[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44640-44641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21472]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-320-1330-PB-24 1A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Approval Number 
1004-0169

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) is requesting the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect information 
from mining claimants concerning use and occupancy of their mining 
claims on public lands. BLM collects this information to analyze and 
approve proposed mining development activities on public lands. The 
nonform information under 43 CFR 3715 authorizes BLM to manage the use 
and occupancy on public lands for developing the mineral deposits by 
mining claimants.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before October 23, 2001. BLM will not

[[Page 44641]]

necessarily consider any comments received after the above date.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Regulatory Affairs Group (630), 
Bureau of Land Management, Mailstop 401LS, 1849 C Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20240.
    You may send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include ``ATTN; 1004-0169'' and your name and return address in your 
Internet message.
    You may deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW, Washington, DC.
    Comments will be 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: You may contact Richard E. Deery on 
(202) 452-0353 (Commercial or FTS). Persons who use a telecommunication 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) on 1-800-877-8330, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to 
contact Mr. Deery.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires that we provide a 
60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a collection of 
information to solicit comments on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the agency, including whether the information 
will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of our estimates of the information collection 
burden, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions we 
use;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the information collection burden 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.
    The General Mining Law (30 U.S.C. 612), Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1733), and the regulations under 43 
CFR 3715 authorizes BLM to manage use and occupancy of mining claims on 
public lands. The nonform information in the regulations under 43 CFR 
3715 authorizes BLM to collect information concerning proposed mining 
development activities on public lands. Without this information, BLM 
would not be able to analyze and approve proposed use and occupancy 
activities on public lands by mining claimants. Also, BLM would not be 
able to carry out the mandate of the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976.
    Mining claimants planning to occupy their mining claims on public 
lands under the mining laws must submit the following information to 
BLM:
    (1) A detailed map that identifies the site and shows the place of 
temporary and permanent structures for occupancy, the location of and 
reason for the structures intended to exclude the public, and the 
location of reasonable public passage or access routes through or 
around the area adjacent to public lands;
    (2) A written description of the proposed occupancy that describes 
in detail how the proposed occupancy is reasonably incident to mining 
and how the proposed occupancy meets the conditions of 43 CFR 3715.2 
and 3715.2-1; and
    (3) An estimate of the period of use of the structures which 
excludes the public and a schedule for their removal and reclamation 
when the operations end.
    Based upon BLM experience with mining claims use and occupancy 
activity, we estimate the public reporting information collection 
burden takes 2 hours to complete. The respondents are mining claimants 
and operators of prospecting, exploration, mining, and processing 
operations. The estimated number of responses per year is 280 and the 
total annual burden is 560 hours.
    BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include them in 
the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: July 30, 2001.
Michael H. Schwartz,
BLM Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-21472 Filed 8-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M