[Federal Register: June 10, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 111)]
[Notices]
[Page 39739-39742]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jn02-102]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0114).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we
are submitting to OMB for review and approval an information collection
request (ICR) for the paperwork requirements in the regulations under
30 CFR part 250, subpart A, General, and associated forms and Notices
to Lessees and Operators (NTLs).
DATES: Submit written comments by July 10, 2002.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for
the Department of the Interior (1010-0114), 725 17th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20503. Mail or hand-carry a copy of your comments to the
Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention:
Rules Processing Team; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; Herndon,
Virginia 20170-4817.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team,
telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Alexis London to obtain
a copy at no cost of the forms and regulations that require the subject
collection of information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR part 250, subpart A, General.
Forms: MMS-132, Hurricane and Tropical Storm Evacuation and
Production Curtailment Statistics, Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR); MMS-
1132, Designation of Operator; MMS-1832, Notification of Incidents of
Noncompliance (INCs).
OMB Control Number: 1010-0114.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the
Secretary of the Interior to prescribe rules and regulations to
administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to
all operations conducted under a lease. Operations on the OCS must
preserve, protect, and develop oil and natural gas resources in a
manner which is consistent with the need to make such resources
available to meet the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; to
balance orderly energy resource development with protection of human,
marine, and coastal environments; to ensure the public a fair and
equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and to preserve and
maintain free enterprise competition. Section 1332(6) requires that
``operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a
safe manner by well trained personnel using technology, precautions,
and other techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood
of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical
obstructions to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or
other occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to
property or endanger life or health.''
Federal policy and statutes require us to recover the cost of
services that confer special benefits to identifiable non-Federal
recipients. Section 250.165 requires a State lessee to pay a fee when
applying for a right-of-use and easement on the OCS. The Independent
Offices Appropriation Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), OMB Circular A-25, and the
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 104-133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26,
1996) authorize agencies to collect these fees to reimburse us for the
cost to process applications or assessments. This fee is the same as
that required for filing pipeline right-of-way applications as
specified in Sec. 250.1010(a).
This notice concerns the reporting and recordkeeping elements of
the 30 CFR part 250, subpart A, General regulations and related forms
and NTLs that clarify and provide additional guidance on some aspects
of the regulations. Responses are mandatory. No questions of a
``sensitive'' nature are asked. MMS will protect proprietary
information according to 30 CFR 250.196 (Data and information to be
made available to the public), 30 CFR part 252 (OCS Oil and Gas
Information Program), and the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552)
and its implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2). MMS OCS Regions use
the information collected under subpart A to ensure that operations on
the OCS are carried out in a safe and pollution-free manner, do not
interfere with the rights of other users on the OCS, and balance the
development of OCS resources with the protection of the environment.
Frequency: The frequency is ``on occasion'' for most of the
requirements in subpart A. The form MMS-132 is
[[Page 39740]]
submitted daily during the period of emergency.
Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately one
State and 130 Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a
total of 22,467 burden hours. The following chart details the
individual components and estimated hour burdens. 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 burdens.
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Annual
Citation 30 CFR part 250 subpart A Reporting or recordkeeping Hour Average annual number burden
and related forms/NTLs requirement burden hours
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104; Form MMS-1832.................. Appeal orders or decisions; appeal INCs--burden included with 0
30 CFR 290 (1010-0121)
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109(a);110.......................... Submit welding, burning, and 2 170 plans............. 340
hot tapping plans.
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115; 116............................ Request determination of 3 125................... 375
well producibility; submit
data & responses
information; notify MMS of
test.
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118; 119; 121; 124.................. Apply for injection or 10 10 applications....... 100
subsurface storage of gas.
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130-133; Form MMS-1832.............. Submit ``green'' response 2 1,500 forms (4245 3,000
copy of form MMS-1832 actual INCs).
indicating date violations
(INCs) corrected.
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Request reconsideration from \1/2\ 215 requests.......... 108
issuance of an INC.
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Request waiver of 14-day \1/2\ 425 waivers........... 213
response time..
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Notify MMS before returning \1/4\ 2,190 notices......... 548
to operations if shut-in.
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133................................. Request reimbursement for 1 request............... 1
food, quarters, and
transportation provided to
MMS representatives (OCS
Lands Act specifies
reimbursement; no requests
received in many years;
minimal burden).
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135 MMS internal process............ Submit Performance 40 8 plans............... 320
Improvement Plan for
enforcement actions.
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140................................. Request various oral \1/4\ 200 requests.......... 50
approvals not specifically
covered elsewhere in
regulatory requirements.
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141................................. Request approval to use new 20 15 requests........... 300
or alternative procedures,
including BAST not
specifically covered
elsewhere in regulatory
requirements.
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142................................. Request approval of 2 50 requests........... 100
departure from operating
requirements not
specifically covered
elsewhere in regulatory
requirements.
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143; 144; 145; Form MMS-1123........ Submit designation of \1/4\ 1,280 forms........... 320
operator & report change of
address or notice of
termination; submit
designation of local agent.
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150; 151; 152; 154(a)............... Name and identify 2 155 new or replacement 310
facilities, etc., with signs.
signs.
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150; 154(b)......................... Identify wells with paint or 1 1,415 new wells....... 1,415
signs.
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160; 161............................ OCS lessees: Apply for new 5 30 applications....... 150
or modified right of use
and easement to construct
and maintain off-lease
platforms, artificial
islands, and installations
and other devices.
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165................................. State lessees: Apply for new 5 1 application......... 5
or modified right-of-use
and easement to construct
and maintain off-lease
platforms, artificial
islands, and installations
and other devices.
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166................................. State lessees: Furnish surety bond--burden included with 30 CFR 0
256 (1010-0006)
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168; 170; 171; 172; 174; 175; 177; Request suspension of 10 250 requests.......... 2,500
180(b), (d). operations or production;
submit schedule of work
hours leading to
commencement.
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Submit progress reports on 2 1,070 reports......... 2,140
suspension of operations or
production as condition of
approval.
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[[Page 39741]]
177(a).............................. Conduct site-specific study; 80 1 study/report........ 80
submit results. No
instances requiring this
study in several years--
could be necessary if a
situation occurred such as
severe damage to a platform
or structure caused by a
hurricane or a vessel
collision.
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177(b), (c), (d); 182; 183, 185; 194 Various references to submitting new, revised, or modified 0
exploration plan, development and production plan, or
development operations coordination document, and related
surveys and reports--burden included with 30 CFR 250, subpart
B (1010-0049).
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180(a), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j)..... Notify and submit report on \1/2\ 1,500 reports......... 750
various leaseholding
operations and lease
production activities.
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180(a), (b), (c).................... When requested, submit 6 20 submissions........ 120
production data to
demonstrate production in
paying quantities to
maintain lease beyond
primary term.
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180(e).............................. Request more than 180 days 3 5 requests............ 15
to resume operations.
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181(d); 182(b), 183(b)(2)........... Request termination of 20 2 requests............ 40
suspension and cancellation
of lease (no requests in
recent years for
termination/cancellation of
a lease; minimal burden).
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184................................. Request compensation for 50 1 request............. 50
lease cancellation mandated
by the OCS Lands Act (no
qualified lease
cancellations in many
years; minimal burden
compared to benefit).
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190................................. Submit requests, ......... ...................... 0
applications, and notices
under various regulations--
burden included with
applicable requirement.
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191................................. Report accidents, deaths, 7 135 reports........... 945
serious injuries, fires,
explosions and blowouts.
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191(a).............................. Report spills of oil--burden included with 30 CFR 254 (1010- 0
0091).
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192; Form MMS-132................... Daily report of evacuation 1 620 reports or forms.. 620
statistics for natural
occurrence/hurricane (form
MMS-132 in the GOMR) when
circumstances warrant.
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193................................. Report apparent violations 1\1/2\ 2 reports............. 3
or non-compliance.
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194 NTL exception requests.......... Request departures from 1 95 requests........... 95
conducting archaeological
resources surveys and/or
submitting reports in GOMR.
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194(c).............................. Report archaeological 1 1 report.............. 1
discoveries (only one
instance in many years;
minimal burden).
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195................................. Submit data/information for post-lease geological and 0
geophysical activity and request reimbursement--burden
included with 30 CFR 251 (1010-0048).
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Subtotal--Reporting.......................................................... 11,492................ 15,014
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108(a).............................. Retain records of crane 2 2,540 recordkeepers... 5,080
inspection, testing, and
maintenance for 2 years;
crane operator
qualifications 4 years.
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109(b).............................. Retain welding, burning, and \1/2\ 4,225 operations...... 2,113
hot tapping plan and hour
approval for the life of
the facility.
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132(b)(3)........................... Make available all records 1 130 lessees/operators. 260
related to inspections not
specifically covered
elsewhere in regulatory
requirements.
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Subtotal--Recordkeeping...................................................... 6,895................. 7,453
Total Hour Burden............................................................ 18,387................ 22,467
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Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: The
application filing fee required in Sec. 250.165 is the only paperwork
cost burden identified for the subpart A regulations. This filing fee
is currently set at $2,350.
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
[[Page 39742]]
collection of information, you are not obligated to respond.
Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et
seq.) 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.
To comply with the public consultation process, on November 26,
2001, we published a Federal Register notice (66 FR 59024) announcing
that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided
the required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec. 250.199 provides
the OMB control numbers for the information collection requirements
imposed by the 30 CFR part 250 regulations and forms. That regulation
also informs the public that they may comment at any time on these
collections of information and provides the address to which they
should send comments. We have received no comments in response to these
efforts. The required PRA public disclosure and comment statements are
displayed on forms MMS-132, MMS-1123, and MMS-1832.
If you wish to comment in response to this notice, send your
comments directly to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of
this notice. The OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the
information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to
ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public comments by
July 10, 2002.
Public Comment Policy: Our practice is to make comments, including
names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review
during regular business hours. Individual respondents may request that
we withhold their home address from the record, which we will honor to
the extent allowable by law. There may be circumstances in which we
would withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by
the law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must
state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we
will not consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,
(202) 208-7744.
Dated: April 25, 2002.
E.P. Danenberger
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 02-14476 Filed 6-7-02; 8:45 am]