[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6758-6759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3259]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

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


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Control 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) is requesting the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect certain 
information from entities interested in the development of geothermal 
steam resources on lands BLM manages. BLM uses Form 3260-2, Geothermal 
Drilling Permit; Form 3260-3, Geothermal Sundry Notice; Form 3260-4, 
Geothermal Well Completion Report; Form 3260-5, Monthly Report of 
Geothermal Operations; to collect this information. This information 
allows BLM to approve proposed operations and to ensure compliance with 
terms and conditions of approved operations.

DATES: You must submit comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before April 11, 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: 1004-0132'' 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, Fluids 
Minerals Group, (202) 452-0338 (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 Ms. Gamble.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires BLM to provide a 
60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a collection of 
information to solicit comments on:
    (a) Whether the proposed 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 Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue leases and prescribe 
regulations so that geothermal resources on certain Federal lands may 
be developed and used. Tribal lands under the Indian Mineral 
Development Act (25 U.S.C. 2101-2108) also allow geothermal leasing 
operations. The BLM supervises operations of the leases granted under 
this authority by the regulations in 43 CFR part 3260. The regulations 
contain information collection requirements that we need to grant the 
lessees permits to perform specific operations and to report the 
completion and progress of such work. Specifically, the regulations 
require 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).
    The information the lessee of record, a designated operator, or an 
approved agent acting on behalf of the lessee or

[[Page 6759]]

operator provides, allows BLM to conduct or modify operations under the 
terms and conditions of a Federal geothermal lease or an Indian 
geothermal contract. The information enables BLM to approve both 
geothermal explorations and modifications to existing wells.

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 to determine whether we should disapprove or approve 
the application; and, if we approve, whether any special conditions of 
approval are 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

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

Form 3260-4, Geothermal Well Completion Report

    We use the well completion report 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 
requirement by BLM. We use this information 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

    We use the form 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. We require the 
information 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 described 
above, we estimate it takes from 1 to 10 hours per response to complete 
the required information, depending on which form the respondent 
submits. Respondents are lessees and operators of Federal geothermal 
leases and Indian geothermal contracts subject to BLM oversight. We 
estimate 760 responses per year and a total annual burden of 1,700 
hours. 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                  100               1             100  On occasion.
                                           Notice.
3262.5-1;...............................  3260-4; Geothermal Well                    200               2             400  On occasion.
3264.2-3................................   Completion Report.                         40               6             240
3264.2-4;...............................  3260-5; Monthly Report of                  360               1             360  Monthly.
3265.2-5................................   Geothermal Operations.
                                                                         ----------------                ----------------
    Totals..............................  ..............................             760  ..............           1,700  ..............................
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    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 4, 2003.
Michael H. Schwartz,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-3259 Filed 2-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M