Title 43

SECTION 3931.41

3931.41 Content of exploration plan.

§ 3931.41 Content of exploration plan.

Exploration plans must contain the following:

(a) The name, address, and telephone number of the applicant, and, if applicable, that of the operator or lessee of record;

(b) The name, address, and telephone number of the representative of the applicant who will be present during, and responsible for, conducting exploration;

(c) A description of the proposed exploration area, cross-referenced to the map required under paragraph (h) of this section, including:

(1) Applicable Federal lease and exploration license serial numbers;

(2) Surface topography;

(3) Geologic, surface water, and other physical features;

(4) Vegetative cover;

(5) Endangered or threatened species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) that may be affected by exploration operations;

(6) Districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects listed on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places that may be present in the lease area; and

(7) Known cultural or archaeological resources located within the proposed exploration area;

(d) A description of the methods to be used to conduct oil shale exploration, reclamation, and abandonment of operations including, but not limited to:

(1) The types, sizes, numbers, capacity, and uses of equipment for drilling and blasting, and road or other access route construction;

(2) Excavated earth-disposal or debris-disposal activities;

(3) The proposed method for plugging drill holes; and

(4) The estimated size and depth of drill holes, trenches, and test pits;

(e) An estimated timetable for conducting and completing each phase of the exploration, drilling, and reclamation;

(f) The estimated amounts of oil shale or oil shale products to be removed during exploration, a description of the method to be used to determine those amounts, and the proposed use of the oil shale or oil shale products removed;

(g) A description of the measures to be used during exploration for Federal oil shale to comply with the performance standards for exploration (§§ 3930.10 and 3930.11);

(h) A map at a scale of 1:24,000 or larger showing the areas of land to be affected by the proposed exploration and reclamation. The map must show:

(1) Existing roads, occupied dwellings, and pipelines;

(2) The proposed location of trenches, roads, and other access routes and structures to be constructed;

(3) Applicable Federal lease and exploration license boundaries;

(4) The location of land excavations to be conducted;

(5) Oil shale exploratory holes to be drilled or altered;

(6) Earth-disposal or debris-disposal areas;

(7) Existing bodies of surface water; and

(8) Topographic and drainage features; and

(i) The name and address of the owner of record of the surface land, if other than the United States. If the surface is owned by a person other than the applicant or if the Federal oil shale is leased to a person other than the applicant, include evidence of authority to enter that land for the purpose of conducting exploration and reclamation.

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