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Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019) |
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R652. Natural Resources, Forestry, Fire and State Lands |
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R652-5. Payments, Royalties, Audits, and Reinstatements |
| R652-5-100. Authority |
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Latest version.
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This rule implements Section 65A-1-4(2) which authorizes the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands to adopt rules necessary to fulfill the purposes of Title 65A. |
| R652-5-200. Payments |
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Latest version.
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Payments include rentals, royalties or any other financial obligation owed under the terms of a lease, permit or any other agreement. 1. As a matter of convenience, the division allows parties other than the obligee to remit payments to the state on the obligee's behalf; however, this practice in no way relieves the obligee of any statutory or contractual obligations concerning the proper and timely payments or the proper and timely filing of reports. For practical reasons, the division often makes direct requests for reports and other records from parties other than the obligees. Payors should be aware that their actions subject leases to cancellation or subject delinquent royalties to interest charges. It is, therefore, in the best interest of all parties to cooperate in responsibly discharging their obligations to each other and to the state. 2. The obligee bears final responsibility for payments. In order to meet payment obligations of a lease, permit, or other financial contract with the division, payments must be received as defined in subsection 4 of this rule by the appropriate due dates and must be accompanied by the appropriate report. 3. When a change of payor(s) on a property is to occur, the most recent payor of record shall notify the division by letter prior to the change. This shall not be construed, however, to relieve the obligee of the ultimate responsibility. 4. Payments will be considered received if it is either delivered to the division, or if the postmark stamped on the envelope or other appropriate wrapper containing it, is dated on or before the due date. If the post office cancellation mark is illegible, erroneous, or omitted, the payment will be considered timely if the sender can establish by competent evidence that the payment was deposited in the United States mail on or before the date for filing or paying. If the due date or cancellation date falls upon a regular non-workday or legal holiday, the payment shall be considered timely if received as defined herein by the next business day. 5. Payments will be enforced even though a division order is incomplete or because of other irregularities. 6. A return check fee, in accordance with the Division fee schedule will be charged on all checks returned by the bank. 7. Any financial obligation not received by its contractual due date will initiate a written cancellation notice by certified mail, return receipt requested. The cancellation date for any lease/permit or other contractual agreement unless otherwise specified in this rule, is defined as 30 days after the postmark date stamped on Post Office Form 3800, Receipt for Certified Mail. In the event payment is not received by the division on or before the cancellation date, the lease, permit or other contractual agreement will be subject to cancellation, forfeiture or termination without further notice. A default in the payment of any installment of principal or interest due under the terms of any land purchase agreement not received by the division more than 30 days after the due date shall initiate a certified billing, return receipt requested. If all sums then due and payable are not received within 90 days after the mailing of the certified notice on Post Office Form 3800, the division may elect any of the remedies as outlined in R652-80-600(5). If the cancellation date falls on a weekend or holiday, payment will be accepted the next business day until 5 p.m. 8. A late penalty of 6% or $10, whichever is greater, shall be charged after failure to pay any financial obligation, excluding royalties as provided in R652-5-300(2), within the time limit under which such payment is due. 9. Rental payments received after the due date which do not include a late fee will be returned to the lessee by certified mail, return receipt requested. A check will only be accepted for the full amount due. |
| R652-5-300. Royalties |
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Latest version.
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1. Royalty Reports and Reporting Periods (a) All royalty payments shall be made payable to the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands and shall be accompanied by a certified royalty report on a form specified by the division. Check stubs or other report forms are unacceptable and do not satisfy the reporting requirement of this section. (b) Any report not sufficiently complete and accurate to enable the division to deposit the royalty to the correct fund must be promptly corrected or amended by the payor. Failure to provide such a report may, after proper notification, subject the lease to cancellation. 2. Interest on Delinquent Royalties Interest shall be compounded semiannually based on the average adjusted prime rate, rounded to the nearest full percent, for each six-month period computed from April to September and October to March, plus 4%. The interest rate will be subject to change at six month intervals every July 1st and January 1st. This interest rate will be applied to any delinquent royalties and will be in effect until payment is received. However, interest will not be assessed for prior period adjustments or amendments except for amounts of additional royalties due discovered during any audit action. Also, interest will not be accrued or billed for amounts less than $10. |
| R652-5-400. Audits |
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Latest version.
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The division shall have the right at reasonable times and intervals to audit the books and records of any lessee/permittee/payor and to inspect the leased/permitted premises and conduct field audits for the purpose of determining whether there has been compliance with the rules or the terms of agreement. |
| R652-5-500. Reinstatements |
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Latest version.
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1. The director may reinstate the following specific leases, permits, and easements, in the event of their cancellation, upon filing of a request for reinstatement, the payment of all late fees, reinstatement fees, and rental fees in arrears, based on a written finding that a reinstatement would be in the best interest of the beneficiaries: (a) Special use leases issued using a competitive process within 60 days of cancellation. (b) Special use leases issued without using a competitive process within 60 days of cancellation if: i) there are no apparent competing interests, ii) the cost of requiring a competitive process would be excessive in light of the potential revenue, iii) a negotiated settlement appears to present greater opportunity for increased compensation than a competitive settlement, or iv) there exists compelling reason establishing that the best interests of the trust would be met by waiving the competitive process. (c) Grazing permits within 60 days of cancellation with the exception that grazing permits cancelled for reasons of non-payment of grazing fees may be reinstated by the director without a written finding. (d) General permits within 60 days of cancellation. (e) Easements within 60 days of cancellation provided that: i) if the easement term is perpetual, then the easement shall be amended so that the term is 30 years beginning as of the original effective date. However, if the remaining number of years on an easement so amended is less than 15, the ending date of the easement shall be set so that there will be 15 years remaining in the easement; ii) if the easement term is not perpetual, easements shall be reinstated only for the balance of the original term; and iii) the applicant for an easement reinstatement agrees to pay the difference between what was originally paid for the easement and what the division would charge for the easement at the time the request for reinstatement is submitted. (f) Materials permits within 60 days of cancellation. (g) Materials permits issued without using a competitive process within 60 days of cancellation if: i) there are no apparent competing interests, ii) the cost of requiring a competitive process would be excessive in light of the potential revenue, iii) a negotiated settlement appears to present greater opportunity for increased compensation than a competitive settlement, or iv) there exists compelling reason establishing that the best interests of the trust would be met by waiving the competitive process. 2. The director may reinstate any application for lease, permit, easement, exchange, or sale cancelled pursuant to R652-30-500(5)(a) or R652-40-700(4)(a) upon the filing of a request for reinstatement and the payment of applicable reinstatement fees, and based on a written finding that a reinstatement would be in the best interest of the beneficiaries. |