(a) Onshore oil and gas orders. The Chief of the Forest Service may issue, or cosign with the Director, Bureau of Land Management, Onshore Oil and Gas Orders necessary to implement and supplement the regulations of this subpart.

(1) Surface Use Plans of Operations and Master Development Plans. Operators shall submit Surface Use Plans of Operations or Master Development Plans in accordance with Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 1. Approval of a Master Development Plan constitutes a decision to approve Surface Use Plans of Operations submitted as a part of the Master Development Plan. Subsequently submitted Surface Use Plans of Operations shall be reviewed to verify that they are consistent with the approved Master Development Plan and whether additional NEPA documentation or consultation pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act or the Endangered Species Act is required. If the review determines that additional documentation is required, the Forest Service will review the additional documentation or consult as appropriate and make an independent decision regarding the subsequently submitted Surface Use Plan of Operations, and notify the BLM and the operator whether the Surface Use Plan of Operations is approved.

(2) Adoption of additional onshore oil and gas orders. Additional onshore oil and gas orders shall be published in the Federal Register for public comment and codified in the CFR.

(3) Applicability of onshore oil and gas orders. Onshore Oil and Gas Orders issued pursuant to this section are binding on all operations conducted on National Forest System lands, unless otherwise provided therein.

(b) Notices to lessees, transferees, and operators. The authorized Forest officer may issue, or cosign with the authorized officer of the Bureau of Land Management, Notices to Lessees, Transferees, and Operators necessary to implement the regulations of this subpart. Notices to Lessees, Transferees, and Operators are binding on all operations conducted on the administrative unit of the National Forest System (36 CFR 200.2) supervised by the authorized Forest officer who issued or cosigned such notice.

[55 FR 10444, Mar. 21, 1990, as amended at 72 FR 10328, Mar. 7, 2007]