[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7142-7143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02667]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO320000 L19900000 PO0000]


Renewal of Approved Information Collection; OMB Control No. 1004-
0025

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: 30-day notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) to continue the collection of information regarding applications 
for fee title to Federal Lands embraced in hardrock mineral claims. The 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved this 
information collection activity, and assigned it control number 1004-
0025.

DATES: The OMB is required to respond to this information collection 
request within 60 days but may respond after 30 days. For maximum 
consideration, written comments should be received on or before March 
11, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments directly to the Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior (OMB #1004- 0025), Office of Management and 
Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, fax 202-395-5806, 
or by electronic mail at [email protected]. Please provide a 
copy of your comments to the BLM. You may do so via mail, fax, or 
electronic mail.
    Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 
1849 C Street NW., Room 2134LM, Attention: Jean Sonneman, Washington, 
DC 20240.
    Fax: to Jean Sonneman at 202-245-0050.
    Electronic mail: [email protected].
    Please indicate ``Attn: 1004-0025'' regardless of the form of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sonia Santillan, at 202-912-7123. 
Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, to 
leave a message for Ms. Santillan. You may also review the information 
collection request online at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3521) and OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 provide that an agency may 
not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. Until OMB approves a collection of 
information, you are not obligated to respond. In order to obtain and 
renew an OMB control number, Federal agencies are required to seek 
public comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities 
(see 5 CFR 1320.8(d) and 1320.12(a)).
    As required at 5 CFR 1320.8(d), the BLM published a 60-day notice 
in the Federal Register on October 7, 2015 (80 FR 60709), and the 
comment period ended December 7, 2015. The BLM received no comments. 
The BLM now requests comments on the following subjects:
    1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the BLM, including

[[Page 7143]]

whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. The accuracy of the BLM's estimate of the burden of collecting 
the information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    3. The quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and
    4. How 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.
    Please send comments as directed under ADDRESSES and DATES. Please 
refer to OMB control number 1004-0025 in your correspondence. Before 
including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your 
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your 
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    The following information is provided for the information 
collection:
    Title: Mineral Surveys, Mineral Patent Applications, Adverse 
Claims, Protests, and Contests (43 CFR parts 3860 and 3870).
    OMB Control Number: 1004-0025.
    Abstract: On its face, the General Mining Law (30 U.S.C. 29, 30, 
and 39) authorizes a holder of an unpatented claim for hardrock 
minerals to apply for fee title (patent) to the federal land (as well 
as minerals) embraced in the claim. Since 1994, a rider on the annual 
appropriation bill for the Department of the Interior has prevented the 
BLM from processing mineral patent applications unless the applications 
were grandfathered under the initial legislation. While grandfathered 
applications are rare at present, the approval to collect the 
information continues to be necessary because of the possibility that 
the moratorium will be lifted.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Form: Certificate of Title on Mining Claims (Form 3860-2) and 
Application for Survey on Mining Claim (Form 3860-5).
    Description of Respondents: Owners of unpatented mining claims and 
mill sites upon the public lands, and of reserved mineral lands of the 
United States, National Forests, and National Parks.
    Estimated Annual Burdens: 10 responses.
    Estimated Hour Burden: 559 hours.
    Estimated ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: $174,205.
    The ``Non-Hour Cost'' burden estimate includes $14,005 for fixed 
document processing fees, $1,200 for publication cost, and $159,000 for 
case-by-case fee for validity examinations.

Anna Atkinson,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-02667 Filed 2-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-84-P