[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6505-6506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3012]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-310-1310-PB-241A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection. OMB Control Number 
1004-0034

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 certain 
information from those persons who wish to transfer interest in oil and 
gas or geothermal leases by assignment of record title or transfer 
operating rights (sublease) in oil and gas or geothermal leases under 
the terms of the mineral leasing laws. BLM uses Form 3000-3, Assignment 
of Record Title Interest In A Lease for Oil and Gas or Geothermal 
Resources, and Form 3000-3a, Transfer of Operating Rights (Sublease) In 
A Lease for Oil and Gas or Geothermal Resources, to collect this 
information. This information allows the BLM to transfer interest in 
oil and gas or geothermal leases by assignment of record title or 
transfer operating rights (sublease) in oil and gas or geothermal 
leases under the regulations at 43 CFR 3106, 3135, and 3216.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before April 8, 2003. BLM will not necessarily consider any comments 
received after the above date.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Bureau of Land Management, (WO-
630), Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 
22153.
    You may send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include ``ATTN: 1004-0034'' 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.
    All 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 Barbara Gamble on 
(202) 452-0338 (Commercial or FTS). persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8330, 24 hours a day, seven days 
a week, to contact Ms. Gamble.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires BLM to provide 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 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.
    The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) and the 
Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1001-1025) authorize the 
Secretary of the

[[Page 6506]]

Interior to issue leases for development of Federal oil and gas and 
geothermal resources. The Act of August 7, 1947 (Mineral Leasing Act of 
Acquired Lands) authorizes the Secretary to lease lands acquired by the 
United States (30 U.S.C. 341-359). The Department of the Interior 
Appropriations Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 6508) provides for the 
competitive leasing of lands for oil and gas in the National Petroleum 
Reserve-Alaska (NPRA). The Attorney General's Opinion of April 2, 1941 
(40 Opinion of Attorney General 41) provides the basis under which the 
Secretary issues certain leases for lands being drained of mineral 
resources. The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 
(40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.) provides the authority for leasing lands 
acquired from the General Services Administration.
    Assignor/transferor submits Form 3000-3, Assignment of Record Title 
Interest In A lease for Oil and Gas or Geothermal Resources, and Form 
3000-3A, Transfer of Operating Rights (Sublease) In A Lease for Oil and 
Gas or Geothermal Resources, to transfer interest in oil and gas or 
geothermal leases by assignment of record title or transfer operating 
rights (sublease) in oil and gas or geothermal leases under the 
regulations at 43 CFR 3106, 3135, and 3216. These regulations outline 
the procedures for assigning record title interest and transferring 
operating rights in a lease to explore for, develop, and produce oil 
and gas and geothermal resources.
    The assignor/transferor provides the required information to comply 
with the regulations in order to process the assignments of record 
title interest or transfer of operating rights (sublease) in a lease 
for oil and gas or geothermal resources. The assignor/transferor 
submits the required information to BLM for approval under 30 U.S.C. 
187a and the regulations at 43 CFR 3106, 3135, and 3216.
    BLM uses the information submitted by the assignor/transferor to 
identify the interest ownership that is assigned or transferred and the 
qualifications of the assignor/transferee. BLM determines if the 
assignor/transferee is qualified to obtain the interest sought and 
ensures the assignor/transferee does not exceed statutory acreage 
limitations.
    Based on BLM's experience administering the activities described 
above, we estimate it takes 30 minutes per response to complete the 
required information. The respondents include individuals, small 
businesses, and large corporations. The frequency of response is 
annual. We estimate 60,000 responses per year and a total annual burden 
of 30,000 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: February 3, 2003.
Michael H. Schwartz,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-3012 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M