[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23980-23981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09496]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLHQ310000.L13100000.PP0000; OMB Control No. 1004-0034]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Oil and Gas, or 
Geothermal Resources: Transfers and Assignments

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to renew an information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
June 4, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Jennifer Spencer by

[[Page 23981]]

email at [email protected], or by telephone at 307-775-6261. Individuals 
who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service 
at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance. You may also view the ICR at 
http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we 
provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an 
opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our 
information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting 
burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection 
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
December 21, 2020 (85 FR 83102). No comments were received.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. 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.
    Abstract: This collection of information enables the BLM to process 
assignments of record title interest and transfers of operating rights 
in a lease for oil and gas or geothermal resources. Each assignment or 
transfer is a contract between private parties but, by law, must be 
approved by the Secretary. The BLM uses information about assignments 
and transfers to prevent unlawful extraction of mineral resources, to 
ensure prompt payment of rentals and royalties for the rights obtained 
under a Federal lease, and to ensure that leases are not encumbered 
with agreements that cause the minerals to be uneconomical to produce, 
resulting in lost revenues to the Federal Government. The information 
also enables the BLM to ensure the assignee or transferee is in 
compliance with the bonding requirements, when necessary, before 
approval of the transfer or assignment. Form 3000-003 is used to 
transfer record title interest (i.e., primary ownership of a lease or 
the lessee's interest). Form 3003-003a is used to transfer operating 
rights interest (i.e., also referred to as working interest or a 
sublease). This request is to extend for an additional three years 
OMB's approval for the collections of information under this OMB 
control number.
    There are no changes to the information collections (Forms 3003-003 
and 3003-003a) under OMB control number 1004-0034. The only program 
change to the information collections is due to an increase in cost-
recovery fees from $95 to $100 per filing. The estimated annual 
responses have been adjusted downward by 8,808, from 17,626 to 8,818 
responses. These adjustments have decreased the hour burden by 4,404, 
from 8,814 to 4,410 hours. Similarly, the non-hour cost burdens have 
been adjusted downward by $792,670, from $1,674,470 to $881,800. This 
downward adjustment in costs is offset by a $44,090 increase due to an 
increase in cost recovery fees. The cost recovery fees were increased 
pursuant to a BLM final rule titled, Minerals Management: Adjustment of 
Cost Recovery Fees, published in the Federal Register on October 9, 
2020 (85 FR 64056). The itemized changes in burdens are outlined in the 
information collection request that has been submitted to OMB and is 
available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
    Title of Collection: Oil and Gas, or Geothermal Resources: 
Transfers and Assignments (43 CFR Subparts 3106, 3135, and 3216).
    OMB Control Number: 1004-0034.
    Form Numbers: 3000-003; 3000-003a.
    Type of Review: Extension with revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Assignors and assignees of record 
title interest in a lease for oil and gas or geothermal resources; and 
transferors and transferees of operating rights (sublease) in a lease 
for oil and gas or geothermal resources.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 8,818.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 8,818.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 30 minutes.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 4,410.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $881,800.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and, notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, a person is not required to respond to a collection 
of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Darrin King,
Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-09496 Filed 5-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P