[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49820-49821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23856]


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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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[[Page 49821]]

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is 
announcing its intention to renew authority for the collection of 
information under 30 CFR part 800, Bond and insurance requirements for 
surface coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory 
programs. The collection described below has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The 
information collection request describes the nature of the information 
collection and the expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments 
should be submitted to OMB by October 14, 1999, in order to be assured 
of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information 
collection request, explanatory information and related form, 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 part 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 a request to OMB to 
renew approval of the collection of information in 30 CFR part 800, 
Bond and insurance requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation 
operations under regulatory programs. OSM is requesting a 3-year term 
of approval for this 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 number for this 
collection of information is 1029-0043, and is identified in 30 CFR 
800.10.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on these collections of information was published 
on June 23, 1999 (64 FR 33505). No comments were received. This notice 
provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on 
the following information collection activity:
    Title: Bond and Insurance Requirements for surface Coal Mining and 
Reclamation Operations Under Regulatory Programs--30 CFR 800.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0043.
    Summary: The regulations at 30 CFR part 800 primarily implement 
section 509 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 
(SMCRA or the Act0, which requires that persons planning to conduct 
surface coal mining operations first post a performance bond to 
guarantee fulfillment of all reclamation obligations under the approved 
permit. The regulations also establish bond release requirements and 
procedures consistent with section 519 of the Act, liability insurance 
requirements pursuant to section 507(f) of the Act, and procedures for 
bond forfeiture should the permittee default on reclamation 
obligations.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: On Occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining and reclamation 
permittees and State regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 16,974.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 188,736 hours.
    Send comments on the need for the collection 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 collection; and ways to minimize the 
information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collection of the information, to the following address. 
Please refer to OMB control number 1029-0043 in all correspondence.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the record, which we will honor to the extent 
allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we would 
withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law. 
If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state 
this prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we will not 
consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

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: September 9, 1999.
Richard G. Bryson,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 99-23856 Filed 9-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M