[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 232 (Friday, December 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67931-67932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31337]


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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 of information collection.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are soliciting 
comments on an information collection titled Cooperative Agreements, 
OMB Control Number 1010-0087, which expires on July 31, 2000.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before February 1, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: The mailing address for written comments regarding this 
information collection is David S. Guzy, Chief, Rules and Publications 
Staff, Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, P.O. 
Box 25165, MS 3021, Denver, Colorado 80225. Courier address is Building 
85, Room A-613, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225. Email 
address is RMP.[email protected].

PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURE: If you wish to comment, you may submit your 
comments by any one of several methods. You may mail comments to David 
S. Guzy, Chief, Rules and Publications Staff, Minerals Management 
Service, Royalty Management Program, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3021, Denver, 
CO 80225-0165. Courier or overnight delivery address is Building 85, 
Room A-613, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225. You may also 
comment via the Internet to RMP.[email protected]. Please submit 
Internet comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption. Please also include Attn: 
Cooperative Agreements, OMB 1010-0087, and your name and return address 
in your Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the 
system that we have received your Internet message, contact David S. 
Guzy directly at (303) 231-3432.
    We will post public comments after the comment period closes on the 
Internet at http://www.rmp.mms.gov. You may arrange to view paper 
copies of the comments by contacting David S. Guzy, Chief, Rules and 
Publications Staff, telephone (303) 231-3432, FAX (303) 231-3385. Our 
practice is to make comments, including names and addresses of 
respondents, available for public review on the Internet and during 
regular business hours at our

[[Page 67932]]

offices in Lakewood, Colorado. Individual respondents may request that 
we withhold their home address from the rulemaking record, which we 
will honor to the extent allowable by law. There also may be 
circumstances in which we would withhold from the rulemaking 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    The Department of the Interior (DOI) is the department within the 
Federal Government responsible for matters relevant to mineral resource 
development on Federal and Indian Lands and the Outer Continental Shelf 
(OCS). The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is responsible for 
managing the production of minerals from Federal and Indian Lands and 
the OCS; for collecting royalties from lessees who produce minerals; 
and for distributing the funds collected in accordance with applicable 
laws. MMS performs the royalty management functions for the Secretary.
    Cooperative agreements benefit both MMS and the State or Tribe 
involved by helping to ensure proper product valuation, correct and 
timely production reporting, and correct and timely royalty payment 
through the application of an aggressive and comprehensive audit 
program. To be considered for a cooperative agreement, States and 
Tribes must comply with the regulations at 30 CFR part 228 by 
submitting a request to the Director, MMS, and preparing a proposal 
detailing the work to be done. While working under a cooperative 
agreement, the States and Tribes must submit quarterly vouchers to 
claim reimbursement for the cost of eligible activities.
    We have cooperative agreements with seven Indian Tribes and ten 
States. Burden estimates for participants include application 
preparation, voucher preparation each quarter, and submission of an 
annual work plan and budget. We estimate that the total annual burden 
for participants in performing cooperative agreements is 1,224 hours.

    Dated: November 23, 1999.
Lucy Querques Denett,
Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 99-31337 Filed 12-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P