(a) BLM determines the population strata served as follows:

(1) If the site or facility is within a designated RMA, BLM will use the population strata of the RMA;

(2) If the site or facility is within a designated RMA, and it serves two or more RMAs, BLM will use the population strata of the RMA having the greatest population;

(3) If the site or facility is outside an RMA, and it serves one or more RMAs, BLM will use the population strata of the RMA served having the greatest population;

(4) If the site or facility is outside an RMA and the site does not serve an RMA, BLM will use the population strata of the community it serves having the greatest population, as identified in the current edition of the Rand McNally Road Atlas;

(5) If the site or facility is outside an RMA, and it serves a community of less than 25,000, BLM will use the lowest population strata shown on the rent schedule.

(b)

(1) BLM considers all facilities (and all uses within the same facility) located at one site to serve the same RMA or community. However, BLM may make case-by-case exceptions in determining the population served at a particular site by uses not located within the same facility and not authorized under the same grant or lease. BLM has the sole responsibility to make this determination. For example, when a site has a mix of high-power and low-power uses that are authorized by separate grants or leases, and only the high-power uses are capable of serving an RMA or community with the greatest population, BLM may separately determine the population strata served by the low-power uses (if not collocated in the same facility with the high-power uses), and calculate their rent as described in §2806.30 of this subpart.

(2) For purposes of rent calculation, all uses within the same facility and/or authorized under the same grant or lease must serve the same population strata.

(3) For purposes of rent calculation, BLM will not modify the population rankings published in the Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide or the population of the community served.