6, 2024, the EPA notified petitioners and the public that the Agency granted reconsideration on these two aspects of the March 8, 2024 (89 FR 16820) final rule. These amendments neither propose changes to any other aspect of the final rule, nor propose to alter the substance of any emission standards within the final rule. Also, in this action, the EPA proposes to make formatting changes to the regulatory text to meet the required formatting standards of the Office of the Federal Register.

🦚Draft Amendments Notice for Lesser Prairie-Chicken Conservation Plans

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received applications from LPC Conservation LLC (applicant) for amended incidental take permits (permits) supported by proposed amendments to the "Oil and Gas and Renewable (Wind and Solar) Energy, Power Line, and Communication Tower Habitat Conservation Plans for the Lesser Prairie-chicken; Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas" (HCPs). With this notice, we announce the availability for public comment of the permit applications, the proposed HCP amendments, and the draft environmental assessments (EAs). Currently, we are only accepting comments on the amended portions of the HCPs and EAs. We invite comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments.