[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40305-40306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20158]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[W0220-120-24-1A]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection, OMB Approval Number 
1004-0041

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paper Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) announces its intention to request approval to 
collect certain information from individuals requesting changes from 
previous approved grazing permits or leases. It is used to verify and 
show recognized grazing performance and approved grazing use schedules 
as a reminder and allows the preference applicant to show requested 
changes for the coming grazing season. The information contained on the 
form, or the modifications requested by the preference livestock 
operator, provides essential information for computing the grazing fee 
bill. The bill transmittal also provides the annual use authorizations, 
upon payment of fees due, including grazing use schedules for rangeland 
areas, numbers of livestock, kind of or class of livestock, periods of 
use, animal unit months of forage and applicable terms and conditions 
for grazing use on each particular grazing allotment.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received 
by September 28, 1998 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Regulatory Affairs Group (630), 
Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street NW., Room 401 LS Bldg., 
Washington, DC 20240.
    Comments may be sent via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include ``Attn: 1004-0041'' 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, L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
    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), the BLM 
is required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning 
a proposed collection of information 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 et seq.) and 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
1701 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. Authorizing livestock use 
on the public lands is an important and integral part of program 
administration. Regulation in 43 CFR 4130.1 provide for the timely 
filing of applications for grazing permits or leases, free-use grazing 
permits, and other grazing authorizations with the appropriate BLM 
office.

[[Page 40306]]

    The information provided by the permittees and lessees is used by 
the BLM to authorize livestock grazing use on the public lands, and to 
amend annual authorizations levels. The information requested includes 
the name and number of the grazing allotment to verify the authorized 
location, the number of livestock and periods of use for billing 
purposes, recorded brands to verify ownership, and reasons for any 
nonuse. The information on the form is used by the BLM authorized 
officer to: determine if the applied for use is within the permittees' 
or lessees' preference (authorized level of use), determine if the 
applied for use would be consistent with multiple-use objectives, and 
establish the terms and conditions which should be attached to a permit 
or lease. A permit or lease remains in effect for up to 10 years, or 
until the permit or lease is canceled by the authorized office. Without 
this information, the BLM would not be able to assure proper 
administration of the use of the public lands as required by law and 
would result in unauthorized use, improper billings, and nonpayment of 
fees due the Federal Government.
    After the permit is issued, the form is then computer generated 
(Form No. 4130-3a) with the applicant's name, address, stated 
qualifications, and mailed annually to each grazing permittee or lessee 
of record. Using information technology enables the applicant to review 
the grazing use that is scheduled for the coming grazing season request 
a change in the scheduled use if needed, show the livestock 
identification, and sign the form.
    The form is returned to the authorized officer who, if changes are 
indicated, either approves the change by issuing a bill listing the 
grazing use requested, or denies the request for a change by issuing a 
decision which includes a right of protest and administrative appeal.
    The information required by law is only available from the 
applicants and uses information already available for the purpose 
identified. Since grazing on the unreserved public lands is 
administered only by the BLM, there is no duplication of information 
collections.
    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 ownership documents, and previously 
approved grazing permit, or lease, and by using previously automated 
information, the burden is minimized for all respondents.
    The information requested by the form is subject to change from 1 
grazing year to another and is necessary for annual collection of 
grazing fees. There is no opportunity to conduct the collection less 
frequently and collect user fees as required by law.
    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.
    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 (1004-0041). Several comments were 
received on this section addressing information resources and questions 
of timeliness relating to compliance. (Federal Register 2/22/95, 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 Gegan at that 
Office.
    The annual cost to the Government is estimated to be $170,300 based 
on $11,000 for forms and processing and $159,300 to review returned 
applications at $20 per hour. Annual costs to the respondents is 
estimated at $35,900 based on $20 per hour to prepare the forms.
    Approximately 23,000 forms are computer printed and mailed 
annually. From records available from the automated data processing 
(ADP) system, about one-third or 7,665 are returned as requests for 
moderate changes with an average of 14 minutes (0.234 hours) required 
for each respondent to review, check records, change if necessary and 
sign, resulting in 1,794 burden hours. Response time has been estimated 
from those respondents who have brought in the form and completed it in 
the presence of BLM employees.
    Any interested member of the public may result and obtain, without 
charge, a copy of BLM Form 4130.3a from 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.

    Dated: July 23, 1998.
Carole J. Smith,
Bureau of Land Management Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-20158 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M