---
kind: "section"
citation: "43 C.F.R. § 3931.41"
title: "43"
number: "3931.41"
heading: "Content of exploration plan."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/43/3931.41"
---

# §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)](#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](/usc/16/1531.md) 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](/cfr/43/3930.10.md) and [3930.11](/cfr/43/3930.11.md));
- (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.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 25 U.S.C. 396d and 2107, 30 U.S.C. 241(a), 42 U.S.C. 15927, 43 U.S.C. 1732(b), 1733, and 1740.

### Source

Source: 73 FR 69480, Nov. 18, 2008, unless otherwise noted.