Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; comment request,
[Federal Register: August 12, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 155)]
[Notices]
[Page 43977-43978]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12au99-34]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection; Request for Comments; Land Exchanges
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service announces its intention to reinstate, without change, a previously approved information collection. This information collection will provide the Forest Service with the information to complete an Agreement to Initiate and an Exchange Agreement when cooperating in land exchanges with non-Federal parties. Forest Service personnel collect the information from non-Federal land exchange parties.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before October 12, 1999.
ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to Jack L. Craven, Director, Lands Staff, Mail Stop 1124, Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, D.C. 20090-6090.
Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (202) 205-1604 or by email to: lands/wo@fs.fed.us.
The public may inspect comments received in the Office of the Director, Lands Staff, 201 14th Street, SW, Washington, DC. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (202) 205-1248 to facilitate entrance into the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James M. Williams, Lands Specialist, at (202) 205-1248 or Kathleen L. Dolge, Realty Specialist, at (202) 205-1248.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Land exchanges are discretionary, voluntary, real estate transactions between the Secretary of Agriculture, acting by and through the Forest Service, and non-Federal land exchange parties. Land exchanges can be initiated by a non-Federal party, an agent of a landowner, a broker, a third party, or a non-Federal public agency.
Each land exchange requires preparation of an Agreement to Initiate as required by Sec. 254.4 of title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), which specifies the preliminary, non-binding intentions of the non-Federal land exchange party and of the Forest Service in pursuing a land exchange.
As the land exchange proposal develops, the Forest Service and the non-Federal land exchange party may enter into a binding Exchange Agreement pursuant to 36 CFR, Sec. 254.14. The Exchange Agreement is a legally binding document delineating the conditions that must be met to complete the land exchange.
Data from this information collection can be unique to each land exchange and are not available from other sources.
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be reinstated:
Title: Agreement to Initiate.
OMB Number: 0596-0105.
Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 1998.
Type of Request: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved information collection.
Abstract: The data collected are used by the agency to facilitate a mutually beneficial land exchange between the Forest Service and a non- Federal partner.
The Agreement to Initiate is a non-binding document. Respondents answer questions in the Agreement to Initiate that include the description of properties being considered in the land exchange; an implementation schedule of action items, such as the relocation of any tenants occupying the land; and the identification of the party responsible for each action item, as well as target dates for completion of each action item.
Respondents are non-Federal land exchange parties. Forest Service personnel collect the information by phone, in face-to-face meetings with land exchange parties, or by requesting in a letter to the exchange party that the requested information be submitted by mail.
Data gathered in the information collection are not available from other sources.
Estimate of Burden: 1 hour.
Type of Respondents: Non-Federal land exchange parties.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 100 hours.
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be reinstated:
Title: Exchange Agreement.
OMB Number: 0596-0105.
Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 1998.
Type of Request: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved information collection.
Abstract: The data collected are used by the agency to facilitate a mutually beneficial land exchange between the Forest Service and a non- Federal land exchange partner.
The Exchange Agreement is a legally binding document. Respondents will be asked questions, such as the identification of the non-Federal land exchange parties; the description of the lands and interests to be exchanged, such as roads; the identification of all reserved and outstanding interests, such as roads, minerals, and easements; and all other terms and conditions necessary to complete an exchange.
Respondents are non-Federal land exchange parties. Forest Service personnel collect the information by phone, in face-to-face meetings with land exchange parties, or by requesting in a letter to the land exchange party that the requested information be submitted by mail.
Data gathered in this information collection are not available from other sources.
Estimate of Burden: 1 hour.
Type of Respondents: Non-Federal land exchange partners.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 100 hours.
Comment Is Invited
The agency invites comments on the following: (a) Whether the proposed
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collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, 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 respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Use of Comment
All comments received in response to this notice, including name and address when provided, will become a matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval.
Dated: August 4, 1999. Arthur Bryant, Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 99-20842Filed8-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
