[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 18, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58820-58821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23670]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-320-1990-FA-24 1A]


OMB Approval Number 1004-0114; Information Collection Submitted 
to the Office of Management and Budget Under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act

    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an extension of a 
currently approved collection to collect the information listed below 
to the Office of Management and Budget under the provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). On August 21, 2001, 
the BLM published a notice in the Federal Register (66 FR 43900) 
requesting comments on this information collection. The comment period 
ended on October 22, 2001. The BLM received no comments from the public 
in response to that notice. You may obtain copies of the collection of 
information and related forms and explanatory material by contacting 
the BLM Information Collection Clearance Officer at the telephone 
number listed below.
    The OMB must respond to this request within 60 days but may respond 
after 30 days. For maximum consideration your comments and suggestions 
on the requirement should be made within 30 days directly to the Office 
of Management and Budget, Interior Department Desk Officer (1004-0114), 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503. 
Please provide a copy of your comments to the Bureau Information 
Collection Clearance Officer (WO-630), Bureau of Land Management, 
Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 22153.

Nature of Comments

    We specifically request your comments on the following:
    1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the BLM, including whether the information will 
have practical utility;
    2. The accuracy of the BLM's estimate of the burden of collecting 
the information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    3. The quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and

[[Page 58821]]

    4. How to minimize the burden of collecting the information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
    Title: Recordation of Location Notices and Annual Filings for 
Mining Claims, Mill Sites, and Tunnel Sites; Payment of Location and 
Maintenance Fees and Service Charges (43 CFR parts 3730, 3810, 3820, 
3830, and 3850).
    OMB Approval Number: 1004-0114.
    Bureau Form Numbers: 3830-2 and 3830-3.
    Abstract: We use the information collected to determine whether or 
not mining claimants have met the statutory requirements. Mining 
claimants must record location notices or certificates of mining 
claims, mill sites, and tunnel sites with BLM within 90 days of their 
location. Claimants who do not pay the maintenance fee must make an 
annual filing by December 30. The mining claim or site is forfeited by 
operation of law if claimants fail to record the mining claim or site 
or to submit an annual filing when required.
    Enactment of Public Law 107-63 of November 5, 2001 (115 Stat. 414) 
and 30 U.S.C. 28(f)-(k) requires payment of a $100 per claim or site 
maintenance fee for fiscal years 2002 and 2003. The payment is due at 
the time of recording and by each September 1st thereafter. The Act 
also requires a $25 location fee for all new claims or sites located, 
payable at the time of recording with BLM. Certain ``small miners'' 
owning 10 or fewer claims or sites in total may file by each September 
1st a waiver from payment of the maintenance fee and record of an 
annual filing as in the past. The mining claim or site is forfeited by 
operations of law if claimants fail to pay the fee or file for a waiver 
by September 1st.
    Public Law 107-63 (43 U.S.C. 299[b]) established new procedures for 
location of mining claims upon the reserved mineral estate of the 
United States where the mineral estate was reserved under the authority 
of the Stock Raising Homestead Act of 1916, as amended. The locator 
must now file a ``Note of Intent to Locate Mining Claims'' (NOITL) with 
BLM and serve a copy of the NOITL upon the surface owner of record 
listed in the local tax records. The locator must wait 30 days after 
serving the surface owner before entering the lands or locating mining 
claims upon the lands so noticed. The notice segregates the lands from 
mining claim location or mineral sale under 43 U.S.C. 1719 on behalf of 
the locator for 90 days from acceptance by BLM. BLM must post the NOITL 
on the official land records. The surface owner is not subject to 
filing a NOITL and may locate mining claims at any time the mineral 
estate is not segregated.
    Frequency: Once for notices and certificates of location, NOITL, 
and payment of location fees. Once each year for annual filings, 
payment of maintenance fees or filing of waivers. As needed for 
recording of amendments to a previously recorded notice or certificate 
of location or transfer of interest.
    Description of Respondents: Respondents may range from individual 
to multi-national corporations.
    Estimated Completion Time: Eight minutes for each document or 
payment (one hour for a Deferment Petition).
    Annual Responses: 236,852.
    Application Fee per Response: Service charges are assessed at $10 
each for new claims, $5 each for all other mining claims documents, and 
NOITL and petitions for deferment of assessment work is $25 each.
    Annual Burden Hours: 31,585.
    Bureau Clearance Officer: Michael Schwartz, (202) 452-5033.

    Dated: April 5, 2002.
Michael H. Schwartz,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-23670 Filed 9-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M