[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16864-16866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8852]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Proposed Information Collection, OMB Approval Number 
1004-0019

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paper Work Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is announcing its intention to request 
renewal of existing approval to collect certain information from 
individuals who apply to construct, maintain and use approved 
improvements on the rangelands to aid handling or caring for domestic 
livestock that are authorized to graze public land. Form 4120-7 (Range 
Improvement Permit) is used under authority of Sections 4 and 15 of the 
Taylor Grazing Act and associated regulations found at 43 CFR 4120.3. 
It requests information necessary to consider an application and make a 
decision concerning the proposed range improvement. Requested 
information is: Name and address, construction or maintain an existing 
improvement, purpose, location, and both estimated and subsequent final 
costs for the improvement. It also documents approval of range 
improvement permits and the BLM files.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received 
by June 9, 1997 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Regulatory Affairs Group (630), 
Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street N.W., Room 401, LS Bldg., 
Washington, D.C. 20240.
    Comments may be sent via Internet to: WoC[email protected] or to: 
[email protected]. Please include ``Attn: 1004-0019'' and your name and 
return address in your Internet message.
    Comments may be hand delivered to the Bureau of Land Management 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

[[Page 16865]]

    Comments will be available for public review at the L Street 
address during regular business hours (8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday 
through Friday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Ramey, (202) 452-7747.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8(d), BLM is 
required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a 
collection of information contained in current published rules 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, 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 on 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. BLM will receive and analyze any comments sent in response 
to this notice and include them with its request for approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
    The Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) of 1934 (43 U.S.C. 315, 315 et seq.), 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
1701 et seq.), and the Public Rangelands Improvement Act (PRIA) of 1978 
(43 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.) provide the authority for the Bureau of Land 
Management to administer the livestock grazing program consistent with 
land-use plans, multiple-use objectives, sustained yield, environmental 
values, economic considerations, and other factors. Sections 4 and 15 
of the TGA and Regulations in 43 CFR 4120.3-3 allow permittees the 
opportunity to construct and maintain approved range improvements on 
the public lands. The Regulations were issued on February 21, 1984 (49 
FR 6452) and last amended on February 22, 1995 (60 FR 9964). Form 4120-
7, Range Improvement Permit, is the approved form to be used for 
requests and approval of a range improvement.
    The BLM Authorizes range improvements to facilitate handling 
livestock while they are using the public lands as an important and 
integral part of grazing use administration. The information provided 
by the permittees and lessees is used by the BLM to review requests for 
privately funded range improvements for compatibility with multiple-use 
objectives and land-use plans, develop appropriate conditions and 
specifications, and approve or reject the requests. The name and 
address is used to determine if the applicant is a grazing permittee in 
compliance with 43 CFR 4120.3-3 (a). Applicants also specifies if they 
will construct a new improvement or obtain a permit to maintain an 
existing improvement. A brief purpose or justification is stated to 
determine the compatibility with multiple use plans. The applicant 
identifies the specific location to determine land ownership and if 
needed, a plat is provided on the reverse to delineate linear 
improvements such as fences. An estimate of cost or value is recorded 
in the event land ownership changes that require appraisal of private 
assets for reimbursement of permittees for the present worth of 
improvements in compliance with 43 CFR 4120.3-5 and 43 CFR 4120.3-6 
(c). The BLM completes administrative codes for its records system, 
prepares special terms or conditions as appropriate, assigns a 
completion date for construction, signs approval and makes inspection 
of completed range improvement. A copy of the approved permit is 
retained to document the BLM files.
    Without this information, the BLM could not fulfill its 
responsibility to manage uses of the public land as required by law. 
Some facilities would be inconsistent with management objectives, 
improperly built, or in conflict with other uses. Recognition of the 
applicant's investment would not take place causing further legal 
problems if the land were sold and restitution was requested of the new 
owner.
    The information required by law is only available from the 
applicants. Specific information is only known by an applicant who 
identifies specific information pertinent to the purposes of the form 
in completing an application. The form was designed to request only 
basic information required to administer the permitting process. The 
majority of the information is contained in the applicant's personal 
plans for the specific improvement and does not impose a significant 
burden.
    Since grazing and range improvement on the unreserved public lands 
is administered only by the BLM, there is no duplication of information 
collections.
    Since each applicant must meet qualifications, the information 
collection has to be made each time a range improvement is sought. This 
application is only completed once during the period of ownership of 
the range improvement. This information collection is consistent with 
guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.6 without which the BLM would not be able to 
administer the Public Land Laws.
    There are no assurances of confidentiality but the Privacy Act 
Notice is provided to inform the applicants of the uses to be made. 
There are no plans for publishing information for statistical use.
    On March 25, 1994 the BLM published in the Federal Register a 
notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the regulations for livestock 
grazing. A comment period of 120 days was allowed. Included in the 
notice was a request for comments on the information collections 
involved, including this collection (1004-0019). Several comments were 
received on this section addressing information resources and questions 
of timeliness relating to compliance. Federal Register, February 22, 
1995, page 9925. Copies of the comments are on file at the Bureau of 
Land Management, Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Boulevard, 
Springfield, Virginia 22153, and may be reviewed by contacting Jim 
Gegen at that Office.
    The BLM experience and recent tabulations of activity indicate 
approximately 60 applications are processed each year. The annual cost 
to the Government is estimated to be $1,200 based on personnel time to 
review and processing at $20 per hour, including entering information 
into an automated range improvement project system. Information in the 
range improvement reporting system is used as a basis for making the 
estimation. Annual costs to the 60 respondents is estimated at $400 
based on 20 burden hours at $20 per hour to prepare the form and to 
receive and file their approved copy.
    Because of the variations in size and complexity of range 
improvements, some of the 60 responses may take as little as ten 
minutes to complete while others may take up to 30 minutes with an 
average of a 20 minute burden for each with an annual burden of 20 
hours.
    Any interested member of the public may request and obtain, without 
charge, a copy of BLM Form 4120-7 the person identified under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
also become a matter of public record.


[[Page 16866]]


    Dated: April 2, 1997.
Annetta L. Cheek,
Chief, Regulatory Management Team.
[FR Doc. 97-8852 Filed 4-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P