[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 29336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13709]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


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

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.), we are notifying you that we have submitted an information 
collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and approval. We are also soliciting your comments on this 
ICR which describes the information collection, its expected costs and 
burden, and how the data will be collected.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before July 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (OMB Control Number 1010-0119), 725 17th 
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20503, telephone (202) 395-7340. Copies 
of these comments should also be sent to us. The U.S. Postal Service 
address is Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, 
Rules and Publications Staff, P.O. Box 25165, MS-3021, Denver, 
Colorado, 80225-0165; the courier address is Building 85, Room A-613, 
Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225; and the e:Mail address 
is: RMP.[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis C. Jones, Rules and 
Publications Staff, telephone (303) 231-3046, FAX (303) 231-3385, e-
Mail Dennis.C.J[email protected]. You may also contact Dennis Jones to 
obtain a copy of the ICR at no cost.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Royalty-in-Kind (RIK) Determination of Need.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0119.
    Abstract: The Minerals Management Service on behalf of the 
Secretary, performs Determinations of Need prior to issuing a Notice of 
Availability of Sale in the Federal Register advising industry of a 
forthcoming RIK sale. The first step in this process is to issue a 
Federal Register Notice requesting specific information from eligible 
refiners: location of refinery; desirability of offshore versus onshore 
crude; type of crude desired (e.g., Wyoming Sweet); ability to obtain 
long-term supply of desired crude (with supporting documentation such 
as ``denial'' by major supplier); ability to obtain desired crude at 
fair market prices (with supporting documentation that desired oil was 
not available or equitably priced for the area or region in question); 
percentage of total refining capacity attributable to Federal oil 
versus other sources; etc. Feedback from refiners (or other interested 
parties, like lease owners or operators) will be used by MMS to assess 
current marketplace conditions, i.e., whether small, independent 
refiners have access to ongoing supplies of crude oil at equitable 
prices.
    Burden Statement: The respondent burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 4 hours per each respondent to provide a written 
response to the information collection.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Refiners or other interested parties 
such as lease owners or operators.
    Frequency of Response: As necessary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden: 100 
hours.
    Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
requires each agency ''* * * to provide notice * * * and otherwise 
consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning 
each proposed collection of information.'' Agencies must specifically 
solicit comments to: (a) evaluate whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the agency to perform its duties, 
including whether the information is useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden on the 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Send your comments directly to the offices 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, to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public 
comments by July 1, 1999.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: May 21, 1999.
Lucy Querques Denett,
Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 99-13709 Filed 5-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P