*MINING CLAIM MAINTENANCE & ASSESSMENT WORK

BLM: Exploration and mining activities on BLM administered land are subject to the regulations of the Secretary of the Interior in 43 CFR 3809 and, for Wilderness Study Areas, 43 CFR 3802. These regulations require an operator to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of the land. For activities other than casual use, they require the operator to submit either anotice or a plan of operations and a reclamation plan. A plan of operations and a reclamation plan are required where activities involve the surface disturbance of more than 5 acres.

Also, Special Category Lands, as defined in 43 CFR 3809.1-4, always require a plan of operations. The plan of operations must include a description of the proposed activities, road access and construction, reclamation measures, timeframes of non-operation, and a sketch or a map of the area to be disturbed, including all access routes.

An environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) must be prepared by the BLM or the claimant/operator prior to commencement of any surface-disturbing activities. A plan of operations must be approved by the BLM. Operations at the plan level may not commence until the plan is approved.

Five acres or less of surface disturbance usually requires a notice. The notice must describe the proposed activities, the location on the ground, the start-up date, road access and construction, if any, and reclamation measures. Receipt and review of a notice is not a Federal action; therefore, there is no requirement for the preparation of an EA or EIS. Approval
by BLM is not required for a notice.

There is no requirement for notifying the BLM of casual use activities.
Casual use activities are those that cause only negligible disturbance of the public lands and resources.
For example, activities that do not involve the use of earthmoving equipment or explosives may be considered casual use.