Information Collection; Request for Comments; Land Exchanges

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43977-43978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20842]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comments; Land Exchanges

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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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

[[Page 43978]]

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. 99-20842 Filed 8-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P