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

(1) If the site or facility is within a designated RMA, the 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, the 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, the 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, the 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; or

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

(b)(1) The BLM considers all facilities (and all uses within the same facility) located at one site to serve the same RMA or community. However, at its discretion, the 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. For example, when a site has a mix of high-power and low-power uses that are authorized by separate grants, and only the high-power uses are capable of serving an RMA or community with the greatest population, the 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 the rent as described in § 2866.30.

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

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