30 C.F.R. § 580.1

Current through September 30, 2024

Section 580.1 - What definitions apply to this part?

Definitions in this part have the following meaning:

Act means the OCS Lands Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.).

Adjacent State means with respect to any activity proposed, conducted, or approved under this part, any coastal State(s):

(1) That is used, or is scheduled to be used, as a support base for geological and geophysical (G&G) prospecting or scientific research activities; or

(2) In which there is a reasonable probability of significant effect on land or water uses from such activity.

Analyzed geological information means data collected under a permit or a lease that have been analyzed. Some examples of analysis include, but are not limited to, identification of lithologic and fossil content, core analyses, laboratory analyses of physical and chemical properties, well logs or charts, results from formation fluid tests, and descriptions of mineral occurrences or hazardous conditions.

Archaeological interest means capable of providing scientific or humanistic understandings of past human behavior, cultural adaptation, and related topics through the application of scientific or scholarly techniques, such as controlled observation, contextual measurement, controlled collection, analysis, interpretation, and explanation.

Archaeological resource means any material remains of human life or activities that are at least 50 years of age and are of archaeological interest.

Coastal environment means the physical, atmospheric, and biological components, conditions, and factors that interactively determine the productivity, state, condition, and quality of the terrestrial ecosystem from the shoreline inward to the boundaries of the coastal zone.

Coastal zone means the coastal waters (including the lands therein and thereunder) and the adjacent shorelands (including the waters therein and thereunder) that are strongly influenced by each other and in proximity to the shorelands of the several coastal States. The coastal zone includes islands, transition and intertidal areas, salt marshes, wetlands, and beaches. The coastal zone extends seaward to the outer limit of the United States territorial sea and extends inland from the shorelines to the extent necessary to control shorelands, the uses of which have a direct and significant impact on the coastal waters, and the inward boundaries of which may be identified by the several coastal States, under the authority in section 305(b)(1) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.

Coastal Zone Management Act means the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.).

Data means facts and statistics, measurements, or samples that have not been analyzed, processed, or interpreted.

Deep stratigraphic test means drilling that involves the penetration into the sea bottom of more than 500 feet (152 meters).

Director means the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Department of the Interior, or an official authorized to act on the Director's behalf.

Geological and geophysical (G&G) prospecting activities mean the commercial search for mineral resources other than oil, gas, or sulphur. Activities classified as prospecting include, but are not limited to:

(1) Geological and geophysical marine and airborne surveys where magnetic, gravity, seismic reflection, seismic refraction, or the gathering through coring or other geological samples are used to detect or imply the presence of hard minerals; and

(2) Any drilling, whether on or off a geological structure.

Geological and geophysical (G&G) scientific research activities mean any investigations related to hard minerals that are conducted on the OCS for academic or scientific research. These investigations would involve gathering and analyzing geological, geochemical, or geophysical data and information that are made available to the public for inspection and reproduction at the earliest practical time. The term does not include commercial G&G exploration or commercial G&G prospecting activities.

Geological data and information means data and information gathered through or derived from geological and geochemical techniques, e.g., coring and test drilling, well logging, bottom sampling, or other physical sampling or chemical testing process.

Geological sample means a collected portion of the seabed, the subseabed, or the overlying waters acquired while conducting prospecting or scientific research activities.

Geophysical data and information means any data or information gathered through or derived from geophysical measurement or sensing techniques (e.g., gravity, magnetic, or seismic).

Governor means the Governor of a State or the person or entity lawfully designated by or under State law to exercise the powers granted to a Governor under the Act.

Hard minerals mean any minerals found on or below the surface of the seabed except for oil, gas, or sulphur.

Interpreted geological information means the knowledge, often in the form of schematic cross sections, 3-dimensional representations, and maps, developed by determining the geological significance of geological data and analyzed and processed geologic information.

Interpreted geophysical information means knowledge, often in the form of seismic cross sections, 3-dimensional representations, and maps, developed by determining the geological significance of geophysical data and processed geophysical information.

Lease means, depending upon the requirements of the context, either:

(1) An agreement issued under section 8 or maintained under section 6 of the Act that authorizes mineral exploration, development and production; or

(2) The area covered by an agreement specified in paragraph (1) of this definition.

Material remains means physical evidence of human habitation, occupation, use, or activity, including the site, location, or context in which evidence is situated.

Minerals mean all minerals authorized by an Act of Congress to be produced from "public lands" as defined in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702 ). The term includes oil, gas, sulphur, geopressured-geothermal and associated resources.

Notice means a written statement of intent to conduct G&G scientific research that is:

(1) Related to hard minerals on the OCS; and

(2) Not covered under a permit.

Oil, gas, and sulphur means oil, gas, and sulphur, geopressured-geothermal and associated resources, including gas hydrates.

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) means all submerged lands:

(1) That lie seaward and outside of the area of lands beneath navigable waters as defined in section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301 ); and

(2) Whose subsoil and seabed belong to the United States and are subject to its jurisdiction and control.

Permit means the contract or agreement, other than a lease, issued under this part. The permit gives a person the right, under appropriate statutes, regulations, and stipulations, to conduct on the OCS:

(1) Geological prospecting for hard minerals;

(2) Geophysical prospecting for hard minerals;

(3) Geological scientific research; or

(4) Geophysical scientific research.

Permittee means the person authorized by a permit issued under this part to conduct activities on the OCS.

Person means:

(1) A citizen or national of the United States;

(2) An alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States as defined in section 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) ;

(3) A private, public, or municipal corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any State or territory thereof, and association of such citizens, nationals, resident aliens or private, public, or municipal corporations, States, or political subdivisions of States; or

(4) Anyone operating in a manner provided for by treaty or other applicable international agreements. The term does not include Federal agencies.

Processed geological or geophysical information means data collected under a permit and later processed or reprocessed.

(1) Processing involves changing the form of data as to facilitate interpretation. Some examples of processing operations may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Applying corrections for known perturbing causes;

(ii) Rearranging or filtering data; and

(iii) Combining or transforming data elements.

(2) Reprocessing is the additional processing other than ordinary processing used in the general course of evaluation. Reprocessing operations may include varying identified parameters for the detailed study of a specific problem area.

Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior or a subordinate authorized to act on the Secretary's behalf.

Shallow test drilling means drilling into the sea bottom to depths less than those specified in the definition of a deep stratigraphic test.

Significant archaeological resource means those archaeological resources that meet the criteria of significance for eligibility of the National Register of Historic Places as defined in 36 CFR 60.4 , or its successor.

Third party means any person other than the permittee or a representative of the United States, including all persons who obtain data or information acquired under a permit from the permittee, or from another third party, by sale, trade, license agreement, or other means.

You means a person who applies for and/or obtains a permit, or files a notice to conduct G&G prospecting or scientific research related to hard minerals on the OCS.

30 C.F.R. §580.1