[Federal Register: August 8, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 152)]
[Notices]
[Page 44570-44572]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08au07-104]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of a reinstatement of an information collection (1010-
0081).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS
is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.
The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 282, Operations in the
Outer Continental Shelf for Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur.
DATES: Submit written comments by October 9, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods
listed below. Please use the Information Collection Number 1010-0081 as
an identifier in your message.
E-mail MMS at rules.comments@mms.gov. Identify with
Information Collection Number 1010-0081 in the subject line.
Fax: 703-787-1093. Identify with Information Collection
Number 1010-0081.
Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the
Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381
Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference
``Information Collection 1010-0081'' in your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon
to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the regulations of the subject
collection of information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR 282, Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf for
Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0081.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended
(43 U.S.C. 1334 and 43 U.S.C. 1337(k)), authorizes the Secretary of the
Interior (Secretary) to implement regulations to grant to the qualified
persons, offering the highest cash bonus on a basis of competitive
bidding, leases of any mineral other than oil, gas, and sulphur. This
applies to any area of the OCS not then under
[[Page 44571]]
lease for such mineral upon such royalty, rental, and other terms and
conditions as the Secretary may prescribe at the time of offering the
area for lease. This regulation governs mining operations within the
OCS for minerals other than oil, gas and sulphur and establishes a
comprehensive leasing and regulatory program for such minerals. These
regulations have been designed to (1) Recognize the differences between
the OCS activities associated with oil, gas, and sulphur discovery and
development and those associated with the discovery and development of
other minerals; (2) facilitate participation by States directly
affected by OCS mining activities; (3) provide opportunities for
consultation and coordination with other OCS users and uses; (4)
balance development with environmental protection; (5) insure a fair
return to the public; (6) preserve and maintain free enterprise
competition; and (7) encourage the development of new technology.
Regulations at 30 CFR 282 implement these statutory requirements.
However, there has been no activity in the OCS for minerals other than
oil, gas and sulphur for many years and no information collected since
we allowed the OMB approval to expire in 1991. Nevertheless, because
these are regulatory requirements, the potential exists for information
to be collected and we are requesting that OMB reinstate this
collection of information.
We use the information required by 30 CFR 282 to determine if
lessees are complying with the regulations that implement the mining
operations program for minerals other than oil, gas, and sulphur.
Specifically, MMS uses the information:
To ensure that operations for the production of minerals
other than oil, gas, and sulphur in the OCS are conducted in a manner
that will result in orderly resource recovery, development, and the
protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments.
To ensure that adequate measures will be taken during
operations to prevent waste, conserve the natural resources of the OCS,
and to protect the environment, human life, and correlative rights.
To determine if suspensions of activities are in the
national interest, to facilitate proper development of a lease
including reasonable time to develop a mine and construct its
supporting facilities, or to allow for the construction or negotiation
for use of transportation facilities.
To identify and evaluate the cause(s) of a hazard(s)
generating a suspension, the potential damage from a hazard(s) and the
measures available to mitigate the potential for damage.
For technical and environmental evaluations which provide
a basis for MMS to make informed decisions to approve, disapprove, or
require modification of the proposed activities.
We protect proprietary information according to the Freedom of
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR
2), and 30 CFR 282.5, 282.6, and 282.7 and applicable sections of 30
CFR parts 280 and 281. No items of a sensitive nature are collected.
Responses are mandatory.
Frequency: Monthly; on occasion.
Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: As there are no
active respondents, we estimated the potential annual number of
respondents to be one. Respondents are OCS lessees.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The previous
OMB inventory included 201 annual burden hours for the collection of
information. The following chart details the individual components and
respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. In calculating the
burdens, we assumed that respondents perform certain requirements in
the normal course of their activities. We consider these to be usual
and customary and took that into account in estimating the burden.
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Hour
Citation 30 CFR 282 Reporting requirement burden
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Subpart A--General
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4(b); 12(b)(2)(ii); 12(f)(l), (2); Submit delineation plan, 40
13(d), (e)(2); 21; 22; 25; 26; 28. including environmental
information, contingency
plan, monitoring
program, and various
requests for approval
referred to throughout;
submit modifications.
4(c); 12(c)(2)(ii); 12(f)(l), (2); Submit testing 40
13(d), (e)(2); 21; 23; 25; 26; 28. delineation plan,
including environmental
information, contingency
plan, monitoring
program, and various
requests for approval
referred to throughout;
submit modifications.
4(d); 12(d)(2)(ii); 12(f)(1), (2); Submit mining delineation 40
13(d), (e)(2); 21; 24; 25; 26; 28. plan, including
environmental
information, contingency
plan, monitoring
program, and various
requests for approval
referred to throughout;
submit modifications.
5................................. Request non-disclosure of 10
G&G info.
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Subpart B--Jurisdiction and Responsibilities of Director
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11(c); 12(c)...................... Apply for right-of-use 30
and easement.
11(d); 12(d)...................... Request consolidation of 1
two or more OCS mineral
leases or portions.
12(f)(1), (h); 20(g), (h)......... Request approval of 0
operations or departure
from operating
requirements. (Burden
included with applicable
operation).
13(b), (f)(2); 31................. Request suspension or 2
temporary prohibition or
production or operations.
13(e)(1).......................... Submit site-specific 8
study plan and results.
(Since this has never
been done, we do not
know the cost of such a
study).
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......................... $100,000
14................................ Submit ``green'' response 1
copy of Form MMS-1832
indicating date
violations (INCs)
corrected.
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Subpart C--Obligations and Responsibilities of Lessees
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20(a), (g); 29(i)................. Make available all 0
mineral resource or
environmental data and
information; submit
reports and maintain
records. (Burden
included with applicable
operation).
20(b) thru (e).................... Submit designation of 1
payor, operator, or
local representative;
submit changes.
21(d)............................. Notify MMS of preliminary 1
activities.
27(b)............................. Request use of new or 1
alternative
technologies,
techniques, etc.
[[Page 44572]]
27(c)............................. Notify MMS of death or 1
serious injury; fire,
exploration, or other
hazardous event; submit
report.
27(d)(2).......................... Request reimbursement for 2
furnishing food,
quarters, and
transportation for MMS
representatives (OCS
Lands Act specifies
reimbursement; no
requests received in
many years; minimal
burden).
27(e)............................. Identify vessels, 1
platforms, structures,
etc. with signs.
27(f)(2).......................... Log all drill holes 3
susceptible to logging;
submit copies of logs to
MMS.
27(h)(3), (4)..................... Mark equipment; record 1
items lost overboard;
notify MMS.
29(a)............................. Submit monthly report of 1
minerals produced.
29(b), (c)........................ Submit quarterly status 5
and final report on
exploration and/or
testing activities.
29(d)............................. Submit results of 5
environmental monitoring
activities.
29(e)............................. Submit marked and 1
certified maps annually
or as required.
29(f)............................. Maintain rock, minerals, 1
and core samples for 5
years and make available
upon request.
29(g)............................. Maintain original data 1
and information and
navigation tapes as long
as lease is in effect
and make available upon
request.
29(h)............................. Maintain hard mineral 1
records and make
available upon request.
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Subpart D--Payments
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40................................ Submit surety or personal 2
bond.
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Subpart E--Appeals
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50; 15............................ File an appeal. (Burden 0
exempt under 5 CFR
1320.4(a)(2), (c)).
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Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden:
There is one non-hour cost burden associated with 282.13(e)(1), a site
specific study. Since this has not been done to date, we estimated that
the cost of such study would cost industry at least $100,000 to comply
with the requirement.
Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.)
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated
to respond.
Comments: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section
3506(c)(2)(A) requires each agency `` * * * to provide notice * * * and
otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies
concerning each proposed collection of information * * * ''.
Agencies must specifically solicit comments to: (a) Evaluate
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
agency to perform its duties, including whether the information is
useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) enhance the
quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Agencies must also estimate the ``non-hour cost'' burdens to
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of
information. Therefore, if you have costs to generate, maintain, and
disclose this information, you should comment and provide your total
capital and startup cost components or annual operation, maintenance,
and purchase of service components. You should describe the methods you
use to estimate major cost factors, including system and technology
acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount
rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup
costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase
to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage
facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services
purchased: (i) Before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements
not associated with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other
than to provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv)
as part of customary and usual business or private practices.
We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to
OMB.
Public Comment Procedures: Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz, (202)
208-7744.
Dated: August 1, 2007.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E7-15387 Filed 8-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P