(a) General. Operations must be conducted in accordance with the lease, including stipulations made part of the lease at the direction of the Forest Service, an approved surface use plan of operations, the applicable Onshore Oil and Gas Order (§228.105(a)), an applicable Notice to lessees, transferees, and operators (§228.105(b)), and regulations of this subpart.

(b) Completion of reclamation. The authorized Forest officer shall give prompt written notice to an operator whenever reclamation of a portion of the area affected by surface operations has been satisfactorily completed in accordance with the approved surface use plan of operations and §228.108 of this subpart. The notice shall describe the portion of the area on which the reclamation has been satisfactorily completed.

(c) Compliance with other statutes and regulations. Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to relieve an operator from complying with applicable Federal and State laws or regulations, including, but not limited to:

(1) Federal and State air quality standards, including the requirements of the Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1857 et seq.);

(2) Federal and State water quality standards, including the requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.);

(3) Federal and State standards for the use or generation of solid wastes, toxic substances and hazardous substances, including the requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq., and its implementing regulations, 40 CFR chapter I, subchapter J, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq., and its implementing regulations, 40 CFR chapter I, subchapter I;

(4) The Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., and its implementing regulations, 50 CFR chapter IV;

(5) The Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470aa et seq.) and its implementing regulations 36 CFR part 296;

(6) The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, 30 U.S.C. 1981 et seq., the Mineral Leasing Act of Acquired Lands of 1947, 30 U.S.C. 351 et seq., the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982, 30 U.S.C. 1701 et seq., and their implementing regulations, 43 CFR chapter II, group 3100; and

(7) Applicable Onshore Oil and Gas Orders and Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTL's) issued by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management pursuant to 43 CFR chapter II, part 3160, subpart 3164.

(d) Penalties. If surface disturbing operations are being conducted that are not authorized by an approved surface use plan of operations or that violate a term or operating condition of an approved surface use plan of operations, the person conducting those operations is subject to the prohibitions and attendant penalties of 36 CFR part 261.

(e) Inspection. Forest Service officers shall periodically inspect the area of operations to determine and document whether operations are being conducted in compliance with the regulations in this subpart, the stipulations included in the lease at the direction of the Forest Service, the approved surface use plan of operations, the applicable Onshore Oil and Gas Order, and applicable Notices to Lessees, Transferees, and Operators.


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