[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16626-16628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7701]


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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 a currently approved information 
collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0048).

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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 OMB for 
review and approval. We are also inviting your comments on this ICR.

DATES: Submit written comments by April 28, 2000.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0048), 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 Processing Team; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; Herndon, 
Virginia 20170-4817.
    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 rulemaking record, which we will honor to 
the extent allowable by law. There 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.

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 part 251, Geological and Geophysical (G&G) 
Exploration of the OCS
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0048.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq., gives the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) 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 the 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.
    The OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1340) also states that ``any person 
authorized by the Secretary may conduct geological and geophysical 
explorations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf, which do not interfere 
with or endanger actual operations under any lease maintained or 
granted pursuant to this OCS Lands Act, and which are not unduly 
harmful to aquatic life in such area.'' The section further requires 
that, permits to conduct

[[Page 16627]]

such activities may only be issued if it is determined that the 
applicant is qualified; the activities are not polluting, hazardous, or 
unsafe; they do not interfere with other users of the area; and do not 
disturb a site, structure, or object of historical or archaeological 
significance. Applicants for permits are required to submit form MMS-
327 to provide the information necessary to evaluate their 
qualifications.
    Regulations at 30 CFR part 251 implement these statutory 
requirements. We use the information to ensure there is no 
environmental degradation, personal harm or unsafe operations and 
conditions, damage to historical or archaeological sites, or 
interference with other uses; to analyze and evaluate preliminary or 
planned drilling activities; to monitor progress and activities in the 
OCS; to acquire G&G data and information collected under a Federal 
permit offshore; and to determine eligibility for reimbursement from 
the Government for certain costs. The information is necessary to 
determine if the applicants for permits or filers of notices meet the 
qualifications specified by the OCS Lands Act. MMS uses information 
collected to understand the G&G characteristics of oil-and-gas bearing 
physiographic regions of the OCS. It aids the Secretary in obtaining a 
proper balance among the potentials for environmental damage, the 
discovery of oil and gas, and adverse impacts on affected coastal 
states. Information from permittees is necessary to determine the 
propriety and amount of reimbursement.
    We will protect information from respondents considered proprietary 
under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its 
implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2) and under regulations at 30 
CFR parts 250, 251, and 252. No items of a sensitive nature are 
collected. Responses are mandatory or required to obtain or retain a 
benefit.
    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 November 12, 1999 (64 FR 61659).
    Frequency: On occasion, annually, or as specified in permits.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Primarily, 
approximately 150 Federal OCS permittees or notice filers.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 8,109 
burden hours, averaging approximately 54 hours per respondent. Refer to 
the following chart.

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                                        Reporting and                                                   Annual
       Citation 30 CFR 251              recordkeeping             Number               Burden           burden
                                         requirement                                                    hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
251.4; 251.5; 251.6(c)..........  Apply for permits (form   150 Notices or      6 hours............          900
                                   MMS-327) or file          Applications.
                                   notices; consult with
                                   other users of the area.
251.6(b); 251.7(b)(5)(iii)......  Notify MMS if specific    1 Notice..........  1 hour.............            1
                                   actions should occur;
                                   report archaeological
                                   resources. (No
                                   instances reported
                                   since 1982.).
251.7...........................  Submit information on       Burden included with 30 CFR 250.201,             0
                                   test drilling              250.203, & form MMS-123 (1010-0049 &
                                   activities under a                      1010-0044)
                                   permit; including form
                                   MMS-123.
251.7(c)........................  Enter into agreement for  1 Agreement.......  1 hour.............            1
                                   group participation in
                                   test drilling,
                                   including publishing
                                   summary statement;
                                   provide MMS copy of
                                   notice/list of
                                   participants. (No
                                   agreements submitted
                                   since 1989.).
251.7(d)........................  Submit bond on deep        Burden included under 30 CFR part 256   ...........
                                   stratigraphic test.                  regs (1010-0006)
251.8(a)........................  Request reimbursement     1 Request.........  1 hour.............            1
                                   for certain costs
                                   associated with MMS
                                   inspections. (No
                                   requests in many years.
                                   OCS Lands Act requires
                                   Government
                                   reimbursement.).
251.8(b), (c)...................  Submit modifications to,  150 Respondents  x  8 hours............        4,800
                                   and status/final           4 Reports = 600.
                                   reports on, activities
                                   conducted under a
                                   permit.
251.9(c)........................  Notify MMS to relinquish  8 Notices.........  .5 hour............            4
                                   a permit.
251.10(c).......................  File appeals............       Burden included with 1010-0121                0
251.11; 251.12..................  Submit to MMS G&G data/   50 Respondents  x   4 hours............          400
                                   information collected     2 Submissions =
                                   under a permit;           100.
                                   including license
                                   agreements/
                                   notifications to MMS.
251.13..........................  Request reimbursement     50 Respondents  x   20 hours...........        2,000
                                   for certain costs         2 Submissions =
                                   associated with           100.
                                   reproducing data/info.
251.14(c)(2)....................  Submit comments on MMS    1 Comment.........  1 hour.............            1
                                   intent to disclose data/
                                   info.
251.14(c)(4)....................  Contractor/agent submit   1 Commitment......  1 hour.............            1
                                   written commitment not
                                   to sell, trade,
                                   license, or disclose
                                   data/info without MMS
                                   consent.
                                                           --------------------                     ------------
    Total Reporting Burden......  ........................  963 Responses.....  ...................        8,109
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' 
Burden: We have identified no cost burdens for this collection.
    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

[[Page 16628]]

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 April 28, 2000.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: February 24, 2000.
Elmer P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 00-7701 Filed 3-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-U