Parties wishing to conduct oil and gas geophysical exploration operations in Alaska shall complete an application for an oil and gas geophysical exploration permit. The application shall contain the following information:

(a) The applicant's name and address;

(b) The operator's name and address;

(c) The contractor's name and address;

(d) A description of lands involved by township and range, including a map or overlays showing the lands to be entered and affected;

(e) The period of time when operations will be conducted; and

(f) A plan for conducting the exploration operations.

(a) The authorized officer shall review each application and approve or disapprove it within 90 calendar days, unless compliance with statutory requirements such as the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) delays this action. The applicant shall be notified promptly in writing of any such delay.

(b) The authorized officer shall include in each geophysical exploration permit terms and conditions deemed necessary to protect values, mineral resources, and nonmineral resources. Geophysical permits within National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska shall contain such reasonable conditions, restrictions and prohibitions as the authorized officer deems appropriate to mitigate adverse effects upon the surface resources of the Reserve and to satisfy the requirement of section 104(b) of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6504) (See part 3130 for stipulations relating to the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska).

(c) An exploration permit shall become effective on the date specified by the authorized officer and shall expire 1 year thereafter.

(d) For lands subject to section 1008 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, exploration shall be authorized only upon a determination that such activities can be conducted in a manner which is consistent with the purposes for which the affected area is managed under applicable law.

Upon application by the permittee and payment of the filing fee for renewal of exploration permit—Alaska, found in the fee schedule in section 3000.12 of this chapter (except where the exploration operations are to be conducted on a leasehold by or on behalf of the lessee), an exploration permit may be renewed for a period not to exceed one year.

Subject to the continued obligations of the permittee and the surety to comply with the terms and conditions of the exploration permit and the regulations, the permittee may relinquish an exploration permit for all or any portion of the lands covered by it. Such relinquishment shall be filed with the District Manager of the proper BLM office.

(a) A permittee may request, and the authorized officer may approve a modification of an exploration permit.

(b) The authorized officer may, after consultation with the permittee, require modifications determined necessary.

(a) The permittee shall submit to the authorized officer all data and information obtained in carrying out the exploration plan.

(b) All information submitted under this section is subject to part 2 of this title, which sets forth the rules of the Department of the Interior relating to public availability of information contained in Departmental records, as provided at § 3100.4 of this chapter.

(a) The permittee shall submit to the authorized officer a completion report within 30 days of completion of all operations under the permit. The completion report shall contain the following:

(1) A description of all work performed;

(2) Charts, maps or plats depicting the areas and blocks in which the exploration was conducted and specifically identifying the lines of geophysical traverses and any roads constructed;

(3) The dates on which the actual exploration was conducted;

(4) Such other information about the exploration operations as may be specified by the authorized officer in the permit; and

(5) A statement that all terms and conditions have been complied with or that corrective measures shall be taken to rehabilitate the lands or other resources.

(b) Within 90 days after the authorized officer receives a completion report from the permittee that exploration has been completed or after the expiration of the permit, whichever occurs first, the authorized officer shall notify the permittee of the specific nature and extent of any additional measures required to rectify any damage to the lands and resources.