(a) File your application on Standard Form 299, available from any BLM office or at http://www.blm.gov, and fill in the required information as completely as possible. Your completed application must include the following:

(1) A description of the project and the scope of the facilities;

(2) The estimated schedule for constructing, operating, maintaining, and terminating the project;

(3) The estimated life of the project and the proposed construction and reclamation techniques;

(4) A map of the project, showing its proposed location and existing facilities adjacent to the proposal;

(5) A statement of your financial and technical capability to construct, operate, maintain, and terminate the project;

(6) Any plans, contracts, agreements, or other information concerning your use of the right-of-way and its effect on competition;

(7) A statement certifying that you are of legal age and authorized to do business in the State(s) where the right-of-way would be located and that you have submitted correct information to the best of your knowledge; and

(8) A schedule for the submission of a plan of development (POD) conforming to the POD template at http://www.blm.gov, should the BLM require you to submit a POD under §2804.25(c).

(b) When submitting an application for a solar or wind energy development project or for a transmission line project with a capacity of 100 kV or more, in addition to the information required in paragraph (a) of this section, you must:

(1) Include a general description of the proposed project and a schedule for the submission of a POD conforming to the POD template at http://www.blm.gov;

(2) Address all known potential resource conflicts with sensitive resources and values, including special designations or protections, and include applicant-proposed measures to avoid, minimize, and compensate for such resource conflicts, if any;

(3) Initiate early discussions with any grazing permittees that may be affected by the proposed project in accordance with 43 CFR 4110.4-2(b); and

(4) Within 6 months from the time the BLM receives the cost recovery fee under §2804.14, schedule and hold two preliminary application review meetings as follows:

(i) The first meeting will be with the BLM to discuss the general project proposal, the status of BLM land use planning for the lands involved, potential siting issues or concerns, potential environmental issues or concerns, potential alternative site locations and the right-of-way application process;

(ii) The second meeting will be with appropriate Federal and State agencies and tribal and local governments to facilitate coordination of potential environmental and siting issues and concerns; and

(iii) You and the BLM may agree to hold additional preliminary application review meetings.

(c) When submitting an application for a solar or wind energy project under this subpart rather than subpart 2809, you must:

(1) Propose a project sited on lands outside a designated leasing area, except as provided for by §2809.19; and

(2) Pay an application filing fee of $15 per acre for solar or wind energy development applications and $2 per acre for energy project-area testing applications. The BLM will refund your fee, except for the reasonable costs incurred on your behalf, if you are the unsuccessful bidder in a competitive offer held under §2804.30 or subpart 2809. The BLM will adjust the application filing fee at least once every 10 years using the change in the Implicit Price Deflator, Gross Domestic Product (IPD-GDP) for the preceding 10-year period and round it to the nearest one-half dollar. This 10-year average will be adjusted at the same time as the Per Acre Rent Schedule for linear rights-of-way under §2806.22.

(d) If you are unable to meet a requirement of the application outlined in this section, you may submit a request for an alternative requirement under §2804.40.

(e) If you are a business entity, you must also submit the following information:

(1) Copies of the formal documents creating the entity, such as articles of incorporation, and including the corporate bylaws;

(2) Evidence that the party signing the application has the authority to bind the applicant;

(3) The name and address of each participant in the business;

(4) The name and address of each shareholder owning 3 percent or more of the shares and the number and percentage of any class of voting shares of the entity which such shareholder is authorized to vote;

(5) The name and address of each affiliate of the business;

(6) The number of shares and the percentage of any class of voting stock owned by the business, directly or indirectly, in any affiliate controlled by the business;

(7) The number of shares and the percentage of any class of voting stock owned by an affiliate, directly or indirectly, in the business controlled by the affiliate; and

(8) If you have already provided the information in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) of this section to the BLM and the information remains accurate, you need only reference the BLM serial number under which you previously filed it.

(f) The BLM may require you to submit additional information at any time while processing your application. See §2884.11(c) of this chapter for the type of information we may require.

(g) If you are a Federal oil and gas lessee or operator and you need a right-of-way for access to your production facilities or oil and gas lease, you may include your right-of-way requirements with your Application for Permit to Drill or Sundry Notice required under parts 3160 through 3190 of this chapter.

(h) If you are filing with another Federal agency for a license, certificate of public convenience and necessity, or other authorization for a project involving a right-of-way on public lands, simultaneously file an application with the BLM for a grant. Include a copy of the materials, or reference all the information, you filed with the other Federal agency.

(i) Inter-agency coordination. You may request, in writing, an exemption from the requirements of this section if you can demonstrate to the BLM that you have satisfied similar requirements by participating in an inter-agency coordination process with another Federal, State, local, or Tribal authority. No exemption is approved until you receive BLM approval in writing.

[81 FR 92207, Dec. 19, 2016]