[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 154 (Tuesday, August 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42870-42871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21403]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, DOI.

ACTION: Notice of information collection.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS) is soliciting comments on a revision to an 
approved information collection, the Payor Information Form, Form MMS-
4025 (OMB Control Number 1010-0033), which expires on June 30, 2000.

    FORM: MMS-4025, Payor Information Form.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before October 13, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments sent via the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to 
Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, Rules and 
Publications Staff, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3021, Denver, Colorado 80225-
0165; courier address is Building 85, Room A613, Denver Federal Center, 
Denver, Colorado 80225; e:mail address is David.G[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis C. Jones, Rules and 
Publications Staff, phone (303) 231-3046, FAX (303) 231-3385, e-mail 
Dennis.C.J[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, Section 3506(c)(2)(A), we are notifying you, members of 
the public and affected agencies, of this revision to an approved 
information collection, the Payor Information Form, Form MMS-4025 (OMB 
Control Number 1010-0033), which expires on June 30, 2000. Is this 
information collection necessary for us to properly do our job? Have we 
accurately estimated the industry burden for responding to this 
collection? Can we enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information we collect? Can we lessen the burden of this information 
collection on the respondents by using automated collection techniques 
or other forms of information technology?
    The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for the collection of 
royalties from lessees producing minerals from leased Federal and 
Indian lands. The Secretary is required by various laws to manage the 
production of mineral resources on Indian lands and Federal onshore and 
offshore leases, to collect the royalties due, and to distribute the 
funds in accordance with those laws.
    MMS performs the royalty management functions for the Secretary. 
When a company or individual enters into a contract to develop, 
produce, and dispose of minerals from Federal or Indian lands, that 
company or individual agrees to pay the United

[[Page 42871]]

States or Indian tribe or allottee a share (royalty) of the full value 
received for the minerals taken from leased lands. We use an automated 
fiscal accounting system, the Auditing and Financial System (AFS), to 
account for revenues collected from Federal and Indian leases. In 
addition to accounting for royalties reported by payors, AFS 
facilitates the monthly distribution of mineral revenues to State, 
Indian, and General Treasury accounts; provides royalty accounting and 
statistical information to States, Indians, and others who have a need 
for such information; and identifies underreporting and nonreporting so 
MMS can promptly collect revenues.
    AFS is an essential part of an overall effort to improve the 
management of the nation's mineral resources and to ensure proper 
collection and accounting for revenues due from lessees removing and 
processing oil and gas products from Federal or Indian leases. Part of 
the data base for AFS consists of information collected using the Payor 
Information Form (PIF), MMS-4025.
    PIF is used to record and report data from new producing leases, 
for updating payor changes, and to notify MMS of the products on which 
royalties will be paid.
    Based upon well data provided by the Bureau of Land Management, MMS 
developed a well database and, consequently, payors no longer need to 
report certain well data when submitting the PIF. Also, the Royalty 
Policy Committee, established by the Secretary, and MMS personnel 
identified several data elements that are only needed on an exception 
basis and, therefore, do not need to be routinely reported on the PIF. 
This program change reduces the reporting burden for this information 
collection. We estimate that the annual burden associated with this 
information collection will decrease from the currently-approved 19,197 
hours to 17,250 hours. Approximately 23,000 responses will be received 
annually, and the burden to complete a revised form will decrease from 
45 to 40 minutes or 15,333 hours annually. We estimate the 
recordkeeping burden at 5 minutes per form or 1,917 hours annually.
    As a result of this reduction in reporting burden for this 
information collection, the following information will no longer be 
required to be reported on the PIF:

Section III

 Unit/Comm Agreement Data--Tract number/percent
 Well Data--name, formation, API well number, and/or location.

Section IV

     Buyer/seller/refiner name.
     Gas contract number.
     RIK contract number.
     Company name and code for which an allowance applies.

    Date: July 28, 1998.
Lucy Querques Denett,
Associate Director for Royalty Management,
[FR Doc. 98-21403 Filed 8-10-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P