[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17462-17463]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6753]
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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
1004-0034
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 June 6, 2005. 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.
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-
[[Page 17463]]
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 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 the 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 resources 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 assignee-transferee. BLM determines if the
assignee-transferee is qualified to obtain the interest sought and
ensures the assignee/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
occasional. 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: April 1, 2005.
Ian Senio,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-6753 Filed 4-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M