211.54—Lease or permit cancellation; Bureau of Indian Affairs notice of noncompliance.
(a)
If the Secretary determines that a permittee or lessee has failed to comply with the terms of the permit or lease; the regulations in this part; or other applicable laws or regulations; the Secretary may:
(1)
Serve a notice of noncompliance specifying in what respect the permittee or lessee has failed to comply with the requirements referenced in this paragraph, and specifying what actions, if any, must be taken to correct the noncompliance; or
(2)
Serve a notice of proposed cancellation of the lease or permit. The notice of proposed cancellation shall set forth the reasons why lease or permit cancellation is proposed and shall specify what actions, if any, must be taken to avoid cancellation.
(b)
The notice of noncompliance or proposed cancellation shall specify in what respect the permittee or lessee has failed to comply with the requirements referenced in paragraph (a), and shall specify what actions, if any, must be taken to correct the noncompliance.
(c)
The notice shall be served upon the permittee or lessee by delivery in person or by certified mail to the permittee or lessee at the permittee's or lessee's last known address. When certified mail is used, the date of service shall be deemed to be when the notice is received or five (5) working days after the date it is mailed, whichever is earlier.
(d)
The lessee or permittee shall have thirty (30) days (or such longer time as specified in the notice) from the date that the notice is served to respond, in writing, to the official or the Bureau of Indian Affairs office that issued the notice.
(e)
If a permittee or lessee fails to take any action that is prescribed in the notice of proposed cancellation, fails to file a timely written response to the notice, or files a written response that does not, in the discretion of the Secretary, adequately justify the permittee's or lessee's actions, then the Secretary may cancel the lease or permit, specifying the basis for the cancellation.
(f)
If a permittee or lessee fails to take corrective action or to file a timely written response adequately justifying the permittee's or lessee's actions pursuant to a notice of noncompliance, the Secretary may issue an order of cessation of operations. If the permittee or lessee fails to comply with the order of cessation, or fails to timely file an appeal of the order of cessation pursuant to paragraph (h), the Secretary may issue an order of lease or permit cancellation.
(g)
Cancellation of a lease or permit shall not relieve the lessee or permittee of any continuing obligations under the lease or permit.
(h)
Orders of cessation or of lease or permit cancellation issued pursuant to this section may be appealed under 25 CFR part 2.
(i)
This section does not limit any other remedies of the Indian mineral owner as set forth in the lease or permit.
(j)
Nothing in this section is intended to limit the authority of the authorized officer or the MMS official to take any enforcement action authorized pursuant to statute or regulation.
(k)
The authorized officer, MMS official, and the superintendent and/or area director should consult with one another before taking any enforcement actions.