Published 30-day FRN (91 FR 56467)

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determined that it is not reasonably
possible to eliminate the threat through
nonlethal deterrence or live-capturing
and releasing the grizzly bear
unharmed. Additionally, the Service
may issue written authorization to an
individual to kill a grizzly bear in
Management Area C if the Service or an
authorized agency identifies the grizzly
bear as an ongoing threat to human
safety, livestock, or other property (e.g.,
compost, chickens, beehives), and it is
not reasonably possible to eliminate the
threat through nonlethal deterrence or
live-capturing and releasing the grizzly
bear unharmed.
4. Recovery or reporting of dead
individuals and specimen collection
from experimental populations—This
type of information would be for the
purpose of documenting incidental or
authorized scientific collection and
surrender of grizzly bear carcasses as the
result of lethal take. Most of the contacts
with the public primarily would be with
the reporting of sightings of
experimental population animals, or the
inadvertent discovery of an injured or
dead individual.
5. Obtaining Landowner/Land
Management Entity Authorization—
Individuals requesting the written
authorizations mentioned above must
also obtain or confirm authorization
from the landowner or land
management entity, where appropriate.
The Service would use the
information described above to
document the locations of reintroduced
animals, determine causes of mortality
and conflict with human activities so
that Service managers could minimize
conflicts with people, and improve
management techniques for
reintroduction. The information would
help the Service assess the effectiveness
of management activities and develop
means to reduce problems with
livestock for those species where
depredation is a problem. Service
recovery specialists would use the
information to determine the success of
reintroductions in relation to
established recovery plan goals for the
species.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
The authority for this action is the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2026–17936 Filed 9–1–26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS–HQ–NWRS–2026–3631;
OMB Control Number 1018–0162;
FXRS12610900000–267–FF09R24000]

Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget; Non-Federal
Oil and Gas Operations on National
Wildlife Refuge System Lands
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection;

request for comment.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), are proposing to renew an
existing information collection without
change.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before October
2, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to https://www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under Review—
Open for Public Comments’’ or by using
the search function. Please provide a
copy of your comments to the Service
Information Collection Clearance
Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 5275 Leesburg Pike,
Falls Church, VA 22041–3803 (mail); or
by email to [email protected]. Please
reference ‘‘1018–0162’’ in the subject
line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Madonna L. Baucum, Service
Information Collection Clearance
Officer, by email at [email protected],
or by telephone at (703) 358–2503.
Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States. You may
also view the information collection
request at https://www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA; 44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq.) and its implementing regulations
at 5 CFR part 1320, all information

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collections require approval under the
PRA. We may not conduct or sponsor,
and you are not required to respond to,
a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control
number.
On April 13, 2026, we published in
the Federal Register (91 FR 18869) a
notice of our intent to request that OMB
approve this information collection. In
that notice, we solicited comments for
60 days, ending on June 12, 2026. We
also published the Federal Register
notice on Regulations.gov (Docket No.
FWS–HQ–NWRS–2026–0562). We
received the following comments in
response to that notice:
Comment 1: Electronic comment
received from Ashton Murrey submitted
via Regulations.gov (FWS–HQ–NWRS–
2026–0562–0003) on April 21, 2026.
The commenter recommended a hybrid
information collection system—paper
capture in the field (where connectivity
may limit electronic access), followed
by later transfer to an electronic
database.
Agency Response to Comment 1: We
appreciate this practical
recommendation. The Service supports
electronic submission wherever feasible
to reduce burden and improve records
management; the PRA notice explicitly
invites suggestions to enhance quality,
utility, clarity, and to minimize burden
through appropriate technologies. At the
same time, we recognize field
constraints on refuges and accept paperbased materials when necessary,
provided they contain the information
required under 50 CFR part 29, subpart
D and Form 3–2469. The Service will
continue to accept hybrid submissions
and continue to expand electronic
options consistent with the PRA notice.
Comment 2: Anonymous electronic
comment submitted via Regulations.gov
(FWS–HQ–NWRS–2026–0562–0004) on
April 27, 2026. The commenter opposes
any corporate or private oil and gas
operations on wildlife refuges, urging a
permanent stop.
Agency Response to Comment 2: We
acknowledge the commenter’s policy
view. This docket is a PRA information
collection renewal—it does not establish
or revise substantive policy or the
underlying authority for operations.
Under existing law and regulations, the
Service’s role is to allow the continued
exercise of non-Federal oil and gas
rights within refuge boundaries while
avoiding or minimizing unnecessary
impacts on refuge resources and uses.
The information we collect through
Form 3–2469 enables FWS to evaluate
proposed operations, apply mitigation,
and ensure compliance with applicable

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laws. Therefore, this PRA action cannot
prohibit operations; it renews the
information collection necessary to
administer 50 CFR part 29, subpart D.
No action taken; this comment concerns
policy and law beyond the scope of PRA
renewal.
Comment 3: Anonymous electronic
comment submitted via Regulations.gov
(FWS–HQ–NWRS–2026–0562–0005) on
April 27, 2026. The commenter urges oil
and gas exploration and retrieval on
public lands be prevented and made
illegal.
Agency Response to Comment 3: We
recognize the commenter’s policy
position. This information collection
relates specifically to non-Federal oil
and gas rights on National Wildlife
Refuge System lands and is governed by
existing statutory and regulatory
authorities. The PRA renewal does not
alter those authorities. The Service’s
regulations at 50 CFR part 29, subpart D
provide for the continued exercise of
non-Federal rights while requiring
detailed planning, mitigation, spill
control, reclamation, and financial
assurance to protect refuge resources.
The collection is thus necessary for
proper performance of agency functions
under current law. No action taken; this
comment concerns policy and law
beyond the scope of PRA renewal.
Comment 4: Anonymous electronic
comment submitted via Regulations.gov
(FWS–HQ–NWRS–2026–0562–0006) on
June 8, 2026. The commenter requests
that the Service protect wildlife and not
allow activities that harm animals or
cause destruction on refuges.
Agency Response to Comment 4: We
acknowledge the commenter’s priority
to protect wildlife and refuge resources.
The information collected is designed
precisely to avoid or minimize impacts
and to enable enforceable permit
conditions on operations. The April 13,
2026 notice describes these
requirements and their practical utility
for evaluating proposals and ensuring
compliance with all applicable laws. No
action taken; the existing collection
under Form 3–2469 and Subpart D
already supports protection through
rigorous planning, review, and
mitigation requirements.
Comment 5: Anonymous electronic
comment submitted via Regulations.gov
(FWS–HQ–NWRS–2026–0562–0007) on
June 12, 2026. The commenter
emphasizes that refuges should remain
undisturbed by private corporations and
urges protection of open spaces and
wildlife.
Agency Response to Comment 5: We
acknowledge the commenter’s emphasis
on conservation values. Within the
existing legal framework, the Service

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balances the continued exercise of nonFederal mineral rights with its
responsibility to protect refuge
resources and public uses. The
information collection facilitates that
balance by requiring operators to
provide detailed information about their
proposed operations which FWS uses to
set conditions and safeguards during
permitting. This PRA renewal does not
expand operations; it maintains the
collection tools needed to ensure that
any operations are planned and
conducted to protect refuge resources to
the maximum extent practicable under
applicable laws and regulations. No
action taken; the collection remains
necessary for protective decisionmaking and compliance oversight.
As part of our continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we are again inviting the
public and other Federal agencies to
comment on new, proposed, revised,
and continuing collections of
information. This helps us assess the
impact of our information collection
requirements and minimize the public’s
reporting burden. It also helps the
public understand our information
collection requirements and provide the
requested data in the desired format.
We are especially interested in public
comments addressing the following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether or not the
information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the
burden for this collection of
information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(4) How might the agency minimize
the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to
respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in
response to this notice are a matter of
public record. Before including your
address, phone number, email address,
or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal
identifying information—may be
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we

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cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Abstract: The authority of the Service
to regulate non-Federal oil and gas
operations on National Wildlife Refuge
System (NWRS) lands is broadly
derived from the Property Clause of the
U.S. Constitution (art. IV, Sec. 3), in
carrying out the statutory mandates of
the Secretary of the Interior, as
delegated to the Service, to manage
Federal lands and resources under the
National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act (NWRSAA; 16
U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), as amended by the
National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act (NWRSIA), and to
specifically manage species within the
NWRS under the provisions of
numerous statutes, the most notable of
which are the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
(MBTA; 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), the
Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.), and the Fish and Wildlife
Act of 1956 (FWA; 16 U.S.C. 742f).
The Service’s regulations in Title 50
of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
at 50 CFR, part 29, subpart D provide for
the continued exercise of non-Federal
oil and gas rights while avoiding or
minimizing unnecessary impacts to
national wildlife refuge resources and
uses. Other land management agencies
have regulations that address oil and gas
development, including the Department
of the Interior’s National Park Service
and Bureau of Land Management, and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
Forest Service. These agencies all
require the submission of information
similar to the information requested by
the Service.
The collection of information is
necessary for the Service to properly
balance the exercise of non-Federal oil
and gas rights within national wildlife
refuge boundaries with the Service’s
responsibility to protect wildlife and
habitat, water quality and quantity,
wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities, and the health and safety
of employees and visitors on NWRS
lands.
The information collected under 50
CFR, part 29, subpart D, identifies the
owner and operator (the owner and
operator can be the same) and details
how the operator may access and
develop oil and gas resources. It also
identifies the steps the operator intends
to take to minimize any adverse impacts
of operations on refuge resources and
uses. No information is submitted
unless the operator wishes to conduct
oil and gas operations.
We use the information collected to
(1) evaluate proposed operations; (2)
ensure that all necessary mitigation
measures are employed to protect

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national wildlife refuge resources and
values; and (3) ensure compliance with
all applicable laws and regulations,
including the National Environmental
Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
the NWRSAA, as amended by the
NWRSIA, and to specifically manage
species within the NWRS under the
provisions of numerous statutes, the
most notable of which are the MBTA,
the ESA, the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.),
and the FWA.
1. Preexisting Operations (§ 29.61)—
Within 90 days after the effective date
of these regulations or after a boundary
change or establishment of a new refuge
unit, preexisting operators without a
Service-issued permit must submit:
• Documentation of the right to
operate within the refuge.
• Contact information (names, phone
numbers, and addresses) of the primary
company representative, the
representative responsible for field
supervision, and the representative
responsible for emergency response.
• Scaled map clearly delineating the
existing area of operations.
• Documentation of the current
operating methods, surface equipment,
materials produced or used, and
monitoring methods.
• Copies of all plans and permits
required by local, State, and Federal
agencies.
2. Temporary Access Permit
Application (§ 29.71)—We use Parts 1
and 2 of Form 3–2469, Oil and Gas
Operations—Special Use Permit, as the
application for a Temporary Access
Permit. The operator must provide the
information requested in Parts 1 and 2
of the form, including:
• Contact information (name, legal
address, and telephone number) for the
person(s) responsible for the overall
management of the proposed operations.
• Documentation demonstrating the
right to operate within the refuge.
• Name, legal address, telephone
number, and qualifications of all
specialists responsible for conducting
the reconnaissance surveys.
• Brief description of the intended
operation so that we can determine
reconnaissance survey needs.
• Description of the survey methods
used to identify natural and cultural
resources.
• Location map (to-scale and
determined by us to be acceptable)
delineating the proposed
reconnaissance survey area in relation
to the refuge boundary and the proposed
area of operations.
• Description of proposed means of
access and routes for conducting the
reconnaissance surveys.

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3. Accessing Oil And Gas Rights From
a Non-Federal Surface Location
(§ 29.80)—We encourage operators to
provide the Service (at least 60 calendar
days prior to beginning operations): the
names, telephone numbers, and
addresses of the primary company
representative; the representative
responsible for field supervision; and
the representative responsible for
emergency response.
4. Pre-application Meeting for
Operations Permit (§ 29.91)—Before
applying for an Operations Permit,
operators should participate in a preapplication meeting with the Service
and provide:
• Documentation demonstrating the
right to operate within the refuge.
• An overview of the proposed
operation and timing.
5. Operations Permit Application
(§§ 29.94, 29.95, 29.96, and 29.97)—We
use Form 3–2469 as the application for
an Operations Permit. All applicants
must provide the information requested
in Parts 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10, Form 3–
2469, including:
A. Part 1 (§ 29.94(a)–(b))—
• Contact information (name, legal
address, and telephone number) for the
person(s) responsible for the overall
management of the proposed operations.
• Documentation demonstrating the
right to operate within the refuge.
B. Part 3 (§ 29.94(c)–(f))—
• Description of the natural features
of the proposed area of operations such
as: streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands
(including estimated depths to the top
and bottom of zones of usable water);
topographic relief; and areas that the
Service has indicated are sensitive.
• Locations of existing roads, trails,
railroad tracks, pipeline rights-of-way,
pads, and other disturbed areas.
• Locations of existing structures that
the operations could affect, including
buildings; pipelines; oil and gas wells,
including both producing and plugged
and abandoned wells; injection wells;
freshwater wells; underground and
overhead electrical lines; and other
utility lines.
• Descriptions of the natural and
cultural resource conditions from
reconnaissance survey reports or other
sources collected for the proposed area
of operations including baseline testing
of soils, surface, and ground waters
within the area of operations that
reasonably may be impacted by surface
operations.
C. Part 4 (§ 29.94(g)–(n))—Location
maps (to-scale and determined by the
Service to be acceptable) that clearly
identify:
• Proposed area of operations,
existing conditions, and proposed new

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surface uses, including the boundaries
of each of the oil and gas tracts in
relation to the proposed operations and
the relevant refuge boundary.
• Proposed access routes of new
surface disturbances as determined by a
location survey.
• Location of all support facilities,
including those for transportation (e.g.,
vehicle parking areas, helicopter pads,
etc.), sanitation, occupation, staging
areas, fuel storage areas, refueling areas,
loading docks, water supplies, and
disposal facilities.
• Method and diagrams (including
cross sections) of any proposed pad
construction, road construction, cutand-fill areas, and surface maintenance,
including erosion control.
• Number and types of equipment
and vehicles, including an estimate of
vehicular round trips associated with
the operation.
• Estimated timetable for the
proposed operations, including any
operational timing constraints.
• Type and extent of security
measures proposed at the area of
operation.
• Power sources and their
transmission systems for the proposed
operations.
• Types and quantities of all solid
and liquid waste generated and the
proposed methods of storage, handling,
and disposal.
• Source, quantity, access route, and
transportation/conveyance method for
all water to be used in operations
(including hydraulic fracturing), as well
as estimates of any anticipated
wastewater volumes generated
(including flowback fluids from
hydraulic fracturing operations and the
proposed methods of storage, handling,
and recycling or disposal).
D. Part 5 Geophysical Exploration
(§ 29.95)—Applicants proposing
geophysical exploration must also
provide the information requested in
Part 5 of Form 3–2469, including:
• Map showing the positions of each
survey line including all source and
receiver locations as determined by a
locational survey, and shot point offset
distances from wells, buildings, other
infrastructure, cultural resources, and
environmentally sensitive areas.
• Number of crews and numbers of
workers in each crew.
• Description of the acquisition
methods (including the procedures and
specific equipment that will be used)
and energy sources (e.g., explosives,
vibroseis trucks, etc.).
• Description of methods of access
along each survey line for personnel,
materials, and equipment.

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• List of all explosives, blasting
equipment, chemicals, and fuels that
will be used in the proposed operations,
including a description of proposed
disposal methods, transportation
methods, safety measures, and storage
facilities.
E. Part 6 Proposed Drilling Operations
(§ 29.96)—Applicants proposing drilling
operations must also provide the
information requested in Part 6 of Form
3–2469, including:
• Description of well pad
construction, including dimensions and
cross sections of cut-and-fill areas and
excavations for ditches, sumps, and
spill control equipment or structures
(including lined areas).
• Description of the drill rig and
equipment layout including rig
components, fuel tanks, testing
equipment, support facilities, storage
areas, and all other well-site equipment
and facilities.
• Description of type and
characteristics of the proposed drilling
mud systems.
• Description of the equipment,
materials, and methods of surface
operations associated with drilling, well
casing and cementing, well control, well
evaluation and testing, well completion,
hydraulic fracturing or other well
stimulation, and well plugging.
F. Part 7 Production Operations
(§ 29.97)—Applicants proposing
production operations must also
provide the information requested in
Part 7 of Form 3–2469, including:
• Dimensions and a to-scale layout of:
the well pad, clearly identifying well
locations and noting partial reclamation
areas; gathering, separation, metering,
and storage equipment; electrical lines;
fences; spill control equipment or
structures including lined areas,
artificial lift equipment, tank batteries,
treating and separating vessels,
secondary or enhanced recovery
facilities, water disposal facilities, gas
compression and/or injection facilities;
metering points; sales point (if on lease);
tanker pickup points; gas compressor,
including size and type (if applicable);
and any other well site equipment.
• General description of anticipated
stimulations, servicing, and workovers.
• Description of the procedures and
equipment used to maintain control of
the well(s).
• Description of method and means
used to transport produced oil and gas,
including vehicular transport; flowline
and gathering line construction and
operation, pipe size, and operating
pressure; cathodic protection methods;
surface equipment use; surface
equipment location; maintenance
procedures; maintenance schedules;

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pressure detection methods; and
shutdown procedures.
• Road and well pad maintenance
plan, including equipment and
materials to maintain the road surface
and control erosion.
• Vegetation management plan for
well sites, roads, pipeline corridors, and
other disturbed surface areas, including
control of noxious and invasive species.
• Stormwater management plan on
the well site.
• Produced water storage and
disposal plan.
• Description of the equipment,
materials, and procedures proposed for
well plugging.
G. Part 8 (§ 29.94(o))—
• Description of proposed steps to
mitigate anticipated adverse
environmental impacts on refuge
resources and uses including: refuge’s
land features, land uses, fish and
wildlife, vegetation, soils, surface and
subsurface water resources, air quality,
noise, lightscapes, viewsheds, cultural
resources, and economic environment.
• Description of any anticipated
impacts that cannot be mitigated.
• Description of all alternatives
considered that meet the criteria of
technologically feasible, least-damaging
methods of operations, as well as the
costs and environmental effects of such
alternatives.
H. Part 9 (§ 29.94(p))—
• For spill control and emergency
preparedness plan, submit contact
information (name, address, and
telephone number) for the appropriate
officials to be contacted by the Service
in the event of a spill, fire, or accident,
including the order in which the
persons should be contacted.
• Notification procedures and steps
taken to minimize damage in the event
of spill, fire, or accident, including the
order in which individuals should be
contacted.
• Identification of contaminating or
toxic substances used within the area of
operations (or expected to be
encountered during operations).
• Trajectory analysis for potential
spills that are not contained on location.
• Identification of abnormal pressure,
temperature, toxic gases or substances,
or other hazardous conditions at the
area of operations or expected to be
encountered during operations.
• Measures (e.g., procedures, facility
design, equipment) to minimize risks to
human health and safety, and the
environment.
• Steps to prevent accumulations of
oil or other materials deemed to be fire
hazards from occurring in the vicinity of
well locations and lease tanks.
• Equipment and methods for
containment and cleanup of

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contaminating substances, including a
description of the equipment available
at the area of operations and equipment
available from local contractors.
• Storm water drainage plan and
actions intended to mitigate storm water
runoff.
• Safety data sheets for each material
that will be used or encountered during
operations, including expected
quantities maintained at the area of
operations.
• Description of the emergency
actions that will be taken in the event
of injury or death to fish and wildlife or
vegetation.
• Description of the emergency
actions that will be taken in the event
of accidents causing human injury.
• Contingency plans for conditions
and emergencies other than spills, such
as if the area of operations is located in
areas prone to hurricanes, flooding,
tornados, fires, or earthquakes.
I. Part 10 (§ 29.94(q)–(r))—
• Description of the specific
equipment, materials, methods, and
schedule that will be used to meet the
operating standards for reclamation
specified at § 29.117.
• Itemized list of the estimated costs
that a third party would charge to
complete reclamation.
J. Financial Assurance (§§ 29.103(b)
and 29.150–29.154)—Before operations
begin, operators must submit:
• Financial assurance in the amount
specified by the Service and in
accordance with the requirements of
§§ 29.150 through 29.154.
• Proof of liability insurance with
limits sufficient to cover injuries to
persons or property caused by the
operations.
K. Identification of Wells and Related
Facilities (§ 29.119(b)(3))—Operators
must identify wells and related facilities
with a sign that must remain in place
until the well is plugged and abandoned
and related facilities are removed. Signs
must be of durable construction, and the
lettering must be legible and large
enough to be read under normal
conditions at a distance of at least 50
feet. Each sign must show the name of
the well, name of the operator, and the
emergency contact phone number.
L. Reporting (§ 29.121)—Third-party
monitors will report directly to the
Service regarding compliance with the
operations permit and efforts to protect
federally owned or administered lands,
waters, or resources of refuges; visitor
uses and experiences; and visitor or
employee health and safety.
• Operators must notify the Service
within 24 hours of any injuries to or
mortality of fish, wildlife, or endangered
or threatened plants.

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• Operators must notify the Service of
any accidents involving serious
personal injury or death and of any fires
or spills on the site immediately after
the accident occurs. A written report on
the accident must be submitted to the
Service within 90 days after the
accident occurs.
• Operators must submit reports or
other information necessary to verify
compliance with the permit or with any
provision of subpart D of the
regulations.
• If operations include hydraulic
fracturing, the operator must provide a
report including:
—The true vertical depth of the well,
—Total water volume used, and
—A description of the base fluid and
each additive in the hydraulic
fracturing fluid, including the trade
name, supplier, purpose, ingredients,
Chemical Abstract Service Number
(CAS), maximum ingredient
concentration in additive (percent by
mass), and maximum ingredient
concentration in hydraulic fracturing
fluid (percent by mass).
M. Permit Modifications
(§ 29.160(a))—To request a modification
to operations under an approved permit,
permittees must provide, in writing, to
the Service, the operator’s assigned
permit number, a description of the
proposed modification, and an
explanation of why the modification is
needed.
N. Transferring Operator’s
Notifications (§ 29.170)—Operators
conducting operations under § 29.44,
must notify the Service in writing
within 30 calendar days from the date
the new operator acquires the rights to
conduct operations. Written notification
must include:
• Names and addresses of the person
or entity conveying the right and of the
person or entity acquiring the right.
• Effective date of transfer.
• Description of the rights, assets, and
liabilities being transferred and which
ones, if any, are being reserved.
• A written acknowledgement from
the new operator that the contents of the
notification are true and correct.
O. Acquiring Operator’s Requirements
for Wells Not Under a Service Permit
(§ 29.171(a))—The transferee must
provide to the Service within 30
calendar days from the date of the
transfer:
• Documentation demonstrating that
it holds the right to operate within the
refuge.
• Names, phone numbers, and
addresses of the primary company
representative, the representative
responsible for field supervision, and

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the representative responsible for
emergency response.
The transferee must submit an
operations permit application in
compliance with §§ 29.90–97 within 90
calendar days from the date of the
transfer. Since production operations
are in place, the scope of information
requirements would be limited and
focused on relevant information
requirements listed above for Parts 7, 8,
9, and 10.
P. Acquiring Operator’s Acceptance of
an Existing Permit (§ 29.171(b))—The
transferee must provide the following
within 30 days of commencing
operations:
• Documentation demonstrating that
it holds the right to operate within the
refuge.
• Names, phone numbers, and
addresses of the primary company
representative; the representative
responsible for field supervision; and
the representative responsible for
emergency response.
• Written agreement to conduct
operations in accordance with all terms
and conditions of the previous
operator’s permit.
• Financial assurance that is
acceptable to the Service and made
payable to the Service.
Q. Extension to Well Plugging
Requirement (§ 29.181)—To maintain a
well in a shut-in status for up to 5 years,
operators may apply for either an
operations permit or a modification to
operations under an approved permit.
The application or modification must
include the information requested in
Form 3–2469, including:
• Explanation of why the well is shutin or temporarily abandoned and future
plans for utilization.
• Demonstration of the mechanical
integrity of the well.
• Description of the manner in which
the operator’s well, equipment, and area
of operations will be maintained in
accordance with the standards in
subpart D of the regulations.
R. Public Information (§ 29.210)—
(1) An operator, or the operator and
the owner of the information required
under this subpart, may support a claim
to be exempt from public disclosure of
information otherwise required. If
required information is withheld, the
operator must submit an affidavit
§ 29.210(d) that:
• Identifies the owner of the withheld
information and provides the name,
address, and contact information for an
authorized representative of the owner
of the information.
• Identifies the Federal statute or
regulation that would prohibit the
Service from publicly disclosing the

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56471

information if it were in the Service’s
possession.
• Affirms that the operator has been
provided the withheld information from
the owner of the information and is
maintaining records of the withheld
information, or that the operator has
access and will maintain access to the
information held by the owner of the
information.
• Affirms that the information is not
publicly available.
• Affirms that the information is not
required to be publicly disclosed under
any applicable local, State, or Federal
law.
• Affirms that the owner of the
information is in actual competition and
identifies competitors or others that
could use the withheld information to
cause the owner substantial competitive
harm.
• Affirms that the release of the
information would likely cause
substantial competitive harm to the
owner and provides the factual basis for
that affirmation.
• Affirms that the information is not
readily apparent through reverse
engineering with publicly available
information.
(2) If the operator relies upon
information from third parties, such as
the owner of the withheld information,
to make the previous affirmations, the
operator must provide a written
affidavit from the third party that sets
forth the relied-upon information
(§ 29.210(e)).
(3) We may require any operator to
submit any withheld information and
any information relevant to a claim that
withheld information is exempt from
public disclosure (§ 29.210(f)).
(4) The operator must maintain
records of any withheld information
until the latter of the Service’s release of
the operator’s financial assurance or 7
years after completion of operations on
refuge lands (§ 29.210(h)).
(5) If any of the chemical identity
information required in this subpart is
withheld, the operator must provide the
generic chemical name in the
submission required. The generic
chemical name must be only as
nonspecific as is necessary to protect
the confidential chemical identity, and
should be the same as or no less
descriptive than the generic chemical
name provided to the Environmental
Protection Agency (§ 29.210(i)).
The public may request a copy of
Form 3–2469 associated with this
collection by sending a request to the
Service Information Collection
Clearance Officer (see ADDRESSES,
above).

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56472

Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 169 / Wednesday, September 2, 2026 / Notices

Title of Collection: Non-Federal Oil
and Gas Operations on National
Wildlife Refuge System Lands, 50 CFR
29, Subpart D.
OMB Control Number: 1018–0162.
Form Number: 3–2469.

Type of Review: Extension without
change of a currently approved
collection.
Respondents/Affected Public:
Businesses that conduct oil and gas
exploration on national wildlife refuges.

Activity/requirement

Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour
Burden Cost: $2,250,000 (associated
with financial assurances).
Estimated
number of
annual
responses

Completion
time per
response
(hours)

Estimated
total annual
burden hours

35
20
20
2
45
23
22
45
45

50
17
12.75
1
2
140
105
1
2

1,750
340
255
2
90
3,220
2,310
45
90

200

17

3,400

30
20
20
240
10

1
1
16
4
16

30
20
320
960
160

5

1

5

25

8

200

5
5
5
5

140
105
16
12

700
525
80
60

15
15
3

40
30
8

600
450
24

1
1
1
1

1
1
1
1

1
1
1
1

864

....................

15,640

Preexisting Operations (§ 29.61) .........................................................................................................
Temporary Access Permit Application (§ 29.71) Hard Copy ...............................................................
Temporary Access Permit Application (§ 29.71) ePermits ..................................................................
Accessing Oil and Gas Rights from Non-Fed Surface Loc (§ 29.80) .................................................
Pre-application Meeting for Operations Permit (§ 29.91) ....................................................................
Operations Permit Application (§§ 29.94–29.97) Hard Copy ..............................................................
Operations Permit Application (§§ 29.94–29.97) ePermits .................................................................
Financial Assurance (§§ 29.103(b), 29.150) (See Q–13) ....................................................................
Identification of Wells and Related Facilities (§ 29.119(b)) .................................................................
Reporting: (§ 29.121):
Third-Party Monitor Report (§ 29.121(b)) .........................................................................................
Notification—Injuries/Mortality to Fish and Wildlife and Threatened/Endangered Plants
(§ 29.121(c)) ..................................................................................................................................
Notification—Accidents involving Serious Injuries/Death and Fires/Spills (§ 29.121(d)) .................
Written Report—Accidents Involving Serious Injuries/Deaths and Fires/Spills (§ 29.121(d)) .........
Report—Verify Compliance with Permits (§ 29.121(e)) ...................................................................
Permit Modifications (§ 29.160(a)) ...................................................................................................
Notification—Chemical Disclosure of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids uploaded to FracFocus
(§ 29.121(f)) ..................................................................................................................................
Change of Operator § 29.170:
Transferring Operator Notification (§ 29.170) ..................................................................................
Extension to Well Plugging (§ 29.181(a)):
Application for Permit Hard Copy .............................................................................................
Application for Permit ePermits ................................................................................................
Modification Hard Copy ............................................................................................................
Modification ePermits ................................................................................................................
Acquiring Operator’s Requirements for Wells Not Under a Service Permit (§ 29.171(a)) Hard
Copy .............................................................................................................................................
Acquiring Operator’s Requirements for Wells Not Under a Service Permit (§ 29.171(a)) ePermits
Acquiring Operator’s Acceptance of an Existing Permit (§ 29.171(b)) ............................................
Public Information (§ 29.210):
Affidavit in Support of Claim of Confidentiality (§ 29.210(c) & (d)) ..................................................
Confidential Information (§ 29.210(e) and (f)) ..................................................................................
Maintenance of Confidential Information (§ 29.210(h)) ....................................................................
Generic Chemical Name Disclosure (§ 29.210(i)) ...........................................................................
Totals ........................................................................................................................................

The authority for this action is the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

1849 C Street NW, MS 2013,
Washington, DC 20240.

ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The National Park Service is

Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2026–17935 Filed 9–1–26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P

soliciting electronic comments on the
significance of properties nominated
before August 1, 2026, for listing or
related actions in the National Register
of Historic Places.
DATES: Comments should be submitted

by September 17, 2026.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

ADDRESSES: Comments are encouraged

lotter on DSK8BHNXB4PROD with NOTICES1

National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NRNHL–DTS#–43490;
PPWOCRADI0, PCU00RP14.R50000]

National Register of Historic Places;
Notification of Pending Nominations
and Related Actions
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

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17:09 Sep 01, 2026

Jkt 268001

to be submitted electronically to
National_Register_Submissions@
nps.gov with the subject line ‘‘Public
Comment on <property or proposed
district name, (County) State>.’’ If you
have no access to email, you may send
them via U.S. Postal Service and all
other carriers to the National Register of
Historic Places, National Park Service,

PO 00000

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sherry A. Frear, Chief, National Register
of Historic Places/National Historic
Landmarks Program, 1849 C Street NW,
MS 2013, Washington, DC 20240,
[email protected], 202–913–3763.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

properties listed in this notice are being
considered for listing or related actions
in the National Register of Historic
Places. Nominations for their
consideration were received by the
National Park Service before August 1,
2026. Pursuant to 36 CFR 60.13,
comments are being accepted
concerning the significance of the
nominated properties under the
National Register criteria for evaluation.

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