[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 150 (Thursday, August 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47797-47798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19694]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-320-1320-PB-02 24 1A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Number 1004-
0073

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 
renewal of existing approval to collect certain information from any 
person, association, or corporation, or any subsidiary, affiliate, or 
persons controlled by or under common control with such person, 
association or corporation interested in leasing for or developing 
Federal coal. This information allows BLM to determine if the applicant 
to lease or develop Federal coal is qualified to hold a Federal coal 
lease.

DATES: BLM must receive comments on the proposed information collection 
by October 2, 2000, to assure its consideration of them.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Regulatory Affairs Group (630), Bureau of 
Land Management, 1849 C Street NW, Room 401LS, Washington, DC 20240.
    Send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please include 
``ATTN: 1004-0073'' 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 
20036.
    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: William Radden-Lesage, Solid Minerals 
Group, WO-320, 202-452-0360.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.12(a), BLM is 
required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a 
collection of information contained in BLM (Form 3400-12 and 3440), 43 
CFR Group 3400, Coal Management, 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 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 
OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
    BLM plans to seek from the Office of Management and Budget an 
extension approval for the information collection requirements in 43 
CFR Parts 3400 through 3487, which cover the leasing and development of 
Federal coal. These regulations implement the statutory authority 
governing leasing activities on Federal land which is found in the 
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, including the 1976 coal amendments (30 
U.S.C. 181 et seq.); the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947 
(30 U.S.C. 351-359); the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(43 U.S.C. 1761 et seq.); the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 
Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.); the Multiple Mineral Development 
Act of 1954, 30 U.S.C. 521-531; the National Environmental Policy Act 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and the Act of October 30, 1978 (92 STAT. 
2073-2075).
    BLM uses the information provided by the applicant(s) to determine 
if the applicant to lease or develop Federal coal is qualified to hold 
such a lease. If BLM did not collect this information, it would not be 
able to gather relevant data to manage the leasing and development of 
coal in the public interest.
    Based on BLM's experience administering the activities described

[[Page 47798]]

above, the public reporting burden for the information collected is 
estimated to average 20 hours and 15 minutes per response. The 
respondents are applicants to lease or develop Federal coal, and vary 
from individuals to small businesses and major corporations. The 
frequency of response is occasionally, usually upon application. The 
number of responses per year is estimated to total 1,185. The estimated 
total annual burden on all new respondents is about 23,986 hours. BLM 
is specifically requesting your comments on its estimate of the amount 
of time that it takes to prepare a response.

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                                                                     Number of
          Type of application             43 CFR cross reference     responses    Hours/response    Total hours
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Application for an exploration license.  3410.2-1...............              10              36             360
Issuance and termination of an           3410.3-1...............               5              12              60
 exploration license.
Operations under and modification of an  3410.3-3...............               1               1               1
 exploration license.
Collection and submission of data from   3410.4.................               5              18              90
 an exploration license.
Call for coal resource and other         3420.1-2...............               0               3               0
 resource information.
Surface owner consultation.............  3420.1-4...............               7               1               7
Expressions of leasing interest........  3420.3-2...............               0               7               0
Response to notice for sale............  3422.2.................               8              56             448
Consultation with the Attorney General.  3422.3-4...............               7               4              28
Leasing on application.................  3425...................              15             308           4,620
Surface owner consent..................  3427.2(c)..............               7               1               7
Preference right lease application.....  3430.3-1, 3430.4-1.....               3             800           2,400
Lease modifications....................  3432.1.................               5              12              60
License to mine........................  3440...................               2              21              42
Relinquishments........................  3452.1-1, 3452.1-2.....              30              18             540
Transfers, assignments, subleases......  3453.2-1...............              43              10             430
Bonds..................................  3410.3-4, 3453.2-4,                 196               8           1,568
                                          3474.1, 3474.2.
Land description requirements..........  3471.1-1...............              15               2              30
Future interest lease application......  3471.4.................               0              16               0
Special leasing qualifications.........  3472.1-2...............               4               3              12
Qualification statements...............  3472.2.................               4               3              12
Lease rental and royalty rate            3473.3-4...............               9              13             117
 reductions.
Lease suspensions......................  3473.4, 3483.3.........               7              20             140
Lease form.............................  3475.1.................              12               1              12
Logical mining units...................  3475.6, 3481.2, 3487...               5             170             850
General obligations of the operator/     3481.1.................               1               1               1
 lessee.
Exploration plans......................  3482.1(a)..............              11              30             330
Resource recovery and protection plan..  3482.1(b)..............               4             192             768
Modifications to exploration plans and   3482.2.................              79              16           1,264
 resource recovery and protection plans.
Mining operations maps.................  3482.3.................             311              20           6,220
Request for payment of advance royalty   3483.4.................              12              22             264
 in lieu of continued operation.
Performance standards for exploration    3484.1(a)..............              22               1              22
 (Retention of samples).
Performance standards for surface and    3484.1(b)..............               6               1               6
 underground coal mines.
Exploration reports....................  3485.1(a), 3485.1(b),                 7               4              28
                                          3485.1(c).
Production reports.....................  3485.1(d), 3485.3......             323              10           3,230
Notices and orders.....................  3486.2.................               1               3               3
Enforcement............................  3486.3.................               8               2              16
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .......................           1,185  ..............          23,986
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    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.

    Dated: July 31, 2000.
Shirlean Beshir,
BLM Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-19694 Filed 8-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M