[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36940-36942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18070]


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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 revision of a currently approved information 
collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0058).

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[[Page 36941]]

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, MMS invites the public and other Federal agencies to 
comment on a proposal to extend and revise the currently approved 
collection of information discussed below. The Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (PRA) 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 Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number.

DATE: Submit written comments by September 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand carry 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 of the collection of information at no cost.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures, (1010-
0058).
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq., gives the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) the 
responsibility to preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources 
in the OCS in a manner that is consistent with the need to make such 
resources available to meet the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as 
possible; balance orderly energy resource development with protection 
of human, marine, and coastal environments; ensure the public a fair 
and equitable return on offshore resources in the OCS; and preserve and 
maintain free enterprise competition. Specifically, the OCS Lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1356) requires the issuance of ``* * * regulations which 
require that any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure * 
* * (2) which is used for activities pursuant to this subchapter, 
comply, * * * with such minimum standards of design, construction, 
alteration, and repair as the Secretary * * * establishes; * * * '' The 
OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1332(6)) also states, ``operations in the 
outer Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner * * * to 
prevent or minimize the likelihood of * * * physical obstruction to 
other users of the water or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences 
which may cause damage to the environment or to property, or endanger 
life or health.''
    To carry out these responsibilities, the Minerals Management 
Service (MMS) has issued rules governing structural safety of platforms 
and structures used in the OCS and their subsequent abandonment and 
site clearance. These rules and the associated information collection 
requirements are contained in 30 CFR part 250, subpart I, Platforms and 
Structures. In addition, MMS issues Notices to Lessees and Operators 
(NTLs) that clarify, explain, or interpret regulations and standards.
    The MMS OCS Regions use the information submitted under subpart I 
to determine the structural integrity of all offshore structures and 
ensure that such integrity will be maintained throughout the useful 
life of these structures. The MMS uses the information to ascertain, on 
a case-by-case basis, that the platforms and structures are 
structurally sound and safe for their intended use to ensure safety of 
personnel and pollution prevention. The information is also necessary 
to assure that abandonment and site clearance are properly performed. 
More specifically, MMS uses the information to:
    a. Review information concerning damage to a platform to assess the 
adequacy of proposed repairs.
    b. Review plans for platform construction (construction is divided 
into three phases--design, fabrication, and installation) to ensure the 
structural integrity of the platform.
    c. Review verification plans and reports for unique platforms to 
ensure that all nonstandard situations are given proper consideration 
during the design, fabrication, and installation phases of platform 
construction.
    d. Review platform design, fabrication, and installation records to 
ensure that the platform is constructed according to approved plans.
    e. Review inspection reports to ensure that platform integrity is 
maintained for the life of the platform.
    f. Ensure that any object (wellheads, platforms, etc.) installed on 
the OCS is properly removed and the site cleared so as not to conflict 
with or harm other users of the OCS.
    The currently approved information collection for Subpart I 
includes the burden for a proposed rule to add a Sec. 250.145, Seismic 
Reassessment of California OCS Platforms. After considering the 
comments received on the proposed rule, MMS has decided to take no 
further action this proposed rule. We will formally announce this 
decision in the next publication of the Unified Agenda.
    The MMS will protect proprietary information submitted with the 
plans in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act; 30 CFR 250.18, 
Data and information to be made available to the public; and 30 CFR 
Part 252, OCS Oil and Gas Information Program. No items of a sensitive 
nature are collected. Responses are mandatory.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.
    Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion and varies by 
subpart I regulatory section.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: 24,743 
reporting burden hours; 7,150 recordkeeping burden hours. The estimated 
average annual burden per respondent is approximately 245 hours. This 
estimate: (a) reflects the elimination of the proposed burden for 
Sec. 250.145, (b) updates the average number of annual responses, and 
(c) includes previously omitted burden estimates for current subpart I 
requirements.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: In the 
previous request to OMB to approve this collection of information, we 
included a reporting cost burden associated with adding proposed 
Sec. 250.145. The decision is take no further action on that proposed 
rule eliminates the estimated cost burden. We have identified no other 
information collection cost burdens for this collection of information.
    Comments: The MMS will summarize written responses to this notice 
and address them in its submission for OMB approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record. As a result of comments we receive 
and our consultations with a representative sample of respondents, we 
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to 
OMB. In calculating the burden, MMS assumed that respondents perform 
many of the requirements and maintain records in the normal course of 
their activities. The MMS considers these to be usual and customary and 
took that into account in estimating the burden.
    (1) The MMS specifically solicits comments on the following 
questions:
    (a) Is the proposed collection of information necessary for MMS to 
properly perform its functions, and will it be useful?
    (b) Are the estimates of the burden hours of the proposed 
collection reasonable?
    (c) Do you have any suggestions that would enhance the quality, 
clarity, or usefulness of the information to be collected?

[[Page 36942]]

    (d) Is there a way to minimize the information collection burden on 
respondents, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology?
    (2) In addition, the PRA requires agencies to estimate the total 
annual reporting and recordkeeping cost burden to respondents or 
recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. We need to 
know if you have any. Your response should split the cost estimate into 
two components: (a) total capital and startup cost component; and (b) 
annual operation, maintenance, and purchase of service components. Your 
estimates should consider the costs to generate, maintain, and disclose 
or provide the information. 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, sampling, drilling, 
and testing equipment; and record storage facilities. Generally, your 
estimates should not include 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.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: June 29, 1998.
William S. Cook,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 98-18070 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-U