282.20—Obligations and responsibilities of lessees.
(a)
The lessee shall comply with the provisions of applicable laws; regulations; the lease; the requirements of the approved Delineation, Testing, or Mining Plans; and other written or oral orders or instructions issued by the Director when performing exploration, testing, development, and production activities pursuant to a lease issued under part 281 of this title. The lessee shall take all necessary precautions to prevent waste and damage to oil, gas, sulphur, and other OCS mineral-bearing formations and shall conduct operations in such manner that does not cause or threaten to cause harm or damage to life (including fish and other aquatic life); to property; to the national security or defense; or to the marine, coastal, or human environment (including onshore air quality). The lessee shall make all mineral resource data and information and all environmental data and information acquired by the lessee in the course of exploration, testing, development, and production operations on the lease available to the Director for examination and copying at the lease site or an onshore location convenient to the Director.
(b)
In all cases where there is more than one lease owner of record, one person shall be designated payor for the lease. The payor shall be responsible for making all rental, minimum royalty, and royalty payments.
(c)
In all cases where lease operations are not conducted by the sole lessee, a “designation of operator” shall be submitted to and accepted by the Director prior to the commencement of leasehold operations. This designation when accepted will be recognized as authority for the designee to act on behalf of the lessees and to fulfill the lessees' obligations under the Act, the lease, and the regulations of this part. All changes of address and any termination of a designation of operator shall be reported immediately, in writing, to the Director. In the case of a termination of a designation of operator or in the event of a controversy between the lessee and the designated operator, both the lessee and the designated operator will be responsible for the protection of the interests of the lessor.
(d)
When required by the Director or at the option of the lessee, the lessee shall submit to the Director the designation of a local representative empowered to receive notices, provide access to OCS mineral and environmental data and information, and comply with orders issued pursuant to the regulations of this part. If there is a change in the designated representative, the Director shall be notified immediately.
(e)
Before beginning operations, the lessee shall inform the Director in writing of any designation of a local representative under paragraph (d) of this section and the address of the mine office responsible for the exploration, testing, development, or production activities; the lessee's temporary and permanent addresses; or the name and address of the designated operator who will be responsible for the operations, and who will act as the local representative of the lessee. The Director shall also be informed of each change thereafter in the address of the mine office or in the name or address of the local representative.
(f)
The holder of a right of use and easement shall exercise its rights under the right of use and easement in accordance with the regulations of this part.
(h)
When an oral approval is given by MMS in response to an oral request under these regulations, the oral request shall be confirmed in writing by the lessee or holder of a right of use and easement within 72 hours.
(i)
The lessee is responsible for obtaining all permits and approvals from MMS or other Agencies needed to carry out exploration, testing, development, and production activities under a lease issued under part 281 of this title.