[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10786-10787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6258]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement


Notice of Proposed Information Collection

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to request approval for 
the collection of information on financial interests of State 
regulatory employees or members of advisory boards and commissions 
established in accordance with State law or regulation who regulate 
underground or surface coal mining operations; Indian lands program; 
revisions, renewals and transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights; 
minimum requirements for legal, financial, compliance, and related 
information for coal mining permits; and right-of-entry requirements 
for abandoned mine land reclamation projects.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received 
by May 14, 1996, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to John A. Trelease, Office of 
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW, 
Room 120--SIB, Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To request a copy of the information collection request, explanatory 
information and related forms, contact the Bureau's clearance officer, 
John A. Trelease, at (202) 208-2783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

[[Page 10787]]
regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implementing provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), require that 
interested members of the public and affected agencies have an 
opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping 
activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8 (d)). This notice identifies information 
collections that OSM will be submitting to OMB for extension. These 
collections are contained in (1) 30 CFR 705, Restriction on financial 
interests of State employees; (2) 30 CFR 750, Indian lands program; (3) 
30 CFR 774, Revision; renewal; and transfer, assignment, or sale of 
permit rights; (4) 30 CFR 778, Permit applications--minimum 
requirements for legal, financial, compliance, and related information; 
and (5) 30 CFR 877, Rights of entry for abandoned mine land reclamation 
projects.
    OSM has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect 
current reporting levels or adjustments based on reestimates of burden 
or respondents, or programmatic changes. OSM will request a 3-year term 
of approval for each information collection activity.
    Comments are invited on: (1) The need for the collection of 
information for the performance of the functions of the agency; (2) the 
accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) 
ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such 
as use of automated means of collection of the information. A summary 
of the public comments will accompany OSM's submission of the 
information collection request to OMB.
    The following information is provided for each information 
collection: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control 
number; (3) summary of the information collection activity; and (4) 
frequency of collection, description of the respondents, estimated 
total annual responses, and the total annual reporting and 
recordkeeping burden for the collection of information.
    Title: Restrictions on financial interests of State employees.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0067.
    Summary: Respondents supply information on employment and financial 
interests. The purpose of the collection is to ensure compliance with 
section 517(g) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 
1977 (SMCRA), which places an absolute prohibition on having a direct 
or indirect financial interest in underground or surface coal mining 
operations.
    Bureau Form Number: OSM-23.
    Frequency of Collection: Entrance on duty and annually.
    Description of Respondents: Any State regulatory authority employee 
or member of advisory boards and commissions established in accordance 
with State law or regulation to represent multiple interests who 
performs any function or duty under the Act is required to file a 
statement of employment and financial interests.
    Total Annual Responses: 2,316.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 784.

    Title: Indian lands program.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0091.
    Summary: Operators who propose to conduct surface coal mining and 
reclamation operations on Indian lands must comply with the permitting 
and approval requirements of Part 750 which supplements the regulatory 
program by specifying additional requirements unique to Indian lands 
and outside the scope of the regulatory program.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Applicants for coal mining permits.
    Total Annual Responses: 34.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,688.

    Title: Revision; renewal; and transfer, assignment, or sale of 
permit rights.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0088.
    Summary: Sections 506(d), 511(a)(1) and 511(b) of Public Law 95-87 
provide that persons seeking permit revisions, renewals, transfer, sale 
or assignment of permit rights for coal mining activities, submit 
relevant information to the regulatory authority to allow the 
regulatory authority to determine whether the applicant meets the 
requirements for the action anticipated.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Coal mine operators.
    Total Annual Responses: 6,545.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 59,560.

    Title: Permit applications--minimum requirements for legal, 
financial, compliance, and related information.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0034.
    Summary: Section 507(b) of SMCRA provides that persons conducting 
coal mining activities submit to the regulatory authority all relevant 
information regarding ownership and control of the property to be 
affected, their compliance status and history. This information is used 
to ensure all legal, financial and compliance requirements are 
satisfied prior to issuance or denial of a permit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Applicants for coal mining and 
reclamation operation permits.
    Total Annual Responses: 473.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 18,919.

    Title: Rights of Entry.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0055.
    Summary: This regulation establishes procedures for non-consensual 
entry upon private lands by a regulatory authority for the purpose of 
abandoned mine land reclamation activities or exploratory studies when 
the landowner refuses consent or is not available.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Regulatory Authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 38.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 38.

    Dated: March 11, 1996.
Judy A. Saunders,
Acting Chief, Office of Technology Development and Transfer.
[FR Doc. 96-6258 Filed 3-14-96; 8:45 am]
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