[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14575-14576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7931]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO-330-1020-00-24 1A]
Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection, OMB
Approval Number 1004-0020
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is announcing its intention to request
extension of approval to collect information from individuals who seek
to graze livestock on unfenced, intermingled public and private land.
BLM uses the information to issue exchange-of-use grazing agreements to
ensure orderly administration of the range, including fair and
equitable sharing of the operation and maintenance of range
improvements.
DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received
by June 3, 1996, to be considered.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Regulatory Management Team (420),
Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street NW., Room 401 LS, Washington,
DC 20240.
Comments may be sent via Internet to: !WO[email protected]. Please
include ``Attn: 1004-0020'' and your name and return address in your
Internet message.
[[Page 14576]]
Comments may be hand delivered to the Bureau of Land Management
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 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 5:15 p.m., Monday
through Friday).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Ramey, Jr., (202) 452-7747.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.12(a), BLM is
required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a
collection of information contained in published current rules to
solicit comments on (a) Whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 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.
The Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) of 1934 (43 U.S.C. 315 a-r), the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1739, 1740)
and the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1901)
provide the authority for BLM 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. Intermingled
land patterns sometimes complicate this administration.
BLM's regulations at 43 CFR 4130.6-1 provide for an exchange-of-use
grazing agreement to be issued to an applicant (an individual or farm
owner) who owns or controls lands that are unfenced and intermingled
with public lands in the same allotment. Use under such an agreement
must be in harmony with the management objectives for the allotment and
must be compatible with existing livestock operations. Initiation of an
exchange-of-use agreement is voluntary on the part of the applicant.
The implementing regulations were adopted in 1980 (45 FR 47105) and
last amended in 1995 (60 FR 9894, February 22, 1995).
BLM uses the Exchange-of-Use Grazing Agreement (Form 4130-4) to
enable individuals to apply for exchange-of-use agreements. BLM
considers the information provided on Form 4130-4 before issuing an
exchange-of-use grazing permit or lease to graze livestock on the
public lands, including other private or leased lands and the
additional grazing capabilities. The information provided by the
applicant includes identification of the intermingled private lands and
estimated grazing capacity of the lands, the name of the BLM allotment
and administrating District, the period of time the agreement is to be
in effect, and the total number of livestock and animal unit months to
be recognized on the allotment.
The information requested on Form 4130-4 is only available from the
individual or farm owner. The applicant's ownership papers, which are
readily available to the applicant, but not to BLM, provide the
specific information necessary to approve the agreement. This
information ensures the orderly administration of the range, including
fair and equitable sharing of the operation and maintenance of range
improvements. Without exchange-of-use agreements, permittees would be
required to fence their private lands or limit grazing to the number of
livestock allowed only on public land in order to avoid unauthorized
use violations. BLM would have to spend additional time supervising use
of the range at an increased cost to taxpayers.
The information collection is strictly voluntary to receive a
benefit. The application is completed once during a permittee's period
of ownership. Based on its experience managing the activities described
above, BLM estimates that the public reporting burden for the
information collection is 20 minutes per response. The number of
responses is estimated to be 600 per year. The estimated total annual
burden on new respondents is 200 hours.
Any interested member of the public may request and obtain, without
charge, a copy of Form 4130-4 by contacting 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: March 27, 1996.
Annetta L. Cheek,
Chief, Regulatory Management Team.
[FR Doc. 96-7931 Filed 4-1-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P