[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50326-50327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24580]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO-480-1610-02-24 1A]


Approval of Information Collection

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces its intention to request 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect 
certain information from individuals and groups protesting proposed 
decisions in regional land-use plans, called ``resource management 
plans'' or ``management framework plan amendments.'' The BLM will use 
this information to process and respond to requests for administrative 
review (protests) of these decisions by affected individuals and 
groups.

DATES: The BLM must receive comments on the proposed information 
collection by November 25, 1996 to assure its consideration of them.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Director (480), Bureau of Land Management, 
1849 C Street NW., Room 1075LS, Washington, DC 20240.
    Send comments via Internet to: WoC[email protected]. 
Please include ``ATTN: 1004-PLAN'' and your name and return address in 
your Internet message.
    You may hand-deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
    The BLM will make comments available for public review at the L 
Street address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), 
Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carole Smith, Resource Planning Team, (202) 452-0367.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.12(a), the BLM 
is required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning 
a collection of information contained in a published current rule to 
solicit comments on (a) Whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information to those who are to 
respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. The BLM will receive and analyze 
any comments sent in response to this notice and include them with its 
request for approval from the OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
    The BLM prepares, amends and revises land-use plans through the 
authority of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. Section 202 of 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act requires the BLM to prepare 
land-use plans, which contain decisions authorizing managers to take 
actions to allocate, eliminate or restrict resource and land uses on 
public lands. The implementing regulations are found at 43 CFR Subpart 
1610. The regulations were issued on May 5, 1983, 48 FR 20368.
    Protests are part of the Department of the Interior's 
responsibility to adjudicate disputes over public lands, a 
responsibility it has had since its beginning in March 1849. 
Individuals and groups protesting proposed decisions contained in land-
use plans are required to provide the information identified at 43 CFR 
Subpart 1610. The BLM requires no special form or format for the 
information supplied by protestants. The information required from each 
protestants is (1) name, mailing address, telephone number and 
interest, (2) a statement of the issue(s) being protested, (3) a 
statement of the part(s) of the plan or amendment being protested, (4) 
a copy of all documents addressing the issue supplied during the 
planning process or information about the date that the issue(s) were 
discussed and (5) a concise statement explaining why the decision is 
erroneous.
    The BLM uses the information provided by the applicant to review 
the process used in reaching the proposed decision and determine 
whether or not procedures were followed and whether or not the decision 
maker relied on erroneous information in mailing the decision. If the 
BLM did no collect this information, it could not determine whether or 
not BLM officials followed correct procedures in preparing land-use 
plans and in making resource use and allocation decisions.
    Based on the BLM's experience administering the activities 
described above, the public reporting burden for the information 
collected is estimated to average 2 hours per response. The respondents 
are individuals and groups that believe that proposed decisions affect 
or could adversely affect their interests. The frequency of response is 
occasionally, whenever the BLM issues a resource management plan or 
plan amendment affecting or potentially affecting their interests. The 
number of responses per year is estimated to be about 50. The estimated 
total annul burden on new respondents is about 100 hours. The BLM is 
specifically requesting your comments on its estimate of the amount of 
time that it takes to prepare a protest and the steps involved in 
preparing a protest. The BLM's estimate is 2 hour per protest.
    The BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include 
them in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All 
comments will also become a matter of public record.

[[Page 50327]]

    Dated: September 18, 1996.
Dr. Annetta L. Cheek,
Chief, Regulatory Management Team.
[FR Doc. 96-24580 Filed 9-24-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M