[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 13269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6967]


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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, the 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is 
announcing that the information collection requests for the titles 
described below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection 
requests describe the nature of the information collections and the 
expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments 
should be submitted to OMB by April 17, 1998 in order to be assured of 
consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To request a copy of either information collection request, explanatory 
information and related forms, contact John A. Trelease at (202) 208-
2783, or electronically to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implement 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)). OSM has submitted two requests to OMB to renew its approval 
of the collections of information contained in: Underground Mining 
Permit Applications--Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation 
Plans, 30 CFR Part 784; and the Abandoned Mine Land Problem Area 
Description Form, OSM 76. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval 
for each information collection activity.
    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. The OMB control numbers for these 
collections of information are 1029-0039 for Part 784, and 1029-0087 
for the OSM 76 form.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), Federal Register notices 
soliciting comments on these collections of information was published 
on December 15, 1997 (62 FR 65713), for the OSM 76 form, and on 
December 19, 1997 (62 FR 66664), for Part 784. No comments were 
received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in 
which to comment on the following information collection activities:
    Title: Underground Mining Permit Applications--Minimum Requirements 
for Reclamation and Operation Plans, 30 CFR 784.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0039.
    Summary: Sections 507(b), 508(a) and 516(b) of Pub. L. 95-87 
require underground coal mine permit applications to submit an 
operations and reclamation plan and establish performance standards for 
the mining operation. Information submitted is used by the regulatory 
authority to determine if the applicant can comply with the applicable 
performance and environmental standards required by the law.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: 130 underground coal mining permit 
applicants.
    Total Annual Responses: 130.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 92,605.

    Title: Abandoned Mine Land Problem Area Description Form, OSM 76.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0087.
    Summary: This form will be used to update the Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's inventory of abandoned mine lands. 
From this inventory, the most serious problem areas are selected for 
reclamation through the apportionment of funds to States and Indian 
tribes.
    Bureau Form Number: OSM 76.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: 26 State governments and Indian tribes.
    Total Annual Responses: 1,800.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,000.
    Send comments on the need for the collections of information for 
the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the 
agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information collections; and ways to minimize the 
information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collections of the information, to the following addresses. 
Please refer to the appropriate OMB control numbers in all 
correspondence.

ADDRESSES: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget, Attention: Department of Interior Desk Officer, 
725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503. Also, please send a copy of 
your comments to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation 
and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW, Room 210--SIB, Washington, 
DC 20240, or electronically to [email protected].

    Dated: March 12, 1998.
Richard G. Bryson,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 98-6967 Filed 3-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M