§29.40. What are the purpose and scope of the regulations in this subpart?
50 C.F.R. § 29.40
The purpose of this subpart is to ensure that operators exercising non-Federal oil and gas rights within the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) outside of Alaska use technologically feasible, least damaging methods to:
Protect Service-administered lands and waters, and resources of refuges;
Protect refuge wildlife-dependent recreational uses and experiences and visitor or employee health and safety; and
Conserve refuges for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
This subpart applies to all operators conducting non-Federal oil and gas operations outside of Alaska on Service-administered lands held in fee or less-than fee (excluding coordination areas) or Service-administered waters to the extent necessary to protect those property interests. These regulations do not apply to non-Federal surface locations within the boundaries of a refuge (i.e., inholdings), except to the extent that activities associated with those operations, including access to an inholding, occur on Service-administered lands or waters.
This subpart is not intended to result in a taking of any property interest. The purpose of this subpart is to reasonably regulate operations to protect Service-administered lands and waters, resources of refuges, visitor uses and experiences, and visitor or employee health and safety.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
Source
Source: 81 FR 79971, Nov. 14, 2016, unless otherwise noted.
Authority
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 16 U.S.C. 460k, 664, 668dd, 685, 690d, 715i, 725, 3161; 30 U.S.C. 185; 31 U.S.C. 3711, 9701; 40 U.S.C. 319; 43 U.S.C. 315a; 113 Stat. 1501A-140.
Source
Source: 31 FR 16026, Dec. 15, 1966, unless otherwise noted.