Leases or interests therein may be acquired and held only by citizens of the United States; associations (including partnerships and trusts) of such citizens; corporations organized under the laws of the United States or of any State or Territory thereof; and municipalities.

[48 FR 33662, July 22, 1983, as amended at 53 FR 17353, May 16, 1988]

Leases or interests therein may be acquired and held by aliens only through stock ownership, holding or control in a present or potential lessee that is incorporated under the laws of the United States or of any State or territory thereof, and only if the laws, customs or regulations of their country do not deny similar or like privileges to citizens or corporations of the United States. If it is determined that a country has denied similar or like privileges to citizens or corporations of the United States, it would be placed on a list available from any Bureau of Land Management State office.

[53 FR 17353, May 16, 1988]

Leases shall not be acquired or held by one considered a minor under the laws of the State in which the lands are located, but leases may be acquired and held by legal guardians or trustees of minors in their behalf. Such legal guardians or trustees shall be citizens of the United States or otherwise meet the provisions of § 3102.1 of this title.

[48 FR 33662, July 22, 1983, as amended at 53 FR 17353, May 16, 1988]

(a) The original of an offer or bid shall be signed in ink and dated by the present or potential lessee or by anyone authorized to sign on behalf of the present or potential lessee.

(b) Three copies of a transfer of record title or of operating rights (sublease), as required by section 30a of the act, shall be originally signed and dated by the transferor or anyone authorized to sign on behalf of the transferor. However, a transferee, or anyone authorized to sign on his or her behalf, shall be required to sign and date only 1 original request for approval of a transfer.

(c) Documents signed by any party other than the present or potential lessee shall be rendered in a manner to reveal the name of the present or potential lessee, the name of the signatory and their relationship. A signatory who is a member of the organization that constitutes the present or potential lessee (e.g., officer of a corporation, partner of a partnership, etc.) may be requested by the authorized officer to clarify his/her relationship, when the relationship is not shown on the documents filed.

(d) Submission of a qualification number does not meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section.

[53 FR 17353, May 16, 1988]

In order to actually or potentially own, hold, or control an interest in a lease or prospective lease, all parties, including corporations, and all members of associations, including partnerships of all types, shall, without exception, be qualified and in compliance with the act. Compliance means that the lessee, potential lessee, and all such parties (as defined in § 3000.0-5(k)) are:

(a) Citizens of the United States (see § 3102.1) or alien stockholders in a corporation organized under State or Federal law (see § 3102.2);

(b) In compliance with the Federal acreage limitations (see § 3101.2);

(c) Not minors (see § 3102.3);

(d) Except for an assignment or transfer under subpart 3106 of this title, in compliance with section 2(a)(2)(A) of the Act, in which case the signature on an offer or lease constitutes evidence of compliance. A lease issued to any entity in violation of this paragraph (d) shall be subject to the cancellation provisions of § 3108.3 of this title. The term entity is defined at § 3400.0-5(rr) of this title.

(e) Not in violation of the provisions of section 41 of the Act; and

(f) In compliance with section 17(g) of the Act, in which case the signature on an offer, lease, assignment, transfer, constitutes evidence of compliance that the signatory and any subsidiary, affiliate, or person, association, or corporation controlled by or under common control with the signatory, as defined in § 3400.0-5(rr) of this title, has not failed or refused to comply with reclamation requirements with respect to all leases and operations thereon in which such person or entity has an interest. Noncompliance with section 17(g) of the Act begins on the effective date of the imposition of a civil penalty by the authorized officer under § 3163.2 of this title, or when the bond is attached by the authorized officer for reclamation purposes, whichever comes first. A lease issued, or an assignment or transfer approved, to any such person or entity in violation of this paragraph (f) shall be subject to the cancellation provisions of § 3108.3 of this title, notwithstanding any administrative or judicial appeals that may be pending with respect to violations or penalties assessed for failure to comply with the prescribed reclamation standards on any lease holdings. Noncompliance shall end upon a determination by the authorized officer that all required reclamation has been completed and that the United States has been fully reimbursed for any costs incurred due to the required reclamation.

(g) In compliance with § 3106.1(b) of this title and section 30A of the Act. The authorized officer may accept the signature on a request for approval of an assignment of less than 640 acres outside of Alaska (2,560 acres within Alaska) as acceptable certification that the assignment would further the development of oil and gas, or the authorized officer may apply the provisions of § 3102.5-3 of this title.

[53 FR 22837, June 17, 1988]

Any party(s) seeking to obtain an interest in a lease shall certify it is in compliance with the act as set forth in § 3102.5-1 of this title. A party(s) that is a corporation or publicly traded association, including a publicly traded partnership, shall certify that constituent members of the corporation, association or partnership holding or controlling more than 10 percent of the instruments of ownership of the corporation, association or partnership are in compliance with the act. Execution and submission of an offer, competitive bid form, or request for approval of a transfer of record title or of operating rights (sublease), constitutes certification of compliance.

[53 FR 17353, May 16, 1988; 53 FR 22837, June 17, 1988]

The authorized officer may request at any time further evidence of compliance and qualification from any party holding or seeking to hold an interest in a lease. Failure to comply with the request of the authorized officer shall result in adjudication of the action based on the incomplete submission.

[53 FR 17353, May 16, 1988]