(a) With the BLM's approval, you may assign, in whole or in part, any right or interest in a grant or lease. Assignment actions that may require BLM approval include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) The transfer by the holder (assignor) of any right or interest in the grant or lease to a third party (assignee); and

(2) Changes in ownership or other related change in control transactions involving the BLM right-of-way holder and another business entity (assignee), including corporate mergers or acquisitions, but not transactions within the same corporate family.

(b) The BLM may require a grant or lease holder to file new or revised information in some circumstances that do not constitute an assignment (see subpart 2803 and §§2804.12(e) and 2807.11). Circumstances that would not constitute an assignment but may necessitate this filing include, but are not limited to:

(1) Transactions within the same corporate family;

(2) Changes in the holder's name only (see paragraph (h) of this section); and

(3) Changes in the holder's articles of incorporation.

(c) In order to assign a grant or lease, the proposed assignee must file an assignment application and follow the same procedures and standards as for a new grant or lease, including paying application and processing fees, and the grant must be in compliance with the terms and conditions of §2805.12. The preliminary application review meetings and public meeting under §§2804.12 and 2804.25 are not required for an assignment. We will not approve any assignment until the assignor makes any outstanding payments that are due (see §2806.13(g)).

(d) The assignment application must also include:

(1) Documentation that the assignor agrees to the assignment; and

(2) A signed statement that the proposed assignee agrees to comply with and be bound by the terms and conditions of the grant that is being assigned and all applicable laws and regulations.

(e) Your assignment is not recognized until the BLM approves it in writing. We will approve the assignment if doing so is in the public interest. Except for leases issued under subpart 2809 of this part, we may modify the grant or lease or add bonding and other requirements, including additional terms and conditions, to the grant or lease when approving the assignment, unless a modification to a lease issued under subpart 2809 of this part is required under §2805.15(e). We may decrease rents if the new holder qualifies for an exemption (see §2806.14) or waiver or reduction (see §2806.15) and the previous holder did not. Similarly, we may increase rents if the previous holder qualified for an exemption or waiver or reduction and the new holder does not. If we approve the assignment, the benefits and liabilities of the grant or lease apply to the new grant or lease holder.

(f) The processing time and conditions described at §2804.25(d) of this part apply to assignment applications.

(g) Only interests in issued right-of-way grants and leases are assignable. Except for applications submitted by a preferred applicant under §2804.30(g), pending right-of-way applications do not create any property rights or other interest and may not be assigned from one entity to another, except that an entity with a pending application may continue to pursue that application even if that entity becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of a new third party.

(h) To complete a change in name only, (i.e., when the name change in question is not the result of an underlying change in control of the right-of-way grant), the following requirements must be met:

(1) The holder must file an application requesting a name change and follow the same procedures as for a new grant, including paying processing fees. However, the application fees (see subpart 2804 of this part) and the preliminary application review and public meetings (see §§2804.12 and 2804.25) are not required. The name change request must include:

(i) If the name change is for an individual, a copy of the court order or other legal document effectuating the name change; or

(ii) If the name change is for a corporation, a copy of the corporate resolution(s) proposing and approving the name change, a copy of the acceptance of the change in name by the State or Territory in which it is incorporated, and a copy of the appropriate resolution, order or other documentation showing the name change.

(2) When reviewing a proposed name change only, we may determine it is necessary to:

(i) Modify a grant issued under subpart 2804 to add bonding and other requirements, including additional terms and conditions to the grant; or

(ii) Modify a lease issued under subpart 2809 in accordance with §2805.15(e).

(3) Your name change is not recognized until the BLM approves it in writing.

[81 FR 92223, Dec. 19, 2016]