BLM to Collect Fees for Processing Right-of-Way Permits

摘要

The BLM published a final rule on April 22, 2005, revising the method for calculating the fees for obtaining right-of-way permits for pipelines, transmission lines, and other facilities on federal land. 70 Fed. Reg. 20,970 (Apr. 22, 2005). The revised regulations govern rights-of-way under both the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA). The final rule revises the BLM's cost recovery policies and procedures for issuing right-of-way grants and adjusts cost recovery fees to take into account cost increases since the previous regulations became effective in August 1987. The rule also eliminates automatic exemptions from cost recovery fees for federal agencies except those agencies and projects exempted by law. The new rule additionally establishes policies related to paying rentals in advance and adds financial penalties for late rental payments and allows for automatic adjustments to cost recovery fees based on an economic indicator, The revised rules also clarify how the BLM applies the rent schedules for communication site rights-of-way and reorganizes the regulations in a manner similar to the sequence in which BLM takes action on applications and monitors issued right-of-way grants.