[Federal Register: April 16, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 73)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 19413]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap01-12]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
43 CFR Parts 3000, 3100, 3200, 3400, 3500, 3600, and 3800
[WO-610-4111-02-24-IA]
RIN 1004-AC64
Oil and Gas Leasing; Geothermal Resources Leasing; Coal
Management; Management of Solid Minerals Other Than Coal; Mineral
Materials Disposal; and Mining Claims Under the General Mining Laws
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of extension of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is extending the public
comment period on a Notice of Proposed Rule, published in the Federal
Register on December 15, 2000 (65 FR 78440). The proposed rule would
amend BLM mineral resources regulations to increase fees and to impose
new fees to cover BLM's costs of processing certain documents relating
to its minerals programs. The primary purpose of this rule is to charge
those who benefit from these minerals programs, rather than the general
public, the costs of BLM minerals documents processing. In response to
public requests for additional time, BLM had extended the comment
period 60 days from the original comment period closing date of
February 13, 2001, to the extended comment period's closing date of
April 16, 2001. BLM is now extending the comment period by an
additional 75 days to a closing date of July 2, 2001, so all segments
of the affected public have enough time to respond to the proposed
rule. BLM is especially interested in receiving comments related to the
impact of recovering these processing costs, particularly those
assessed on a case-by-case basis, on small, independent oil, gas, and
minerals operations. We encourage comments and suggestions on possible
mechanisms to control administrative costs and reduce the uncertainty
of processing costs.
DATES: Send your comments to BLM on or before July 2, 2001, to assure
BLM will consider them in preparing the final rule.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments to the Bureau of Land Management,
Administrative Record, Room 401 LS, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC
20240, or hand deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
For information about filing comments electronically, see the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section under ``Electronic access and filing
address.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about fluid minerals
(oil, gas, geothermal resources) call Kermit Witherbee at (202) 452-
0335. For questions about solid minerals, including coal, Durga Rimal
at (202) 452-0372. If you require a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-
800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday
through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access and Filing Address
You can view an electronic version of this proposed rule at BLM's
Internet home page: www.blm.gov. You can also comment via the Internet
to: WOComment@blm.gov. Please include ``Attention: AC64'' and your name
and return address in your Internet message. If you do not receive a
confirmation from our system that we have received your Internet
message, contact us directly at (202) 452-5030.
Written Comments
Written comments on the proposed rule should:
A. Be specific;
B. Be confined to issues pertinent to the proposed rule;
C. Explain the reason for any recommended change; and
D. Reference the specific section or paragraph of the proposal you are
addressing.
The 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).
You can review comments, including names, street addresses, and
other contact information of respondents at this address during regular
business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. If you are an individual respondent you may request
confidentiality. If you request that BLM consider withholding your
name, street address, and other contact information (such as: Internet
address, FAX or phone number) from public review or from disclosure
under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently
at the beginning of your comment. BLM will honor requests for
confidentiality on a case-by-case basis to the extent allowed by law.
BLM will make available for public inspection in their entirety all
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses.
Dated: April 10, 2001.
Piet deWitt,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 01-9401 Filed 4-13-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M