(a) Unless otherwise provided for in the agreement, the parties to the agreement may submit to BOEM a written request to extend or modify an agreement. BOEM is under no obligation to extend or modify an agreement and cannot be held liable for the consequences of the expiration of an agreement. With the exception of paragraph (b) of this section, any such requests must be made at least 180 days before the term of the agreement expires. BOEM will respond to the request for modification within 30 days of receipt and request any necessary information and evaluations to comply with §583.305. BOEM may approve the request, disapprove it, or approve it with modifications subject to the requirements of §583.305.

(1) If BOEM approves a request to extend or modify an agreement, BOEM will draft an agreement modification for review by the parties to the agreement in the form of an amendment to the original agreement. The amendment will include:

(i) The agreement number, as assigned by BOEM;

(ii) The modification(s) agreed to;

(iii) Any additional mitigation required; and

(iv) The signatures of the parties to the agreement and BOEM.

(2) If BOEM disapproves a request to extend or modify an agreement, BOEM will inform the parties to the agreement of the reasons in writing. Parties to the agreement may ask the BOEM Director for reconsideration in accordance with §583.125.

(b) By written request, for strictly minor modifications that do not change the substance of the project or the analyzed environmental effects of the project, including but not limited to, the change of a business address, the substitution of a different Federal, State or local government agency contact, or an extension of less than 30 days, parties to the agreement may memorialize the minor modification in a letter from BOEM to the parties indicating the request has been granted.