Notice of Proposed Information Collection, OMB Approval Number 1004-0041

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[W0220-120-24-1A]

Notice of Proposed Information Collection, OMB Approval Number

1004-0041

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paper Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau

of Land Management (BLM) announces its intention to request approval to

collect certain information from individuals requesting changes from

previous approved grazing permits or leases. It is used to verify and

show recognized grazing performance and approved grazing use schedules

as a reminder and allows the preference applicant to show requested

changes for the coming grazing season. The information contained on the

form, or the modifications requested by the preference livestock

operator, provides essential information for computing the grazing fee

bill. The bill transmittal also provides the annual use authorizations,

upon payment of fees due, including grazing use schedules for rangeland

areas, numbers of livestock, kind of or class of livestock, periods of

use, animal unit months of forage and applicable terms and conditions

for grazing use on each particular grazing allotment.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received

by September 28, 1998 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Regulatory Affairs Group (630),

Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street NW., Room 401 LS Bldg.,

Washington, DC 20240.

Comments may be sent via Internet to: [email protected]. Please

include ``Attn: 1004-0041'' and your name and return address in your

Internet message.

Comments may be hand delivered to the Bureau of Land Management

Administrative Record, Room 401, L Street, NW., Washington, DC.

Comments will be available for public review at the L Street

address during regular business hours (8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday

through Friday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Ramey, (202) 452-7747.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8(d), the BLM

is required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning

a proposed collection of information to solicit comments on (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the

information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection, including

the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to 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. BLM

will receive and analyze any comments sent in response to this notice

and include them with its request for approval from the Office of

Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

The Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) of 1934 (43 U.S.C. 315 et seq.) and

the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 (43 U.S.C.

1701 et seq.) provide the authority for the Bureau of Land Management

to administer the livestock grazing program consistent with land-use

plans, multiple-use objectives, sustained yield, environmental values,

economic considerations, and other factors. Authorizing livestock use

on the public lands is an important and integral part of program

administration. Regulation in 43 CFR 4130.1 provide for the timely

filing of applications for grazing permits or leases, free-use grazing

permits, and other grazing authorizations with the appropriate BLM

office.

[[Page 40306]]

The information provided by the permittees and lessees is used by

the BLM to authorize livestock grazing use on the public lands, and to

amend annual authorizations levels. The information requested includes

the name and number of the grazing allotment to verify the authorized

location, the number of livestock and periods of use for billing

purposes, recorded brands to verify ownership, and reasons for any

nonuse. The information on the form is used by the BLM authorized

officer to: determine if the applied for use is within the permittees'

or lessees' preference (authorized level of use), determine if the

applied for use would be consistent with multiple-use objectives, and

establish the terms and conditions which should be attached to a permit

or lease. A permit or lease remains in effect for up to 10 years, or

until the permit or lease is canceled by the authorized office. Without

this information, the BLM would not be able to assure proper

administration of the use of the public lands as required by law and

would result in unauthorized use, improper billings, and nonpayment of

fees due the Federal Government.

After the permit is issued, the form is then computer generated

(Form No. 4130-3a) with the applicant's name, address, stated

qualifications, and mailed annually to each grazing permittee or lessee

of record. Using information technology enables the applicant to review

the grazing use that is scheduled for the coming grazing season request

a change in the scheduled use if needed, show the livestock

identification, and sign the form.

The form is returned to the authorized officer who, if changes are

indicated, either approves the change by issuing a bill listing the

grazing use requested, or denies the request for a change by issuing a

decision which includes a right of protest and administrative appeal.

The information required by law is only available from the

applicants and uses information already available for the purpose

identified. Since grazing on the unreserved public lands is

administered only by the BLM, there is no duplication of information

collections.

The form was designed to request only basic information required to

administer the permitting process. The majority of the information is

contained in the applicant's ownership documents, and previously

approved grazing permit, or lease, and by using previously automated

information, the burden is minimized for all respondents.

The information requested by the form is subject to change from 1

grazing year to another and is necessary for annual collection of

grazing fees. There is no opportunity to conduct the collection less

frequently and collect user fees as required by law.

This information collection is consistent with guidelines in 5 CFR

1320.6 without which the BLM would not be able to administer the Public

Land Laws. There are no assurances of confidentiality but the Privacy

Act Notice is provided to inform the applicants of the uses to be made.

On March 25, 1994 the BLM published in the Federal Register a

notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the regulations for livestock

grazing. A comment period of 120 days was allowed. Included in the

notice was a request for comments on the information collections

involved including, this collection (1004-0041). Several comments were

received on this section addressing information resources and questions

of timeliness relating to compliance. (Federal Register 2/22/95, page

9925) Copies of the comments are on file at the Bureau of Land

Management, Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield,

Virginia 22153, and may be reviewed by contacting Jim Gegan at that

Office.

The annual cost to the Government is estimated to be $170,300 based

on $11,000 for forms and processing and $159,300 to review returned

applications at $20 per hour. Annual costs to the respondents is

estimated at $35,900 based on $20 per hour to prepare the forms.

Approximately 23,000 forms are computer printed and mailed

annually. From records available from the automated data processing

(ADP) system, about one-third or 7,665 are returned as requests for

moderate changes with an average of 14 minutes (0.234 hours) required

for each respondent to review, check records, change if necessary and

sign, resulting in 1,794 burden hours. Response time has been estimated

from those respondents who have brought in the form and completed it in

the presence of BLM employees.

Any interested member of the public may result and obtain, without

charge, a copy of BLM Form 4130.3a from the person identified under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the

request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will

also become a matter of public record.

Dated: July 23, 1998.

Carole J. Smith,

Bureau of Land Management Information Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 98-20158 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-84-M