(a) OMB has approved the information collection requirements in parts 3900 through 3930 of this chapter under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. The table in paragraph (d) of this section lists the subpart in the rule requiring the information and its title, provides the OMB control number, and summarizes the reasons for collecting the information and how the BLM uses the information.
(b) Respondents are oil shale lessees and operators. The requirement to respond to the information collections in these parts are mandated under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EP Act) (42 U.S.C. 15927), the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 351-359), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq., including 43 U.S.C. 1732).
(c) The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 requires us to inform the public that an agency 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.
(d) The BLM is collecting this information for the reasons given in the following table: ------------------------------------------------------------------------
43 CFR Parts 3900-3930, General (1004- Reasons for collecting
0201) information and how used------------------------------------------------------------------------Section 3904.12........................ Prospective lessee or licenseeSection 3904.14(c)(1).................. must furnish a bond before a
lease or exploration license
may be issued or transferred
or a plan of development is
approved. The BLM will review
the bond and, if adequate as
to amount and execution, will
accept it in order to
indemnify the United States
against default on payments
due or other performance
obligations. The BLM may also
adjust the bond amount to
reflect changed conditions.
The BLM will cancel the bond
when all requirements are
satisfied.Section 3910.31........................ For those lands where noSection 3910.44........................ exploration data is available,
the lease applicant may apply
for an exploration license to
conduct exploration on
unleased public lands to
determine the extent and
specific characteristics of
the Federal oil shale
resource. The BLM will use the
information in the application
to:
(1) Locate the proposed
exploration site;
(2) Determine if the lands
are subject to entry for
exploration;
(3) Prepare a notice of
invitation to other parties
to participate in the
exploration; and
(4) Ensure the exploration
plan is adequate to
safeguard resource values,
and public and worker
health and safety.
The BLM will use this
information from a licensee to
determine if it will offer the
land area for lease.Section 3921.30........................ Corporations, associations, and
individuals may submit
expressions of leasing
interest for specific areas to
assist the applicable BLM
State Director in determining
whether or not to lease oil
shale. The information
provided will be used in the
consultation with the governor
of the affected state and in
setting a geographic area for
which a call for applications
will be requested.Sections 3922.20 and 3922.30........... Entities interested in leasing
the Federal oil shale resource
must file an application in a
geographic area for which the
BLM has issued a ``Call for
Applications.'' The
information provided by the
applicant will be used to
evaluate the impacts of
issuing a proposed lease on
the human environment. Failure
to provide the requested
additional information may
result in suspension or
termination of processing of
the application or in a
decision to deny the
application.Section 3924.10........................ Prospective lessees will be
required to submit a bid at a
competitive sale in order to
be issued a lease.Section 3926.10(c)..................... The lessee of an R, D and D
lease may apply for conversion
of the R, D and D lease to a
commercial lease.Section 3930.11(b)..................... The records, logs, and samplesSection 3930.20(b)..................... provide information necessary
to determine the nature and
extent of oil shale resources
on Federal lands and to
monitor and adjust the extent
of the oil shale reserve.Section 3931.11........................ The POD must provide for
reasonable protection and
reclamation of the environment
and the protection and
diligent development of the
oil shale resources in the
lease.Section 3931.30........................ The BLM may, in the interest of
Conservation, order or agree
to a suspension of operations
and production.
Section 3931.41........................ Except for casual use, before
conducting any exploration
operations on federally-leased
or federally-licensed lands,
the lessee must submit an
exploration plan to the BLM
for approval.Section 3931.50........................ Approved exploration, mining
and in situ development plans
may be modified by the
operator or lessee to adjust
to changed conditions, new
information, improved methods,
and new or improved
technology, or to correct an
oversight.Section 3931.70........................ Production of all oil shale
products or byproducts must be
reported to the BLM on a
monthly basis.Section 3931.80........................ Within 30 days after drilling
completion the operator or
lessee must submit to the BLM
a signed copy of records of
all core or test holes made on
the lands covered by the lease
or exploration license.Sections 3932.10(b) and 3932.30(c)..... A lessee may apply for a
modification of a lease to
include additional Federal
lands adjoining those in the
lease.Section 3933.31........................ Any lease may be assigned or
subleased, and any exploration
license may be assigned, in
whole or in part, to any
person, association, or
corporation that meets the
qualification requirements at
subpart 3902.Section 3934.10........................ A lease or exploration license
may be surrendered in whole or
in part.Section 3935.10........................ Operators or lessees must
maintain production and sale
records which must be
available for the BLM's
examination during regular
business hours.------------------------------------------------------------------------