[Federal Register: January 20, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 12)]
[Notices]               
[Page 3134-3135]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20ja99-91]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, DOI.

ACTION: Notice of information collection solicitation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS) is soliciting comments on an information 
collection, Royalty-in-Kind (RIK) Determination of Need (OMB Control 
Number 1010-0119), which expires on May 31, 1999.

FORM: None.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before March 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments sent via the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to 
Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, Rules and 
Publications Staff, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3021, Denver, Colorado 80225-
0165; courier address is Building 85, Room A613, Denver Federal Center, 
Denver, Colorado 80225; e:mail address is RMP.comments@mms.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis C. Jones, Rules and 
Publications Staff, phone (303) 231-3046, FAX (303) 231-3385, e-mail 
Dennis.C.Jones@mms.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, Section 3506 (c)(2)(A), we are notifying you, members of 
the public and affected agencies, of this collection of information 
which expires May 31, 1999. We are requesting OMB approval for a three 
year extension of this existing collection authority. Is this 
information collection necessary for us to properly do our job? Have we 
accurately estimated the industry burden for responding to this 
collection? Can we enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information we collect? Can we lessen the burden of this information 
collection on the respondents by using automated collection techniques 
or other forms of information technology?
    MMS on behalf of the Secretary performs Determinations of Need 
prior to issuing a Notice of Availability of Sale in the Federal 
Register advising industry of a forthcoming RIK sale. In past practice, 
the Determination of Need process has been an informal process reacting 
primarily to expressions of interest from small refiners not already 
participating in the program as well as indications from participating 
refiners of their continued interest in the program. We have also 
received formal expressions of interest from Congressmen on behalf of 
their refiner constituents, inquiries that we have also factored into 
our decision-making process.
    As part of ongoing process reengineering, MMS has concluded that a 
proactive, structured, and documented methodology should be established 
for conducting all future RIK Determinations of Need. The first step in 
this process is to issue a Federal Register notice requesting specific 
information from eligible refiners: location of refinery; desirability 
of offshore versus onshore crude; type of crude desired (e.g., Wyoming 
Sweet); ability to obtain long-term supply of desired crude (with 
supporting documentation such as ``denial'' by major supplier); ability 
to obtain desired crude at fair market prices (with supporting 
documentation that desired oil was not available or equitably priced 
for the area or region in question); and percentage of total refining 
capacity attributable to Federal oil versus other sources; etc. 
Feedback from refiners (or other interested parties, like lease owners 
or operators) will be used by MMS to assess current marketplace 
conditions--i.e., whether small, independent refiners have access to 
ongoing supplies of crude oil at equitable prices.
    We anticipate that 20 refiners (and other interested parties) will 
respond to this information collection request. Based on consultation 
with current program refiners, we estimate that each respondent will 
spend 4 hours per

[[Page 3135]]

response for a total industry burden of 80 hours.
    Dated: January 13, 1999.
R. Dale Fazio,
Acting Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 99-1224 Filed 1-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P