256.17—Review by State and local governments and other persons.
(a)
(1)
The Secretary shall prepare a proposed leasing program. At least 60 days prior to publication of the proposed program in the Federal Register, a copy of the draft of the proposed program shall be forwarded to the Governor of each affected State for comment. The Governor may solicit comments from local governments in his or her State which the Governor determines will be affected by the proposed program.
(2)
The Secretary shall reply in writing to any comment on the draft of the proposed program from the Governor of an affected State which is received at least 15 days prior to the submission of the proposed program to the Congress and publication in the Federal Register. All such correspondence between the Secretary and Governor of such State shall accompany the proposed program when it is submitted to the Congress.
(b)
The proposed leasing program shall be submitted to the Governors of the affected States for review and comment at the time it is submitted to the Congress and the Attorney General and published in the Federal Register. The Governor of an affected State shall, upon request from any local government affected by the program, submit a copy of the proposed program to such local government. Comments and recommendations on any aspect of the proposed program may be submitted by a State or local government or other persons to the Secretary within 90 days after the date of its publication in the Federal Register. Comments and recommendations from local governments shall be submitted first to the Governor of the State in which the local government is located.
(c)
At least 60 days prior to approving the final leasing program and any later significant revision, the Secretary shall submit it to the President and the Congress, together with any comments. The Secretary shall indicate in such submission why any specific recommendation of the Attorney General or of a State or local government was not accepted.