[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 67 (Friday, April 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18041-18042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7068]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-350-1430-PF-24 1A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Control Number 
1004-0012

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requests the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect information from 
States and local government agencies and from qualified nonprofit 
corporations and associations who submit an Application for Land for 
Recreation or Public Purposes (Form No. 2740-1) to obtain public lands 
and benefits for recreational and public purposes. The BLM uses the 
information to determine if an applicant meets the requirements of the 
Recreation and Public Purpose Act of June 14, 1926.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before June 7, 2005. BLM will not necessarily consider any comments 
received after the above date.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Regulatory Affairs Group (WO-630), 
Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 22153.
    You may send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include: ``ATTN: 1004-0012'' and your name and address with your 
comments.
    You may deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
    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.

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may contact Alzata L. Ransom, Lands 
and Realty Group, on (202) 452-7772 (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. Ransom.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires that we provide a 
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 information collection burden 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 Recreation and Public Purpose Act (R&PP) of June 14, 1926, as 
amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.), authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior to lease or convey certain public lands to States and local 
government agencies, and to qualified nonprofit corporations and 
associations for recreational and public purposes under specified 
conditions. The term ``public purpose'' means providing facilities or 
services for the benefit of the public in connection with, but not 
limited to, public health, safety, or welfare. We permit use of lands 
or facilities for habitation, cultivation, trade, or manufacturing only 
when necessary for an integral to the essential part of public purpose. 
43 CFR part 2740 regulations provide guidelines to lease or convey 
public lands under the Act.
    The Act applies to all public lands, except lands within national 
forests, national parks and monuments, national wildlife refuges, 
Indian lands, and acquired lands. We lease revested Oregon and 
California Railroad grant lands, and reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road 
grant lands in western Oregon only to State and Federal 
instrumentalities, political subdivisions, and to municipal 
corporations.
    Lease periods may be for any length of time, but must not exceed 20 
years for nonprofit entities and 25 years for Federal, States and local 
governmental entities. We issue leases subject to appropriate 
environmental and legal stipulations and leases must contain provisions 
for compliance with:
    (1) Nondiscrimination based on race, color, sex, age, religion, or 
national origin;
    (2) An approved plan of management and development upon which BLM 
based the lease decision (we may cancel a lease for nonuse or a use 
(without prior BLM consent) other than for which BLM issued the lease);
    (3) The Federal Government may reserve the standing timber, use of

[[Page 18042]]

water, or place other limitations on the use of natural resource; and
    (4) Other reasonable stipulations we may require as part of the 
consideration for the moderate charge for land.
    BLM issues patents under the Act that convey a restricted title 
containing provisions which, if not complied with, may result in 
reversion of the title to the United States. These provisions are:
    (1) Nondiscrimination clauses providing that the patentee may not 
restrict or permit restriction on the use of the lands conveyed or 
facilities because of race, color, sex, age, religion, or national 
origin;
    (2) A provision that, if the patentee or its successor in interest 
attempts to transfer title or control over the land to another or the 
land is devoted to a use (without prior BLM consent) other than for 
what it was conveyed, title will revert to the United States;
    (3) The patent must stipulate the lands in perpetuity are used for 
the purposes for which the lands are acquired (the lease or patent may 
stipulate that certain provisions of the development plan, including 
the management plan, may be subject to review by the Secretary of the 
Interior or his delegate); and
    (4) All minerals are reserved to the United States. After receiving 
the form, the BLM will:
    (1) Determine if the applicant's proposal conforms with land use 
planning, review land status to determine if the lands are subject to 
application, and determine if the application meets all requirements of 
the law and regulations;
    (2) Review the development and management plans to determine 
adequacy and effectiveness, and evaluate the construction schedule and 
estimated financing to ensure they are realistic and practicable;
    (3) Secure the views of other agencies that have an interest in the 
lands, including State and local planning and zoning departments;
    (4) Check for the presence of unpatented mining claims (R&PP leases 
and conveyances cannot be issued when mineral claims are present) and, 
if necessary to determine the validity of a mining claim. The cost of 
the determination will be the responsibility of the applicant;
    (5) Conduct a field examination and other investigations to gather 
information and data on the environmental considerations and proper 
classification of the lands;
    (6) Publish a notice to solicit views and comments from the public 
concerning the proposal.
    Based on past experience processing these applications, BLM 
estimates the public reporting burden for completing and providing the 
information for Form 2740-1 is 40 hours. BLM estimates that we receive 
approximately 20 applications annually, with a total annual burden of 
800 hours.
    Any member of the public may request and obtain, without charge, a 
copy of the BLM Form No. 2730-1 by contacting the person identified 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include them in 
the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of a 
public record.

    Dated: April 5, 2005.
Ian Senio,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-7068 Filed 4-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-83-M