98-27997. Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Number 1004- 0005

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 202 (Tuesday, October 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56041-56042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27997]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[WO-220-1020-24-1A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Number 1004-
0005

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) is announcing its intention to request 
approval to collect certain information from individuals applying for 
an annual authorization for grazing or to amend grazing use authorized 
under a previously approved grazing permits or leases. It provides 
grazing applicants an opportunity to request changes for the coming 
grazing season, changes during the grazing year, and to apply for 
temporary non-renewable grazing where excess forage exists. The 
information contained on the form provides essential information for 
the authorized officer to consider prior to approving or rejecting the 
grazing application. Upon approval, the grazing fee is computed and the 
grazing fee bill is transmitted. The bill also provides the grazing use 
authorization, effective 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 grazing 
allotment.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received 
by December 21, 1998 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by one 
of several methods. You may mail to Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401LS, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20240. You may also comment via the Internet to [e-mail]. 
Please submit comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption. Please also include ``Attn: 
1004-0005'' and your name and return address in your Internet message. 
If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have 
received your Internet message, contact us directly on [phone].
    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.), Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, 
except holidays.
    Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to BLM at 1620 L Street, 
NW., Room 401, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
George Ramey, Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 401LS, 1849 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240; telephone [phone] (Commercial 
or FTS).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.12(a), the BLM 
is required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning 
a proposed collection of information to solicit comments on:
    1. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the BLM, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    2. The accuracy of 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 burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, 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 under 44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq. from the Office of Management and Budget.
    The Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) of 1934 (43 U.S.C. 315, 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. Regulations in 43 CFR 4130.1 and 4130.4 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.
    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

[[Page 56042]]

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 (permitted level of 
use), to determine if the applied for use would be consistent with 
multiple-use objectives, and develops appropriate terms and conditions 
and makes the authorization according to 43 CFR 4130.3-1 and 4130.3-2. 
The authorized officer may deny the requested grazing use or a change 
in the annual grazing schedules by issuing a decision which includes a 
right of protest and administrative appeal. The grazing authorization 
remains in effect during the ``grazing fee year''. 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 authorization is approved, the billing is then computer 
generated with the applicant's name, address, stated qualifications, 
and mailed to the grazing permittee or lessee.
    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 BLM Form 4130.1 was designed to request only basic information 
required to administer the grazing authorization process. The majority 
of the information is contained in the applicant's ownership documents, 
previously approved grazing permit, or lease and displayed on Form 
4130-3a. The data contained in columns 7, 8, 9 and 10 of Form 4130-1 
are computer generated; therefore, 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. For example, a permittee may choose to graze less 
livestock than scheduled during the year and amend the authorized use 
to take nonuse. 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.
    The annual cost to the Government is estimated to be $120,000 based 
on $10,000 for forms and processing and $110,000 to review returned 
applications at $20 per hour. Annual costs to the respondents is 
estimated at $40,000 based on $20 per hour to prepare the forms.
    The respondents spend an average of 20 minutes (0.333 hours) to 
review, check records, make changes and sign, resulting in 2,000 burden 
hours based on approximately 6,000 forms that are submitted for BLM's 
consideration annually. Response time has been estimated from those 
respondents who have completed the form in the presence of BLM 
employees.
    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: October 8, 1998.
Shirlean Beshir,
Acting Bureau of Land Management Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-27997 Filed 10-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M