[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55744-55745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26759]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey


Notice of Availability of Information

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to change a 
long-standing policy regarding access to documents compiled by the 
Defense Minerals Administration, the Defense Minerals Exploration 
Administration, and the Office of Minerals Exploration. Previously, 
only the record title holder of the underlying property or a person 
with written permission from the record title holder had access to the 
documents. The USGS purposes to make this information available to any 
requester.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Kathleen M. Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey, 913 National 
Center, Reston, VA 20192.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen M. Johnson, 703-648-6110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1950, Congress enacted the Defense 
Production Act, 50 U.S.C. App. Sec. 2061 et seq. authorizing the 
President to ``make provision * * * for the encouragement of 
exploration, development, and mining of critical and strategic 
minerals, metals, and materials.'' Id. Sec. 2093. The President 
delegated his authority under the Act to various Federal agencies, 
including the Department of the Interior. Exec. Order No. 10,161, 15 FR 
6105 (1950). Under this delegated authority, the Secretary of the 
Interior established the Defense Minerals Administration (DMA). Sec. 
Order No. 2605, 15 FR 8718 (1950). The DMA's purpose was to maintain 
production from existing mineral sources, to expand production from 
known but inactive sources, and to provide Government support for 
exploration of new mineral deposits. GEORGE F. HOWE, UNITED STATES 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, HISTORY OF DEFENSE AGENCIES, Part IV 
(1953). To further the third stated purpose, the DMA started a program 
to provide funds for exploration projects for ``unknown or undeveloped 
sources of strategic or critical metals and minerals.'' Mineral Order 
No. 5, 16 FR 3183 (1951). Before its termination on November 20, 1951, 
the DMA received 1,015 requests for assistance. Id. at 77. Of these, as 
of October 30, 1951, 153 had resulted in contracts, 324 had been 
denied, 40 had been withdrawn by the applicant, and 489 were pending. 
Id. at Appendix VI, Part IV.
    Although the DMA had been terminated, the Department of the 
Interior continued the program for exploration assistance with the 
formulation of the Defense Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA). 
Secretarial Order No. 2726, 18 FR 3804 (1953). The DMEA operated 
similarly to the DMA. See DMEA Order No. 1, 17 FR 2090 (1952). The DMEA 
was terminated on June 30, 1958. 23 FR 4003 (1958). Before its 
termination, the DMEA received 3,888 applications for assistance, and 
1,159 applications were approved and executed into contracts. H.R. Rep. 
No. 85-2276, 1958 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3701. Of the applications executed into 
contract, 337 were certified as having discovered a significant amount 
of ore. Id. At the time the DMEA was terminated, there were 170 
contracts in force. Id.
    In August of 1958, Congress enacted Public Law 85-701, 72 Stat. 700 
(1958), authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to enter into 
exploration contracts providing for Government financial assistance for 
the discovery of domestic mineral reserves. 30 U.S.C. 641 et seq. Under 
this authority, the Secretary of the Interior established the Office of 
Minerals Exploration (OME). Secretarial Order No. 2834, 23 FR 7555 
(1958). The program for exploration assistance under the OME was 
similar to that under the DMA and DMEA. See 30 CFR part 301 (1958).
    In 1965, OME and its functions were transferred to the USGS. 30 FR 
2865 (1965). After fiscal year 1974, USGS did not request 
appropriations for new contract funds, and in 1979, Congress 
discontinued funding for the OME program.
    These programs produced a variety of technical information in the 
proposed work plans, monthly progress reports, inspection reports, 
final reports (final reports were prepared by both the Government and 
the contractor), and audits, among other routine correspondence between 
the application and the Government. The Government entered into 
contracts with entities in 44 States; the 6 States that did not have 
contracts are Delaware, Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and 
Rhode Island. The files from these contracts were stored in various 
Federal archival locations. However, in 1996, the USGS consolidated all 
of the DMA, DMEA, and OME files in its office in Spokane, Washington.
    Access to the information contained in the files was limited to 
either the current property owner or to anyone with a letter of 
authorization from the current property owner. USGS had limited access 
to these documents because of the business-sensitive nature of some 
information contained within them. USGS recently reviewed both its 
authority to withhold the information contained in these files and the 
policy of withholding the information. As a result of this review, USGS 
believes that because the exploration assistance programs are no longer 
in existence, and the vast majority of the properties and companies 
described no longer exist in their original forms, release of this 
information will not harm the business interests of the companies or

[[Page 55745]]

individuals who submitted it. For these reasons, USGS believes it is no 
longer necessary to withhold this information, and is seeking comments 
on this proposed change in its policy.

    Dated: October 7, 1999.
P. Patrick Leahy,
Chief Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 99-26759 Filed 10-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-Y7-M