[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 208 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58099-58100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28231]


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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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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is 
announcing its intention to request approval for the collections of 
information for 30 CFR Part 870, Abandoned mine reclamation fund--fee 
collection and coal production reporting; and for three OSM grant 
forms--OSM-47 (Budget Information Report), OSM-49 (Budget Information 
and Financial Reporting) and OSM-51 (Performance and Program 
narrative). These collection requests have been forwarded to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information 
collection requests describe the nature of the information collections 
and the expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments 
should be submitted to OMB by November 29, 1999, in order to be assured 
of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of either 
information collection request, explanatory information and related 
forms, 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 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 two requests to OMB to renew its approval 
of the collections of information contained in: 30 CFR Part 870, 
Abandoned mine reclamation fund--fee collection and coal production 
reporting; and for three OSM grant forms--OSM-47 (Budget Information 
Report), OSM-49 (Budget Information and Financial Reporting) and OSM-51 
(Performance and Program Narrative). OSM is requesting a 3-year term of 
approval of each 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 Part 870 
is 1029-0090. Grant form OSM-49 is currently approved under OMB control 
number 1029-0059. The collection request being sent to OMB for review 
will include OSM Forms OSM-47 and OSM-51 under 1029-0059 since they are 
all grant forms.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on these collections of information was published 
on August 2, 1999 (64 FR 41946). No comments were received. This notice 
provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on 
the following information collection activities:
    Title: Budget information, financial reporting, and performance 
reporting forms.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0059.
    Summary: State and Tribal reclamation and regulatory authorities 
are requested to provide specific budget and program information as 
part of the grant application and reporting processes authorized by the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.
    Bureau Form Number: OSM-47, OSM-49 and OSM-51.
    Frequence of Collection: Semi-annually and annually.
    Description of Respondents: State and Tribal regulatory and 
reclamation authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 131.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 655 hours.

    Title: 30 CFR Part 870--Abandoned mine reclamation fund--fee 
collection and coal production reporting.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0090.

[[Page 58100]]

    Summary: Section 402 of SMCRA requires fees to be paid to the 
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund by coal operators on the basis of coal 
tonnage produced. This information collection request is needed to 
support verification of the moisture deduction allowance. The 
information will be used by OSM during audits to verify that the amount 
of excess moisture taken by the operator is appropriate.
    Frequency of Collection: quarterly.
    Description of Respondents: Coal mine operators.
    Total Annual Responses: 1,000.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 750.
    Send comments on the need for the collections 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 collections; and ways to minimize the 
information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collections of the information, to the following addresses. 
Please refer to OMB control number 1029-0059 for the three grant forms, 
and 1029-0090 for Part 870 in your correspondence.

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: October 22, 1999.
Richard G. Bryson,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 99-28231 Filed 10-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M