[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55160-55161]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18699]


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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 
1004-0185

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 existing approvals to collect certain 
information from lessees, operators, record title holders, operating 
rights owners, and the general public on oil and gas and operations on 
Federal lands.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before November 21, 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 e-mail to: [email protected]. 
Please include ``Attn: 1004-0185'' 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 except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may contact Barbara Gamble, on 
(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 that we provide a 
60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a collection of 
information to solicit comments on:
    (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the agency, 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;

[[Page 55161]]

    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information collected; and
    (4) Ways to minimize the information collection burden on those who 
are required 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 (MLA), 30 U.S.C. 191 et seq., gives 
the Secretary of the Interior responsibility for oil and gas leasing on 
approximately 570 million acres of public lands and national forests, 
and private lands where the mineral rights are reserved by the Federal 
government. The Act of May 21, 1930 (30 U.S.C. 301-306), authorizes the 
leasing of oil and gas deposits under railroads and other rights-of-
way. 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 regulations under 43 CFR part 3000 et al. 
authorize BLM to manage the oil and gas leasing and exploration 
activities. Without the information, BLM would not be able to analyze 
and approve oil and gas leasing and exploration activities.
    BLM collects nonform information on oil and gas leasing and 
exploration activities when the lessee, record title holder, operating 
rights owner, or operator files any of the following information for 
BLM to adjudicate:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Reporting
                 43 CFR                        Information collection       Number of    hours per   Total hours
                                                    requirements            responses    respondent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3100.3-1................................  Notice of option holdings......           30            1           30
3100.3-3................................  Option statement...............           50            1           50
3101.2-4(a).............................  Excess acreage petition........           10            1           10
3101.2-6................................  Showings statement.............           10          1.5           15
31.1.3-1................................  Joinder evidence statement.....           50            1           50
3103.4-1................................  Waiver, suspension, reduction             20            2           40
                                           of rental, etc..
3105.2..................................  Communitization or drilling              150            2          300
                                           agreement.
3105.3..................................  Operating, drilling,                      50            2          100
                                           development contracts interest
                                           statement.
3105.4..................................  Joint operations;                         20            1           20
                                           transportation of oil
                                           applications.
3105.5..................................  Subsurface storage application.           50            1           50
3106.8-1................................  Heirs and devisee statement....           40            1           40
3106.8-2................................  Change of name report..........           60            1           60
3106.8-3................................  Corporate merger notice........          100            2          200
3107.8..................................  Lease renewal application......           30            1           30
3108.1..................................  Relinquishments................          150           .5           75
3108.2..................................  Reinstatement petition.........          500           .5          250
3109.1..................................  Leasing under rights-of-way               20            1           20
                                           application.
3120.1-1(e).............................  Lands available for leasing....          280          2.5          700
3120.1-3................................  Protests and appeals...........           90          1.5          135
3152.1..................................  Oil and gas exploration in                20            1           20
                                           Alaska application.
3152.6..................................  Data collection................           20            1           20
3152.7..................................  Completion of operations report           20            1           20
                                         ----------------------------------
    Totals..............................  ...............................        1,770  ...........        2,235
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    BLM collects the information in the regulations that address oil 
and gas drainage and no form is required.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Number
              Type of drainage analysis                   of      Hours
                                                       analyses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preliminary..........................................     1,000    2,000
Detailed.............................................       100    2,400
Additional...........................................        10      200
                                                      -----------
    Total............................................     1,110    4,600
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    Based upon our experience managing oil and gas activities, we 
estimate for the information collection 2,880 responses per year with 
an annual information burden of 6,835 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: September 14, 2005.
Ian Senio,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-18699 Filed 9-19-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M