[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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