Assistant Secretary of the Interior Roger Ernst today announced proposed changes in the Federal regulations on the granting of rights-of-way across Indian lands.
The major effect of the proposed amendments would be to increase the permissible term on rights-of-way for oil or natural gas pipelines from 20 to 50 years.
The 20-year limitation, Mr. Ernst explained, was originally adopted many years ago and has become obsolete. Modern trunk pipelines, he added, are engineered to last much longer.
The proposed amendments would also eliminate the requirement for filing with the Bureau of Land Management certain records pertaining to rights-of-way across Indian lands and would reduce the number of maps that must be submitted by an applicant.
Interested parties may submit their comments on the proposed amendments to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington 25, D. C., within 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
