Source: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?mc=true&node=pt36.2.291&rgn=div5
Timestamp: 2020-07-16 17:08:40
Document Index: 216458515

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', 'art 214', 'art 214', 'art 214', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', 'arts 101', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291', '§291']

Title 36 → Chapter II → Part 291
§291.1 Purpose.
§291.2 Authorities.
§291.3 Exceptions.
§291.4 Preservation of existing authorities.
§291.6 Confidentiality of information—general.
§291.7 Public awareness and education.
§291.8 Area closures.
§291.9 Determination of paleontological resources.
§291.10 Collecting.
§291.11 Casual collecting on National Forest System lands.
§291.12 National Forest System lands closed to casual collection.
§291.13 Permits.
§291.14 Application process.
§291.15 Application qualifications and eligibility.
§291.16 Terms and conditions.
§291.17 Permit reports.
§291.18 Modification or cancellation of permits.
§291.19 Suspension and revocation of permits.
§291.20 Appeals.
§291.21 Curation of paleontological resources.
§291.22 Becoming an approved repository.
§291.23 Minimum requirements of approval of a repository.
§291.24 Standards for access and use of collections.
§291.25 Conducting inspections and inventories of collections.
§291.26 Repository agreements.
§291.27 Prohibited acts.
§291.28 Civil penalty.
§291.29 Amount of civil penalty.
§291.30 Civil penalty process.
§291.31 Civil penalties hearing procedures.
§291.32 Petition for judicial review; collection of unpaid assessments.
§291.33 Use of recovered amounts.
§291.34 Criminal penalties.
§291.35 Multiple offenses.
§291.36 General exception.
§291.37 Scientific or paleontological value.
§291.38 Fair market or commercial value.
§291.39 Cost of response, restoration, and repair.
§291.40 Rewards.
§291.41 Forfeiture.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 470aaa through 470aaa-11.
Source: 80 FR 21630, Apr. 17, 2015, unless otherwise noted.
(a) The regulations in this part implement provisions of the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470aaa through 16 U.S.C. 470aaa-11 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), which provides for the preservation, management, and protection of paleontological resources on National Forest System lands and encourages the scientific, educational and where appropriate, the casual collection of these resources. Paleontological resources are nonrenewable, and are an accessible and irreplaceable part of America's natural heritage.
(b) The Secretary shall manage, protect, and preserve paleontological resources on National Forest System lands using scientific principles and expertise. These regulations provide for coordinated management of paleontological resources and encourage scientific and educational use by promoting public awareness, providing for collection under permit, setting curation standards, establishing civil and criminal penalties, clarifying that paleontological resources cannot be collected from National Forest System lands for commercial purposes, and by allowing the casual collection of some of these resources on certain lands and under specific conditions.
(d) Apply to any materials associated with an archaeological resource (site), as defined in 16 U.S.C. 470, or any cultural items defined in 16 U.S.C. 30001;
(g) Create any right, privilege, benefit, or entitlement for any person who is not an officer or employee of the United States acting in that capacity. No person who is not an officer or employee of the United States acting in that capacity shall have standing to file any civil action in a court of the United States to enforce any provision or amendment made by this part.
(1) Primary records relating to the identification, evaluation, documentation, study, preservation, context, or recovery of a paleontological resource, regardless of format;
(2) Public records including, but not limited to, land status records, agency reports, publications, court documents, agreements; and
(3) Administrative records and reports generated by the permitting process and pertaining to the survey, excavation, or other study of the resource.
Collection means all paleontological resources resulting from excavation or removal from National Forest System lands as well as any associated records resulting from excavation or removal from National Forest System lands under a permit.
(1) Accessioning, cataloging, labeling, and inventorying a collection;
(2) Identifying, evaluating, and documenting a collection;
(3) Storing and maintaining a collection using appropriate methods and containers, and under appropriate environmental conditions and physical security controls;
(5) Providing access and facilities to study a collection;
(6) Handling, cleaning, sorting, and stabilizing a collection in such a manner as to preserve it; and
(7) Lending a collection, or parts thereof, for scientific, educational or preservation purposes.
Fossilized means preserved by natural processes, including, but not limited to burial in accumulated sediments, preservation in ice or amber, or replacement by minerals, or alteration by chemical processes such as permineralization whereby minerals are deposited in the pore spaces of the hard parts of an organism's remains, which may or may not alter the original organic content.
National Forest System lands means those lands in a nationally significant system of federally owned units of forest, range, and related lands consisting of national forests, purchase units, national grasslands, land utilization project areas, experimental forest areas, experimental range areas, designated experimental areas, other land areas, water areas, and interests in lands that are administered by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, or designated for administration through the Forest Service. As used herein, the term “National Forest System lands” refers to Federal land controlled or administered by the Secretary of Agriculture.
Non-commercial personal use means uses other than for purchase, sale, financial gain, or research. Research, in the context of these regulations, is considered to be a structured activity undertaken by qualified individuals with the intent to obtain and disseminate information via publication in a peer-reviewed professional scientific journal or equivalent venue, which increases the body of knowledge available to a scientific community.
Paleontological resource means any fossilized remains, traces, or imprints of organisms, preserved in or on the earth's crust, that are of paleontological interest, and that provide information about the history of life on earth. The term does not include:
(1) Any materials associated with an archaeological resource (as defined in section 3(1) of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470bb(1)); or
(2) Any cultural item (as defined in section 2 of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001)).
(b) Sharing protected information does not constitute a disclosure. The Authorized Officer may share information concerning the nature and specific location of a paleontological resource with non-Agency personnel for scientific, educational, or resource management purposes. A recipient of such information may be required to sign a confidentiality agreement in which the recipient agrees not to share the information with anyone not authorized to receive the information.
(c) Determinations as described in paragraph (b) of this section are subject to the following conditions:
(1) Mineral resources, including coal, oil, natural gas, and other economic minerals that are subject to the existing mining and mineral laws;
(2) Petrified wood as defined at 30 U.S.C. 611 and managed under 36 CFR 228.62 unless determined under paragraph (b) of this section to be a paleontological resource;
(3) Geological units, including, but not limited to, limestones, diatomites, and chalk beds).
A paleontological resource may only be collected from National Forest System lands in accordance with the casual collecting provisions in §§291.11 and 291.12, or in accordance with a permit issued by the Authorized Officer as identified in §291.13.
(b) National Forest System lands are open to casual collection unless otherwise closed, as described in §291.12.
(e) Determinations as described above in paragraph (d) of this section are subject to the conditions as stated in §291.9(c)(1) through (4).
(g) Paleontological resources collected on National Forest System lands, including common invertebrate and plant paleontological resources subject to casual collecting, cannot be sold. Sale of these paleontological resources is a violation of 16 U.S.C. 470aaa-5(a)(3) and §291.27(a)(3) and may subject the violator to civil and criminal penalties.
(a) Casual collecting is not allowed in:
(2) Other National Forest System lands closed to casual collecting in accordance with this Part, other statutes, executive orders, regulations, or land use plans.
(4) The proposed methods of collection will not threaten significant natural or cultural resources pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 470aaa-3(b)(4).
(b) Permits may be issued at the Authorized Officer's discretion to applicants that provide a complete application, as provided in §291.14, and meet qualification and eligibility requirements in §291.15.
(a) Qualified applicant. The information submitted by applicants under §291.14 must demonstrate qualifications for carrying out the proposed activities, as follows:
(1) The applicant has a graduate degree in paleontology or a related field of study with a major emphasis in paleontology from an accredited institution, or can demonstrate training and/or experience commensurate to the nature and scope of the proposed activities; and
(2) The applicant has experience in collecting, analyzing, summarizing, and reporting paleontological data and experience in planning, equipping, staffing, organizing, and supervising field crews on projects commensurate to the type, nature and scope of work proposed in the application; and
(3) The applicant meets any additional qualifications as may be required by the Authorized Officer that are considered necessary to undertake the proposed project in the context of the project location.
(b) Eligibility. The information submitted by applicants under §291.14 must demonstrate that the proposed work is eligible for a permit in accordance with §291.13(a)(2) through (4).
(c) Specific locality data will not be released by the permittee or repository unless authorized in accordance with §291.6.
(m) The permittee will acknowledge the Forest Service in any report, publication, paper, news article, film, television program, or other media resulting from the permittee's work performed under the permit.
(o) The permittee will provide scheduled reports to the Authorized Officer within the timeline established in the permit
(p) The permittee and/or approved repository will be responsible for all costs for the proposed activity, including fieldwork and collections maintenance, unless otherwise addressed in a separate written document
(q) The permittee will comply with the permit terms and conditions established by the Authorized Officer, even in the event of permit expiration, suspension, or revocation.
(q) Approved repository accession and/or catalog number(s);
(b) The permit shall be revoked if any person working under the authority of the permit is convicted of a violation under section 16 U.S.C. 470aaa 6306 or is assessed a civil penalty under 16 U.S.C. 470aaa 6307.
(c) Suspensions, modifications, and revocations shall be administered in accordance with the procedures set forth in 36 CFR part 214.
A permittee may appeal the denial or revocation of a permit in accordance with 36 CFR part 214. Pending the appeal, the decision of the Authorized Officer remains in effect unless determined otherwise in accordance with 36 CFR part 214, subpart C.
Collections from National Forest System lands made under a permit issued according to this Part will be deposited in an approved repository. The curation of paleontological resources collected from National Forest System lands before the effective date of these regulations is covered under the terms of the original collection permit and/or agreement. Such collections remain Federal property unless otherwise transferred or disposed of in a Forest Service agreement.
(a) A repository identified during the permit application process in §291.14 must be approved to receive collections by the Authorized Officer as follows:
(1) A repository must meet the minimum requirements in §291.23 in order to be approved.
(i) Remain the property of the Federal government;
(ii) Will be preserved for the public in accordance with §291.24;
(iii) Will be made available for scientific research and public education; and
(iv) That specific locality data will not be released except in accordance with §291.6.
(b) The Authorized Officer and the repository official may enter into a formal agreement that explains the responsibilities of the parties for the curation of the collection in accordance with §291.26.
(c) The repository must agree in writing to periodic inventory and inspection of the collections as described in §291.25.
(d) Prior to depositing the collection, an Agency paleontologist in consultation with the repository official will determine the content of the collection to be curated based on scientific principles and expertise. A copy of the final catalog will be provided by the repository to the Authorized Officer.
(a) The capability to provide adequate curatorial services as defined in §291.5;
(d) Staff with primary responsibility for managing and preserving the collections that have training or experience in the curation of paleontological resources at levels appropriate to the nature and use of the paleontological collections maintained by that repository.
(b) The repository may provide access to specific locality data and associated records when consistent with an approval under §291.22 or an agreement under §291.26.
(f) The following uses of the collection will require written approval from the Authorized Officer, in consultation with an Agency paleontologist, unless specified in the approval in §291.22 or an agreement under §291.26:
(1) Prior to reproducing a paleontological resource, the repository will notify and obtain approval from the Authorized Officer. Reproductions include, but are not limited to, molding and casting, and computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans. Routine photographic and/or digital reproductions would not require individual approvals, providing the reproductions are not made for commercial purposes, and that the reproductions do not require transfer of the specimen(s) to a different facility.
(a) The repository and the Authorized Officer must ensure that inspections and inventories of collections are in accordance with the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (40 U.S.C. 541 et seq.), its implementing regulations (41 CFR parts 101 and 102), any Agency-specific regulations on the management of Federal property, and any Agency-specific statutes and regulations on the management of museum collections.
(5) A statement that collections are available for scientific and educational uses consistent with §291.22;
(10) A statement that all exhibits, publications, and studies of Federal specimens by repository staff and/or repository research affiliates will credit the Agency that administers the collection;
(11) Specification of the frequency and methods for periodic inventories;
(12) A statement that accession, catalog, and inventory information will be made available to the Authorized Officer or their staff
(13) A statement that no employee of the repository will sell or financially encumber the collection;
(14) A statement that, in the event the repository can no longer provide care for a collection under the terms of the agreement, the repository official will notify the Authorized Officer in writing;
(15) A statement that the terminating party is responsible for the transfer of collections to another approved repository, including costs;
(16) The term of the repository agreement and procedures for modification, cancellation, suspension, extension, and termination of the agreement; and
(17) Any additional terms and conditions as needed.
(2) Exchange, transport, export, receive, or offer to exchange, transport, export, or receive any paleontological resource if the person knew or should have known such resource to have been excavated or removed from National Forest System lands in violation of any provisions, rule, regulation, law, ordinance, or permit in effect under Federal law, including the Act and this part; or
(a) A person who violates any prohibition contained in this Part or permit issued under this Part may be assessed a penalty by the Authorized Officer after the person is given notice and opportunity for a hearing with respect to the violation, as provided in §§291.30 and 291.31.
(a) Determination of civil penalty amount. The amount of such penalty assessed under §291.28 shall be determined by taking into account:
(3) Any other factors under §§291.37 through 291.39 considered relevant by the Authorized Officer in assessing the penalty.
(b) Multiple offenses. In the case of subsequent or repeated violations by the same person, the amount of a penalty assessed under §291.28(a) may be doubled.
(c) Maximum amount of penalty. The amount of any penalty assessed for any one violation shall not exceed an amount equal to double the cost of response to, and restoration and repair of resources and paleontological site damage plus double the scientific or fair market value of resources destroyed or not recovered.
(d) Determination of scientific and fair market values and cost of response to, and restoration and repair. Scientific and fair market values and the cost of response to, and restoration and repair are determined as described in §§291.37 through 291.39.
(c) Assessment of penalty. (1) The Authorized Officer shall assess a civil penalty upon completion of the 45 calendar day response period, informal discussions, or review of the written response, whichever is later.
(4) Where the facts warrant a conclusion that a violation has occurred, the Authorized Officer shall determine a penalty amount in accordance with §291.29.
(f) Hearings. (1) Except where the right to request a hearing is deemed to have been waived as provided in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the person served with a notice of assessment may file a written request for a hearing with the hearing office specified in the notice. The person shall enclose with the request for hearing a copy of the notice of assessment, and shall deliver the request for hearing by certified mail (return receipt requested), as specified in the notice of assessment.
(3) Any hearing conducted pursuant to this section shall be held in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 554. In any such hearing, the amount of civil penalty assessed shall be determined in accordance with §§291.28 through 291.33, and shall not be limited by the amount assessed by the Authorized Officer under §291.29(a) or any offer of mitigation or remission made by the Authorized Officer.
(g) Final administrative decision. (1) Where the person served with a notice of violation has accepted the penalty pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the notice of violation shall constitute the final administrative decision;
(h) Payment of penalty. The person assessed a civil penalty shall have 45 calendar days from the date of issuance of the final administrative decision in which to make full payment of the penalty assessed, unless a timely request for appeal has been filed with a U.S. District Court as provided in §291.32.
(c) Appearance and practice. (1) The respondent may appear in person, by representative, or by counsel, and may participate fully in the proceedings. If respondent fails to appear and the administrative law judge determines such failure is without good cause, the administrative law judge may, in his/her discretion, determine that such failure shall constitute a waiver of the right to a hearing and consent to the making of a decision on the record made at the hearing.
(d) Hearing administration. (1) The administrative law judge shall have all powers accorded by law and necessary to preside over the parties and the proceedings and to make decisions in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 554 through 557.
(b) Failure to pay. Failure to pay a penalty assessed is a debt to the U.S. Government. If any person fails to pay a penalty within 30 calendar days after the final administrative decision and the person has not filed a petition for judicial review of the decision in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section; or after a court in an action brought in paragraph (a) of this section has entered a final judgment upholding the assessment of the penalty, the Secretary may request the Attorney General to institute a civil action in a district court of the United States for any district in which the person if found, resides, or transacts business, to collect the penalty (plus interest at currently prevailing rates from the date of the final decision or the date of the final judgment, as the case may be). The district court shall have jurisdiction to hear and decide any such action. In such action, the validity, amount, and appropriateness of such penalty shall not be subject to review. Any person who fails to pay on a timely basis the amount of an assessment of a civil penalty shall be required to pay, in addition to such amount and interest, attorney's fees and costs for collection proceedings. This section does not preclude the use of other collection methods such as Treasury offset, where appropriate.
(c) To provide for the payment of rewards as provided in §291.40.
(a) A person who knowingly violates or counsels, procures, solicits, or employs another person to violate §291.27 shall, upon conviction, be fined in accordance with Title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both; but if the sum of the commercial and paleontological value of the paleontological resources involved and the cost of restoration and repair of such resources does not exceed $500, such person shall be fined in accordance with Title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.
(b) Paleontological and commercial values and the cost of restoration and repair are determined under §§291.37 through 291.39.
The provisions in §§291.28 through 291.35 do not apply to any person with respect to any paleontological resource which was in the lawful possession of such person prior to the date of enactment of the Act.
The fair market value of any paleontological resource involved in a violation of the prohibitions contained in this part or conditions of a permit issued pursuant to this part shall be the commercial value of the resources, determined using the condition of the paleontological resource prior to the violation, to the extent that its prior condition can be ascertained. The term “fair market value” can be used interchangeably with the term “commercial value.” Fair market value of paleontological resources can be established through the use of comparable sales or pricing information, advertisements for comparable resources, appraisals, and/or other information on legal or illegal markets.
(a) The Authorized Officer may, at his or her discretion, pay from penalties collected under §§291.28 through 291.36, or from appropriated funds, an amount up to half of the penalties collected to any person who furnishes information which leads to a finding of the civil violation(s) or to the criminal conviction(s).
(a) Forfeiture. All paleontological resources with respect to which a violation under §§291.28 through 291.36 occurred and which are in the possession of any person, are subject to forfeiture proceedings. All forfeitures will be initiated pursuant to cooperative agreements with agencies having law enforcement authority and forfeiture regulations in place.