[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 161 (Friday, August 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50557-50558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21109]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-310-1310-01-24 1A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Number 1004-
0132

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 an existing approval to collect certain information from 
entities interested in the development of geothermal steam resources on 
lands managed by BLM. The information to be collected concerns data 
submitted by geothermal lessees and operators issues for agency 
approval of specific or additional operations on a well and to report 
the completion or progress of the additional work. This information 
allows BLM to approve proposed operations and ensure compliance with 
granted approvals.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received 
by October 17, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Regulatory Affairs Group (630), 
Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street NW, Room 104LS, Washington, 
D.C. 20240.
    Comments may be sent via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include ``ATTN: 1004-0132'' and your name and return address in your 
internet message.
    You may hand-deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Board, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, D.C.
    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: Barbara Gamble, Fluids Minerals Group, 
(202) 452-0338.

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 43 CFR Part 3260 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 validly 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 
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.
    The Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior to issue leases and prescribe regulations so that geothermal 
resources on certain Federal may be developed and used. Tribal lands 
may also be involved under the Indian Mineral Development Act. The 
Bureau of Land Management supervises operations of the leases granted 
under this authority by the regulations set forth in 43 CFR Part 3260. 
The regulations contain information collection requirements that are 
needed to grant the lessees permit to perform specific operations and 
to report the completion and progress of such work. Specifically, the 
regulations requires operators to submit a Geothermal Drilling Permit 
(Form 3260-2); a Geothermal Sundry Notice (Form 3260-3); a Geothermal 
Well Completion Report (Form 3260-4); and a Monthly Report of 
Geothermal Operations (Form 3260-5).
    All data is mailed or delivered to BLM by the lessee of record, a 
designated operator, or an approved agent acting in behalf of the 
lessee or operator. The data pertains to conducting or modifying 
operations under the terms and provisions of a Federal geothermal lease 
or an Indian geothermal contract. The information enables BLM to 
approve any geothermal exploration or modifications to existing wells.
    While some of the identification elements requested on these forms 
are common, for example, well location, unit agreement name, etc., they 
are needed on each form to avoid confusions and to eliminate the 
likelihood of one well being mistaken for another. Restructuring these 
elements to a coded alphanaumeric system would interject an additional 
layer of complexity without saving time or reducing burden.

Form 3260-2, Geothermal Drilling Permit

    This is a permit to drill, redrill, deepen or plug back a well on 
Federal lands. It provides a basis for evaluating the proposed well's 
feasibility and determining whether the application should be 
disapproved or approved; and, if approved, whether any special 
conditions of approval should be made part of the permit. Without the 
information, there would be no assurance that drilling and associated 
activities, when and if authorized, are technically and environmentally 
feasible and ensure proper conservation of the resources.

Form 3260-3, Geothermal Sundry Notice

    The sundry notice is required for planned well work or change of 
plans previously approved, road site and facilities construction and 
miscellaneous activities related to other previously approved 
operations. A subsequent report of the work performed must also be 
filed. Without this information, BLM cannot adequately evaluate the 
feasibility and environmental impacts of the proposed activity.

Form 3260-4, Geothermal Well Completion Report

    The well completion report is used to obtain information on a 
complete and accurate log and history, in chronological order, of all 
operations conducted on the well. The logs are kept by lessees as 
normal, routine procedures and are not imposed as an additional

[[Page 50558]]

requirement by BLM. This information is used to facilitate future 
operations, protect water supplies and Federal geothermal resources, 
and to allow accurate appraisal of down-hole conditions related to 
proper management of the resource.

Form 3260-5, Monthly Report of Geothermal Operations

    The form is used to obtain information for monthly production for 
royalty reporting and production verification from geothermal wells. 
BLM uses the report to monitor the technical aspects of drilling, 
production, and injection activities for each well. The information is 
required on a monthly basis because of a direct link to royalty 
payments due from the lessee on a monthly basis and the associated 
production verifications. Without this information BLM could not 
adequately evaluate activity and performance of non-abandoned wells and 
production facilities for individual leases. This includes drilling and 
other well operations and engineering data for individual well 
production and injection. The lessee also reports any environmental 
monitoring conducted.
    Based on our experience administering the activities on geothermal 
leases where there are active operations, the public burden for the 
information collected is estimated to average 1 to 10 hours, depending 
on which form is submitted. Respondents are lessees and operators of 
Federal geothermal leases and Indian geothermal contracts subject to 
BLM oversight. We estimate that approximately 760 permits, notices, and 
reports will be filed annually. We estimate the total annual burden on 
new respondents is 1,700 hours. BLM is specifically requesting your 
comments on its estimate of the amount of time that it takes to prepare 
a responses. The estimates are summarized in the table below.

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                                                                                                Hours per
     Information collection (43 CFR)               Form number/title            Responses       response      Burden hours            Frequency
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3264.2...................................  3260-2, Geothermal drilling                   60              10             600  Nonrecurring.
                                            permit.
3264.2-2.................................  3260-3, Geothermal sundry notice             100               1             100  On occasion.
3262.5-1, 3264.2-3.......................  3260-4, Geothermal well                      200               2             400  On occasion.
                                            completion report.                           40               6             240
3264.2-4, 3265.2-5.......................  3260-5, Monthly report of                    360               1             360  Monthly.
                                            geothermal operations.
                                                                            -------------------------------------------------
    Totals...............................  ................................             760  ..............           1,700  ...........................
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    Any interested member of the public may request and obtain, without 
charge, a copy of Forms 3260-2, 3260-3, 3260-4, and 3260-5 by 
contacting the person identified under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    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: August 15, 2000.
Shirlean Beshir,
BLM Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-21109 Filed 8-17-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M