To whom are grazing rental payments made?

(a) A permit must specify whether grazing rental payments will be made directly to the Indian landowners or to us on behalf of the Indian landowners. If the permit provides for payment to be made directly to the Indian landowners, the permit must also require that the permittee retain specific documentation evidencing proof of payment, such as canceled checks, cash receipt vouchers, or copies of money orders or cashier's checks, consistent with the provisions of §§ 166.1000 and 166.1001 of this part.

(b) Grazing rental payments made directly to the Indian landowners must be made to the parties specified in the permit, unless the permittee receives a notice of a change of ownership. Unless otherwise provided in the permit, grazing rental payments may not be made payable directly to anyone other than the Indian landowners.

(c) A permit which provides for grazing rental payments to be made directly to the Indian landowners must also provide for such payments to be suspended and rent thereafter paid to us, rather than directly than to the Indian landowners, if:

(1) An Indian landowner dies;

(2) An Indian landowner requests that payment be made to us;

(3) An Indian landowner is found by us to be in need of assistance in managing his/her financial affairs; or

(4) We determine, in our discretion and after consultation with the Indian landowner(s), that direct payment should be discontinued.