Application Procedures

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

43 CFR Part 1820

[WO-350-1430-00-24 1A]

RIN 1004-AC83

Application Procedures

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to revise 43 CFR

part 1820, which addresses general application procedures, to

streamline, modernize and clarify the existing provisions, and remove

obsolete and unnecessary requirements. The proposed rule describes how

to file an application or other documents with BLM; provides guidance

on how BLM determines priority for applications filed simultaneously;

and contains procedures for payments and refunds, and requirements for

publication and posting of notices.

DATES: Comments: Any comments must be received by BLM at the address

below by December 1, 1997. BLM will not necessarily consider any

comments received after the above date during its decisionmaking on the

proposed rule.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any

one of several methods. You may mail comments to Bureau of Land

Management, Administrative Record, Room 401LS,1849 C Street, NW,

Washington, D.C. 20240. You may also comment via the internet to

WOC[email protected]. Please submit comments as an ASCII file avoiding

the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also

include ``attn: AC 83'''' and your name and return address in your

message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we

have received your internet message, contact us directly at (202) 452-

5030.

Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to BLM at 1620 L Street, NW,

Room 401, Washington, D.C. Comments, including names and street

addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at this

address during regular business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday

through Friday, except holidays. Individual respondents may request

confidentiality, which BLM will consider on a case-by-case basis. If

you wish to request that BLM consider withholding your name or street

address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of

Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of

your comment. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and

from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials

of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public

inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Linda Ponticelli, Telephone:

(202) 452-0364, or Frances Watson, Telephone: (202) 452-5006

(Commercial or FTS).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Comment Procedures

II. Background

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

IV. Procedural Matters

I. Public Comment Procedures

Written Comments

Written comments on the proposed rule should be specific, should be

confined to issues pertinent to the proposed rule, and should explain

the reason for any recommended change. Where possible, comments should

reference the specific section or paragraph of the proposal which the

commenter is addressing. BLM may not necessarily consider or include in

the Administrative Record for the final rule comments which BLM

receives after the close of the comment period (see DATES) or comments

delivered to an address other than those listed above (see ADDRESSES).

II. Background

Since public land records contain the basic land title information

for over two-thirds of the nation's real property, BLM places great

importance on providing standardized methods for processing

applications for public lands to ensure that BLM processes all

applications received in an equitable and efficient manner. When the

public lands were open to settlement under various laws, BLM

established specific procedures for filing each type of application

pertaining to land use authorizations. Despite the existence of

detailed application procedures for specific BLM programs, BLM

recognized the need to have general procedures applicable to all BLM

land use authorization programs addressed in a centralized location in

the Code of Federal Regulations. Although there may be certain

variances among application procedures for specific land use

authorizations, for example, filing fees, the general procedures

covered in these regulations have assisted BLM in determining priority

among those applications (sometimes numbering in the thousands)

competing for the same claim or parcel.

These general procedural regulations continue to serve important

functions, such as informing members of the public of proposed BLM

actions or decisions through publication and posting of notices. Thus,

there is still a need for general procedural direction to ensure

consistency in processing documents and uniformity in treatment of all

BLM's customers.

III. Discussion of Proposed Rule

This proposed rule, which would revise the application procedures

at 43 CFR part 1820, provides general information on how to file

documents with BLM, such as applications for various BLM resource

programs. The proposed rule will continue to provide addresses and

geographical areas of jurisdiction of BLM State Offices, as well as

standardized requirements for such things as application procedures,

filing times and locations for filing. This proposed rule also contains

guidance as

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to how BLM determines ``first in line'' priority for applications filed

simultaneously; procedures for payments and refunds; and requirements

for posting and publication of notices.

Many of the changes in the proposed rule would have no substantive

effect on the current regulatory framework, but rather merely rewrite

the existing provisions in Plain English, and rename and renumber

subparts and sections. To keep the focus of the regulations on general

application procedures, we have removed certain regulatory provisions

that pertain to specific BLM resource programs, for example, section

1821.5-3 (mining claims), as these provisions are addressed in program-

specific regulations found in other parts and subparts of this title.

(See 43 CFR 3862.1-1(c).)

The proposed rule also would remove subpart 1823 (Proofs and

Testimony) and subpart 1826 (Reinstatement of Cancelled Entries) in

their entirety, as their applicability is now limited to desert land

entries and pertinent provisions are addressed in part 2520 of this

title, Desert Land Entries. Many procedural requirements that are no

longer applicable would also be removed, e.g., requirements addressed

in section 1821.6, pertaining to time constraints for applications

filed in BLM offices in Alaska; and requirements addressed in section

1822.3 (Act of June 16, 1880), pertaining to homesteads. Existing

subpart 1822 (Payments and Repayments) would be renamed Payments and

Refunds and redesignated subpart 1823, and a new subpart 1822 would be

added. We have changed the general rule in Sec. 1821.5 that

applications relating to lands in more than one land district must be

filed in each office having jurisdiction over the lands. Instead,

proposed Sec. 1822.16 would provide that the application could be filed

with any BLM State Office having jurisdiction over the lands. This

proposed change adopts as the general rule the practice now followed

for right-of-way grants, as provided in 43 CFR 2802.2-1(d). We

specifically invite comment on this change.

With respect to requests for refunds filed by heirs, executors,

administrators, assignees, and mortgagees, we are removing from

redesignated subpart 1823 listings of detailed information that adverse

claimants may submit for refunds. Very rarely does BLM receive a

request for a refund from anyone other than an applicant and,

therefore, it is counterproductive to BLM's efforts to streamline and

to clarify its regulations to list all the various types of

documentation that third parties can file with BLM as proof of

entitlement for a refund. Upon request, BLM offices will provide

information regarding appropriate documentation. We have deleted

details of publishing a notice from subpart 1824, as those details are

addressed in program-specific regulations. (See, for example, 43 CFR

2541.5(a).) We have also deleted the specific requirements in

Sec. 1824.1-1 regarding qualifications of newspapers in which notices

are published.

The more notable substantive changes include proposed section

1822.13, which would allow certain applications that do not require an

original signature to be filed electronically, and redesignated section

1823.10, which would provide that BLM now accept payments by Visa or

Master Card in addition to more traditionally accepted forms of

payment.

The most significant change is the conversion to Plain English, a

process that BLM believes will significantly clarify what an applicant

must do to complete a successful application. By making its procedures

streamlined, modern and easier to understand, BLM can improve its

relationship with its customers and use its resources more efficiently.

The conversion of part 1820 is, therefore, a key step in BLM's overall

regulatory reform effort.

These general regulations are supplemented by specific BLM program

regulations. If there is a conflict, the specific program regulations

will govern.

IV. Procedural Matters

National Environmental Policy Act

BLM has prepared an environmental assessment (EA), and has found

that the proposed rule would not constitute a major Federal action

significantly affecting the quality of the human environment under

Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C). BLM has placed the EA and the Finding of

No Significant Impact (FONSI) on file in the BLM Administrative Record

at the address specified previously. BLM invites the public to review

these documents by contacting us at the addresses listed above (see

ADDRESSES), and suggests that anyone wishing to submit comments in

response to the EA and FONSI do so in accordance with the Written

Comments section above, or contact us directly.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This rule does not contain information collection requirements that

the Office of Management and Budget must approve under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Sec. 3501 et seq.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

Congress enacted the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA), 5

U.S.C. 601 et seq., to ensure that Government regulations do not

unnecessarily or disproportionately burden small entities. The RFA

requires a regulatory flexibility analysis if a rule would have a

significant economic impact, either detrimental or beneficial, on a

substantial number of small entities. Based on the discussion contained

in this preamble above--that the proposed rule would merely convert

text to Plain English, update existing provisions, and abolish

unnecessary requirements--BLM anticipates that this proposed rule will

have no significant impact on the public at large. Therefore, BLM has

determined under the RFA that this proposed rule would not have a

significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

Revising 43 CFR 1820 will not result in any unfunded mandate to

State, local, or tribal governments in the aggregate, or to the private

sector, of $100 million or more in any one year.

Executive Order 12612

The proposed rule will not have a substantial direct effect on the

States, on the relationship between the national government and the

States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among

various levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with Executive

Order 12612, BLM has determined that this proposed rule does not have

sufficient federalism implications to warrant preparation of a

Federalism Assessment.

Executive Order 12630

The proposed rule does not represent a government action capable of

interfering with constitutionally protected property rights. Section

2(a)(1) of Executive Order 12630 specifically exempts actions

abolishing regulations or modifying regulations in a way that lessens

interference with private property use from the definition of

``policies that have takings implications.'' Since the primary function

of the rule is the conversion to Plain English and to abolish

unnecessary regulatory provisions, there will be no private property

rights impaired as a result. Therefore, the Department of the Interior

has determined that the rule would not cause a taking of private

property or

[[Page 51404]]

require further discussion of takings implications under this Executive

Order.

Executive Order 12866

According to the criteria listed in section 3(f) of Executive Order

12866, BLM has determined that the proposed rule is not a significant

regulatory action. As such, the rule is not subject to Office of

Management and Budget review under section 6(a)(3) of the order.

Executive Order 12988

The Department of the Interior has determined that this rule meets

the applicable standards provided in sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of

Executive Order 12988.

Author

The principal author of this rule is Mary Linda Ponticelli,

Planning Assessment, and Community Support Group, Telephone: 202-452-

0364 (Commercial or FTS), assisted by Frances Watson, Regulatory

Affairs Group, Telephone: 202-452-5006, and Ted Bingham of the Arizona

State Office.

List of Subjects in 43 CFR Part 1820

Administrative practice and procedure; Archives and records; Public

lands.

Dated: September 25, 1997.

Sylvia V. Baca,

Deputy Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.

Accordingly, BLM proposes to revise Part 1820 of Group 1800,

subchapter A, chapter II of Title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations

as set forth below:

PART 1820--APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Subpart 1821--General Information

1821.10 Where are BLM offices located?

1821.11 During what hours may I file an application?

1821.12 Are these the only regulations that will apply to my

application or other required document?

Subpart 1822--Filing a Document With BLM

1822.10 How should my name appear on applications and other

required documents that I submit to BLM?

1822.11 What must I do to make an official filing with BLM?

1822.12 Where do I file my application or other required documents?

1822.13 May I file electronically?

1822.14 What if I try to file a required document on the last day

of the stated period for filing, but the BLM office where it is to

be filed is officially closed all day?

1822.15 If I miss filing a required document or payment within the

specified period, can BLM consider it timely filed anyway?

1822.16 Where do I file an application that involves lands under

the jurisdiction of more than one BLM State Office?

1822.17 When are documents considered filed simultaneously?

1822.18 How does BLM decide in which order to accept documents that

are simultaneously filed?

Subpart 1823--Payments and Refunds

1823.10 How may I make my payments to BLM?

1823.11 What is the authority for BLM issuing a refund of payment?

1823.12 When and how may I obtain a refund?

1823.13 Is additional documentation needed when a third party

requests a refund?

Subpart 1824--Publication and Posting Notices

1824.10 What is a publication?

1824.11 What does it mean to post a notice?

1824.12 Why must I post a notice?

1824.13 If I must post a notice on the land, what are the

requirements?

1824.14 How does BLM choose a newspaper in which to publish a

notice?

1824.15 How many times must BLM publish a notice?

1824.16 Who pays for publication?

1824.17 Does the claimant or applicant pay for an error by the

printer of the paper in which the notice appears?

Subpart 1825--Relinquishments

1825.10 If I relinquish my interest (such as a claim or lease) in

public land, am I relieved of all further responsibility associated

with that interest?

1825.11 When are relinquishments effective?

1825.12 When does relinquished land become available again for

other application or appropriation?

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552, 43 U.S.C. 2, 1201, 1733, and 1740.

Subpart 1821--General Information

Sec. 1821.10 Where are BLM offices located?

(a) In addition to the national Headquarters Office in Washington,

D.C. and five specialty centers, BLM operates 12 State Offices, each

having several subsidiary offices called District Offices and Resource

Area Offices. The addresses of the State Offices and their respective

geographical areas of jurisdiction are as follows:

State Offices and Areas of Jurisdiction:

Alaska State Office, 222 West 7th Avenue, #13, Anchorage, AK 99513-

7599--ALASKA

Arizona State Office, 3707 North 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014-5080;

Mail: P.O. Box 16563, Phoenix, AZ 85011-6563--ARIZONA

California State Office, 2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825--

CALIFORNIA

Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, CO 80215-

7076--COLORADO

Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA

22153--ARKANSAS, IOWA, LOUISIANA, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, AND ALL

STATES EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Idaho State Office, 3380 Americana Terrace, Boise, ID 83706-2500--

IDAHO

Montana State Office, Granite Tower, 222 North 32nd Street,

Billings, MT 59101; Mail: P.O. Box 36800, Billings, MT 59107-6800--

MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTH DAKOTA

Nevada State Office, 850 Harvard Way, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, NV

89520-0006--NEVADA

New Mexico State Office, 1474 Rodeo Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505; Mail:

P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115--KANSAS, NEW MEXICO,

OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS

Oregon State Office, 1515 S.W. 5th Avenue, P.O. Box 2965, Portland,

OR 97208-2965--OREGON AND WASHINGTON

Utah State Office, CFS Financial Center, 324 South State Street,

Salt Lake City, UT 84111-2303 Mail: P.O. Box 45155, Salt Lake City,

UT 84145-0155--UTAH

Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82003;

Mail: P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003--WYOMING AND NEBRASKA

(b) A list of the names, addresses and geographical areas of

jurisdiction of all District and Resource Area Offices of the Bureau of

Land Management can be obtained at these addresses or any office of the

Bureau of Land Management, including the Washington Office, Bureau of

Land Management, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.

Sec. 1821.11 During what hours may I file an application?

You may file applications or other documents or inspect official

records during BLM office hours. Each BLM office will prominently

display a notice of the hours during which that particular office will

be open. Except for offices which are open periodically, for example,

every Wednesday or the 3rd Wednesday of the month, all offices will be

open Monday through Friday, excluding national holidays, at least from

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., local time.

Sec. 1821.12 Are these the only regulations that will apply to my

application or other required document?

No. The regulations in this part are supplemented by specific

program regulations. If there is a conflict, the specific program

regulations will govern.

[[Page 51405]]

Subpart 1822--Filing a Document With BLM

Sec. 1822.10 How should my name appear on applications and other

required documents that I submit to BLM?

Your full name should appear on your application and other required

documents.

Sec. 1822.11 What must I do to make an official filing with BLM?

You must file your application and any other required documents

during regular office hours at the appropriate BLM office having

jurisdiction over the lands or records involved. You must file any

document with BLM through personal delivery or by mailing via the

United States Postal Service or other delivery service, except for

those applications that may be filed electronically under Sec. 1822.13,

or unless a more specific regulation or law specifies the mode of

delivery. The date of mailing is not the date of filing.

Sec. 1822.12 Where do I file my application or other required

documents?

You should file your application or other required documents at the

BLM office having jurisdiction over the lands or records involved. The

specific BLM office (such as a State Office or District Office) where

you are to file your application is usually referenced in the BLM

regulations which pertain to the filing you are making. If the

regulations do not name the specific office, or if you have questions

as to where you should file your application or other required

documents, you should contact your local BLM office for information.

Sec. 1822.13 May I file electronically?

For certain types of applications BLM will accept your electronic

filing if an original signature is not required. If BLM requires your

signature, you must file your application or document by personal

delivery or by mailing. If you have any questions regarding which types

of applications can be electronically filed, you should check with the

BLM office where you intend to file your application.

Sec. 1822.14 What if I try to file a required document on the last day

of the stated period for filing, but the BLM office where it is to be

filed is officially closed all day?

BLM considers the document timely filed if we receive it in the

office on the next day it is officially open.

Sec. 1822.15 If I miss filing a required document or payment within

the specified period, can BLM consider it timely filed anyway?

BLM can consider it timely filed if:

(a) The law permits BLM to do so;

(b) No intervening third party interests or rights have been

created or established during the intervening period; and

(c) BLM decides filing after the specified period would not

interfere with the orderly conduct of business.

Sec. 1822.16 Where do I file an application that involves lands under

the jurisdiction of more than one BLM State Office?

You may file your application with any BLM State Office having

jurisdiction over the subject lands. You should consult the regulations

of the particular BLM resource program involved for more specific

information.

Sec. 1822.17 When are documents considered filed simultaneously?

(a) BLM considers two or more documents simultaneously filed when:

(1) They are received at the appropriate BLM office at the same

time; or

(2) They are filed in conjunction with an order that specifies that

documents received by the appropriate office during a specified period

of time will be considered as simultaneously filed.

(b) An application or document that arrives at the BLM office where

it is to be filed when the office is closed for the entire day will be

considered as filed on the day and hour the office next officially

opens.

(c) Nothing in this section will deny any preference right granted

by applicable law or regulation or validate a document which is invalid

under applicable law or regulation.

Sec. 1822.18 How does BLM decide in which order to accept documents

that are simultaneously filed?

BLM makes this decision by a drawing open to public view.

Subpart 1823--Payments and Refunds

Sec. 1823.10 How may I make my payments to BLM?

(a) Unless specific regulations provide otherwise, you may pay by:

(1) United States currency; or

(2) Checks, money orders, or bank drafts made payable to the Bureau

of Land Management; or

(3) Visa or Master Card credit charge, except as specified by

pertinent regulation(s).

(b) You are responsible for BLM's costs of collecting payment if

insufficient funds back your form of payment and cause BLM to institute

collection procedures.

1823.11 What is the authority for BLM issuing a refund of a payment?

BLM can issue you a refund under the authority of Section 304(c) of

the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, 43 U.S.C. 1734.

Sec. 1823.12 When and how may I obtain a refund?

(a) In making a payment to BLM, if the funds or fees you submitted

to BLM exceed the amount required or if the regulations in this part

provide that fees submitted to BLM must be returned in certain

situations, you may be entitled to a full or partial refund.

(b) If you believe you are due a refund, you may request it from

the BLM office where you previously submitted your payment. You should

state the reasons why you believe you are entitled to a refund and

include a copy of the appropriate receipt, canceled check, or other

relevant documents.

Sec. 1823.13 Is additional documentation needed when a third party

requests a refund?

Yes. When refund requests are made by heirs, executors,

administrators, assignees, or mortgagees, BLM may require additional

documentation to establish entitlement to a refund. If you are an heir,

executor, administrator, assignee or mortgagee, you should contact the

BLM office where you will file your refund application for information

regarding appropriate documentation.

Subpart 1824--Publication and Posting of Notices

Sec. 1824.10 What is publication?

Publication means publishing a notice announcing an occurrence or a

proposed action in the Federal Register, a local newspaper of

established character and general circulation in the vicinity of the

land affected or other appropriate periodical. BLM's purpose in

publishing or causing the publication of such information is to advise

you and other interested parties that some action will occur and that

the public is invited either to participate or to comment.

Sec. 1824.11 What does it mean to post a notice?

Posting a notice is similar to publishing a notice except that the

notice is displayed at the appropriate BLM office, local courthouse or

similar prominent local government building or on a prominent fixture

such as a building, tree or post located on the particular public lands

involved.

Sec. 1824.12 Why must I post a notice?

The posting of a notice informs those persons who may be interested

in the lands or resources described, who have

[[Page 51406]]

valid information to provide, or who may wish to oppose the proposal.

Sec. 1824.13 If I must post a notice on the land, what are the

requirements?

The posted notice must be visible throughout the time period for

posting specified in the regulations governing the relevant program.

BLM or its regulations may require additional posting, such as in a

post office or city hall. For any additional posting requirements, you

should see applicable Federal and State law, the regulations of the

particular BLM resource program and any additional BLM requirements

associated with your application.

Sec. 1824.14 How does BLM choose a newspaper in which to publish a

notice?

BLM bases its choice of newspapers on their reputation and

frequency and level of circulation in the vicinity of the public lands

involved.

Sec. 1824.15 How many times must BLM publish a notice?

The number of times that BLM will publish or cause to be published

a notice depends on the publication requirements for the particular

action involved. You should see the applicable law and the regulations

governing specific BLM resource programs for information on the

requirements for publication for a particular action.

Sec. 1824.16 Who pays for publication?

The cost of publication is the responsibility of the claimant or

applicant.

Sec. 1824.17 Does the claimant or applicant pay for an error by the

printer of the paper in which the notice appears?

No, the claimant or applicant is not responsible for costs involved

in correcting an error by the printer.

Subpart 1825--Relinquishments

Sec. 1825.10 If I relinquish my interest (such as a claim or lease) in

public lands, am I relieved of all further responsibility associated

with that interest?

No. You are still responsible for fulfilling regulatory, statutory,

lease, permit and other contractual obligations such as performance of

reclamation and payment of rentals accruing before the time of

relinquishment. You should see the regulations relating to the specific

BLM resource program involved for more detailed information.

Sec. 1825.11 When are relinquishments effective?

Generally, BLM considers a relinquishment to be effective when it

is received, along with any required fee, in the BLM office having

jurisdiction of the lands being relinquished. However, the specific

program regulations govern effectiveness of relinquishments.

Sec. 1825.12 When does relinquished land become available again for

other application or appropriation?

Relinquished land does not again become available until BLM notes

the filed relinquishment of an interest on the land records maintained

by the BLM office having jurisdiction over the lands involved. If you

have any questions regarding the availability of a particular tract of

land, you should contact the BLM office having jurisdiction over the

lands or records.

[FR Doc. 97-26006 Filed 9-30-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-84-P