[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 152 (Monday, August 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43209-43210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20387]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of currently approved information 
collection (1010-0079).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), we are notifying you that we have submitted the 
information collection request (ICR) discussed below to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. We are also 
inviting your comments on this ICR.

DATES: Submit written comments by September 8, 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 (1010-0079), 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503. Mail or handcarry a copy of your comments to the 
Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; attention: 
Rules

[[Page 43210]]

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 G, Abandonment of Wells.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0079.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq.) gives the Secretary of the Interior the responsibility to 
preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources in the OCS 
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 the 
resources of the OCS; and preserve and maintain free enterprise 
competition. In 1978, section 3(6) of the OCS Lands Act was amended to 
state that ``operations in the outer Continental Shelf should be 
conducted * * * using technology, precautions, and techniques 
sufficient to prevent or minimize * * * physical obstruction to other 
users of the waters 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, we established 
regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart G, ``Abandonment of Wells.''
    Respondents submit requests to abandon operations and procedures 
for site clearance. They also submit annual reports describing plans 
for reentry to complete or permanently abandon a well. For us to decide 
the necessity for allowing a well to be temporarily abandoned, the 
lessee/operator must show that there is a reason to not permanently 
abandon the well and the temporary abandonment is not a significant 
threat to fishing, navigation, or other uses of the seabed. If we did 
not collect the information, we could not determine: (a) the intent of 
the lessee, (b) if the final disposition of the well is being 
diligently pursued, (c) any deviations from the approved Exploration or 
Development and Production Plan, and (d) if the lessee/operator has 
documented the temporary plugging of the well and marked the location.
    We will protect proprietary information submitted with the plans 
according to the Freedom of Information Act and 30 CFR 250.118, ``Data 
and information to be made available to the public.'' No items of a 
sensitive nature are collected. Responses are mandatory.
    The 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 OMB control number. We published a 
Federal Register notice with the required 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on this ICR on January 14, 1999 (64 FR 2501).
    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 annual.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 650 
burden hours, averaging approximately 3.25 hours per response. See 
following chart.

                                                Burden Breakdown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                        Annual
   Citation 30 CFR 250  subpart G       Requirement      Average number per           Burden            burden
                                                                year                                    hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
701................................  Request approval  (40)(1)..............  Burden included with             0
                                      to abandon                               1010-0045.
                                      operations
                                      (form MMS-124).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
703(c).............................  Submit annual     75 reports...........  2 hours..............          150
                                      report on plans
                                      for reentry to
                                      complete or
                                      permanently
                                      abandon the
                                      well..
704(a).............................  Request approval  125 requests.........  4 hours..............          500
                                      of site
                                      clearance
                                      method..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
704(b).............................  Certify location  (40)(1)..............  Burden included with             0
                                      cleared of                               1010-0045..
                                      obstructions
                                      (form MMS-124)..
                                                      ----------------------------------------------------------
    Total Reporting................  ................  200 responses........  .....................          650
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no information collection cost burdens for this 
collection of information.
    Comments: All comments are made a part of the public record. 
Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA 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. The 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 September 8, 1999.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: June 3, 1999.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 99-20387 Filed 8-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P