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B-164613 1 (1974-09-19)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaaees0001 and id is 1 raw text is: COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES ~~ ~~~ WASHINGTON. 1O.C. 205409-7- RELEASED 00 B-164613 SEP 1 J184 The Honorable Charles A. Vanik House of Representatives Dear Mr. Vanik: in response to your letter of March 27, 1974, and agreements with your office, we are furnishing you with certain information relating to the Department of the Interior's leasing of minerals on public lands. The information pertains to (1) whether there are statutory guidelines to force the Department to tighten up on the prelease evaluation process and (2) noncompetitive leasing of minerals on public lands. In an August 12, 1974, letter (B-164613), we answered your question on the advantages and disadvantages of amending the Rene- gotiation Board's authority to require reexamination of sales and leases of public lands after the fact. PRELEASE EVALUATION PROCESS The public land mineral leasing laws and regulations do not con- tain specific provisions requiring prelease evaluation for mineral leases. Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-25, however, requires the Department to obtain fair market value in leasing Fed- eral resources, which is the reason for prelease evaluations. The Mineral Lands Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181) and the appli- cable regulations (43 CFR 3100 and 3500) authorize and govern leasing of onshore public lands for production of such minerals as coal, oil, gas, and oil shale. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331) and the applicable regulations (43 CFR 3300) authorize and govern offshore leasing of submerged lands for production of oil, gas, sulfur, and other minerals. These laws and regulations do not require prelease evaluation of minerals in public lands offered for competitive mineral leasing. Circular No. A-25, issued in furtherance of 31 U.S.C. 483a, requires leasing federally owned resources at fair market value by application of sound business management principles and, so far as practicable and feasible, in accordance with coiiparable conmmercial 7 practices. Circular No. A-25 is a directive to Federal agencies 0901/7

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