[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30614-30615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14474]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


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

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MoMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of a currently approved collection.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior has submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for approval under the provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Act) the collection of information 
discussed below. The Act requires that OMB provide interested Federal 
agencies and the public an opportunity to comment on information 
collection requests. The Act also provides that an agency may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by July 7, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and suggestions directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0078), 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.
    Send a copy of your comments to the Minerals Management Service, 
Rules Processing Team, Mail Stop 4700, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, 
Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alexis London, Engineering and Operations Division, Minerals Management 
Service, telephone (703) 787-1600. You may obtain copies of the 
supporting statement and collection of information by contacting MMS's 
Information Collection Clearance Officer at (202) 208-7744.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart O, Training of Lessee and Contractor 
Employees Engaged in Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the OCS.
    OMB Number: 1010-0078.
    Abstract: Respondents provide information and maintain records on 
the training of certain employees working in the Outer Continental 
Shelf (OCS). Training organizations submit training programs for 
initial accreditation and subsequent renewal; request exceptions to 
training requirements; submit course schedules and letters with course 
rosters; and maintain records of training programs and trainees. 
Lessees may request approval of alternative training programs, and they 
must provide training drills to new employees and record the results. 
The MMS uses the information to ensure that certain workers in the OCS 
are properly trained in the use of equipment and procedures in 
drilling, well-completion, well-workover, and well-servicing well 
control operations and production safety system operations. The 
information is necessary to verify personnel training compliance with 
the requirements. Responses to this collection of information are 
mandatory. The information collected is required in the final rule 
published in the Federal Register on February 5, 1997 (62 FR 5320, as 
corrected in 62 FR 7298 on February 18, 1997), amending 30 CFR part 
250, subpart O. The rule became effective on March 5, 1997.
    Description of Respondents: Federal OCS oil and gas and sulfur 
lessee and training organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 185.
    Frequency: The reporting and recordkeeping requirements and number 
of responses vary for each section and are mostly on occasion or annual 
(see chart below).

[[Page 30615]]



                                                Burden Breakdown                                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                        Annual  
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart      Reporting          Frequency            Number          Burden        burden  
              O                  requirement                                              (hours)       hours   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
217 See footnote 1..........  Request            On occasion......  30 exceptions....           .25        \3\ 8
                               exceptions                                                                       
                               (departures) to                                                                  
                               training                                                                         
                               requirements.                                                                    
221.........................  Request approval   On occasion......  2.4 alternative          200             480
                               of alternative                        programs.                                  
                               training program.                                                                
224.........................  Apply to MMS for   On occasion......  16 renewal                53             848
                               renewal of                            accreditations.                            
                               training program                                                                 
                               accreditation.                                                                   
225.........................  Apply to MMS for   On occasion......  5 new programs...        100             500
                               approval of new                                                                  
                               training program                                                                 
                               accreditation.                                                                   
226 (c), (d), (j), (k)......  Supply trainees                                                                   
                               with various                                                                     
                               documents,                                                                       
                               manuals, course                                                                  
                               updates, and                                                                     
                               certificates of                                                                  
                               training.                                                                        
(2) No burden--supplying      0................                                                                 
 these documents would be                                                                                       
 usual and customary                                                                                            
 practice for a training                                                                                        
 situation.                                                                                                     
226(h)......................  Furnish MMS                                                                       
                               personnel a copy                                                                 
                               of training                                                                      
                               program and plan                                                                 
                               during on-site                                                                   
                               review.                                                                          
(2) No burden--these          0................                                                                 
 documents would be readily                                                                                     
 available.                                                                                                     
226(i)......................  Submit course      Annual; on         61 schedules.....         14.5       \3\ 885
                               schedule to MMS.   occasion.                                                     
226(l) See footnote 2.......  Send MMS letter    On occasion......  3,000 letters/              .08          240
                               and course                            rosters.                                   
                               roster at the                                                                    
                               completion of                                                                    
                               each course.                                                                     
Total Reporting.............  .................  .................  3,114 (rounded)    ............        2,961
                                                                     responses.                                 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnotes:                                                                                                      
\1\ The revised subpart O rule eliminates the refresher training requirement and the 60-day ``window'' time     
  element, including the window for basic training. Under the old regulations, MMS received approximately 150   
  requests each year for exceptions, most of which were for departures to the ``window.'' We anticipate that    
  there will be very few requests for exceptions to the training requirement now that there is no ``window'' and
  only basic training is mandated.                                                                              
\2\ In 1996 training organizations submitted 4,498 rosters to MMS. The revised subpart O eliminates the         
  requirement for refresher training and changes the timing for basic training. This will result in an estimated
  30-40% reduction in mandatory training depending upon the training category with a corresponding reduction in 
  reporting.                                                                                                    
\3\ Rounded.                                                                                                    

    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: Reporting burden of 2,961 
hours.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Comments: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
Section 3506(c)(2)(A), each agency shall provide notice and otherwise 
consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning 
this collection of information in order to solicit comment to (a) 
evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information shall have practical utility, (b) evaluate the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, (c) enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected, and (d) minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Comments should be made directly to the addresses listed under the 
addresses section of this notice. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or 
disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days; 
therefore, public comments should be submitted to OMB within 30 days in 
order to assure their maximum consideration.
    Bureau Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach (202) 208-7744.

    Dated: May 23, 1997.
E. P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 97-14474 Filed 6-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-M