Protests.

(a) No action pursuant to the regulations in this subpart will be suspended under 43 CFR 4.21(a) due to a protest from a notice by the authorized officer to hold a lease sale. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, the authorized officer may suspend the offering of a specific parcel while considering a protest against its inclusion in a Notice of Competitive Lease Sale. (c) Only the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management may suspend a lease sale for good cause after reviewing the reason(s) for a protest.