[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 243 (Thursday, December 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70531-70532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31216]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-320-1320-PB-24 1A]


OMB Approval Number 1004-0073; Information Collection Submitted 
to the Office of Management and Budget Under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act

    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has sent a request to extend 
the current information collection to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). On July 26, 2002, the BLM published a notice in 
the Federal Register (67 FR 48936) requesting comment on this 
information collection. The comment period ended on September 24, 2002. 
BLM received no comments. 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 directed within 30 days to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Interior Department Desk Officer (1004-0073), at 
OMB-OIRA via facsimile to (202) 395-6566 or e-mail to OIRA 
[email protected]. 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 our estimates of the information collection 
burden, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions we 
use;
    3. Ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information we collect; and
    4. Ways to minimize the information collection burden on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
    Title: Coal Management (43 CFR 3400).
    OMB Approval Number: 1004-0073.
    Bureau Form Number: 3400-12 and 3440-1.
    Abstract: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) collects and uses the 
information for leasing or developing Federal coal. BLM uses the 
information to determine if an applicant is qualified to hold a Federal 
coal lease.
    Frequency: Quarterly, monthly, and annually.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals, groups, or corporations.
    Estimated Completion Time: 10 hours for 3440-1 and 1 hour for 3400-
12.
    The following chart lists non-form information collection 
requirements.

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                                                        Public burden HR
                Information collection                     per action
------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. Application for an exploration license.............                36
b. Issuance and termination of an exploration license.                12
c. Operations under and modification of an exploration                 1
 license..............................................
d. Collection and submission of data from a                           18
 exploration license..................................
e. Call for coal resource and other information.......                24
f. Surface owner consultation.........................                 1
g. Expression of leasing interest.....................                 0
h. Response to notice of sale (bids received).........                56
i. Consultation with the Attorney General.............                 4
j. Leasing on application (application received)......               308
k. Surface owner consent..............................                 1
l. Preference right lease application.................               800
m. Lease modification.................................                12
n. License to mine....................................                21
o. Relinquishments....................................                18
p. Transfers, assignments, subleases..................                10
q. Bond actions (by lease or license).................                 8
r. Land description requirements......................                 2
s. Future interest lease application..................                 8
t. Special leasing qualification......................                 3
u. Qualification statement............................                 3
v. Lease rental and royalty rate reductions...........                13
w. Lease suspension...................................                20
x. Lease form.........................................                 1
y. Logical mining units...............................               170
z. General obligations of the operator lessee.........                 1
aa. Exploration plans.................................                30
bb. Resource recovery and protection plan.............               192
cc. Modifications to the exploration plans and                        16
 resource recovery and protection plan................
dd. Mining operations maps............................                20
ee. Request for payment in lieu of continued                          22
 operations...........................................

[[Page 70532]]

 
ff. Performance standards for exploration.............                 1
gg. Performance standards for surface and underground                  1
 coal mines...........................................
hh. Exploration reports...............................                 4
ii. Production reports................................                10
jj. Notices and orders................................                 3
kk. Enforcement.......................................                 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Annual Responses: 1,289.
    Application Fee Per Response:

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                                                                                                       Total
                                                                     Estimated    Filing fee per     estimated
                                                                     number of        action          annual
                                                                      actions                       collection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Application for an exploration license......................              10            $250          $2,500
(j) Leasing on application (applications received)..............              15             250           3,750
(m) Lease modifications.........................................               6             250           1,500
(n) License to mine.............................................               2              10              20
(p) Transfers, assignments, subleases...........................              27              50           1,350
    Total.......................................................  ..............  ..............           9,120
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    Annual Burden Hours: 25,585.
    Bureau Clearance Officer: Michael Schwartz, (202) 452-5033.

    Dated: December 11, 2003.
Michael H. Schwartz,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-31216 Filed 12-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M