Renewal of Approved Information Collection

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

30-day notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to continue the collection of information from applicants for grazing permits and leases, and from holders of grazing permits and leases. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved this information collection activity, and assigned it control number 1004-0041.

DATES:

The OMB is required to respond to this information collection request within 60 days but may respond after 30 days. For maximum consideration, written comments should be received on or before September 22, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

Please submit comments directly to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior (OMB #1004-0041), Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, fax 202-395-5806, or by electronic mail at OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. Please provide a copy of your comments to the BLM via mail, fax, or electronic mail.

Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street NW., Room 2134LM, Attention: Jean Sonneman, Washington, DC 20240.

Fax: to Jean Sonneman at 202-245-0050.

Electronic mail: Jean_Sonneman@blm.gov.

Please indicate “Attn: 1004-0041” regardless of the form of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kimberly Hackett, at 202-912-7216. Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339, to leave a message for Ms. Hackett. You may also review the information collection request online at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521) and OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 provide that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated to respond. In order to obtain and renew an OMB control number, Federal agencies are required to seek public comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d) and 1320.12(a)).

As required at 5 CFR 1320.8(d), the BLM published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register on January 10, 2014 (79 FR 1884), and the comment period ended on March 11, 2014. The BLM received one comment. The comment was a general invective about the Federal government, the Department of the Interior, the BLM, and Federal employees. It did not address, and was not germane to, this information collection. Therefore, we have not changed the collection in response to the comment.

The BLM now requests comments on the following subjects:

1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper functioning of the BLM, including whether the information will have practical utility;

2. The accuracy of the 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 information collection burden on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.

Please send comments as directed under ADDRESSES and DATES. Please refer to OMB control number 1004-0041 in your correspondence. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

The following information is provided for the information collection:

Title: Authorizing Grazing Use (43 CFR subparts 4110 and 4130).

Forms:

• Form 4130-1, Grazing Schedule, Grazing Application;
• Form 4130-1a, Grazing Preference Transfer Application and Preference Application (Base Property Preference Attachment and Assignment);
• Form 4130-1b, Grazing Application Supplemental Information;
• Form 4130-3a, Automated Grazing Application;
• Form 4130-4, Application for Exchange-of-Use Grazing Agreement; and
• Form 4130-5, Actual Grazing Use Report.

OMB Control Number: 1004-0041.

Abstract: The Taylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315-315n) and Subchapters III and IV of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1731-1753) authorize and require BLM management of domestic livestock grazing on public lands consistent with land use plans, the principles of multiple use and sustained yield, environmental values, economic considerations, and other relevant factors. Compliance with these statutory provisions necessitates collection of information on matters such as permittee and lessee qualifications for a grazing permit or lease, base property used in conjunction with public lands, and the actual use of public lands for domestic livestock grazing.

Frequency of Collection: The BLM collects the information on Forms 4130-1, 4130-1a, 4130-1b, and 4130-4 on occasion. The BLM collects the information on Forms 4130-3a and 4130-5 annually. Responses are required in order to obtain or retain a benefit.

Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Any U.S. citizen or validly licensed business may apply for a BLM grazing permit or lease. The BLM administers nearly 18,000 permits and leases for grazing domestic livestock, mostly cattle and sheep, at least part of the year on public lands. A grazing permit or lease may be effective for up to 10 years and may be renewable if the BLM determines that the terms and conditions of the expiring permit or lease are being met.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping “Hour” Burden: 33,810 responses and 7,811 hours annually.

Estimated Annual Non-Hour Costs: $30,000.

Estimates of the burdens are itemized below: