[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 154 (Friday, August 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65390-65391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17739]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[L19900000.PO0000.LLHQ300000.23X; OMB Control No. 1004-0025]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Mineral Surveys, 
Mineral Patent Applications, Adverse Claims, Protests, and Contests

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments on this Information Collection 
Request (ICR) by mail to Darrin King, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 
Attention PRA Office, 440 W 200 S #500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; or by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1004-0025 in the subject 
line of your comments. Please note that the electronic submission of 
comments is recommended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact John Grasso by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at (303) 239-3777. Individuals in the United States who are 
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make international calls to 
the point-of-contact in the United States. You may also view the ICR at 
http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require 
approval under the PRA. The BLM may not conduct or sponsor, and you are 
not required to respond to a collection of information unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent

[[Page 65391]]

burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies 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.
    We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
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. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. 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: 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. Division E, Title IV of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 4366-260), 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 and applicable regulations that contain the information are 
still part of the Code of Federal Regulations.
    OMB control number 1004-0025 is scheduled to expire on July 31, 
2025. The BLM plans to request that OMB renew this OMB control number 
for an additional three (3) years.
    Title of Collection: Mineral Surveys, Mineral Patent Applications, 
Adverse Claims, Protests, and Contests (43 CFR parts 3860 and 3870).
    OMB Control Number: 1004-0025.
    Form Numbers: 3860-2 and 3860-5.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: 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.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 1.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 10.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies depending on 
activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 559.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: $256,425.
    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 PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).

Darrin A. King,
Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-17739 Filed 8-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P