[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45792-45794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18804]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0049).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are 
submitting to OMB for review and approval an information collection 
request (ICR), titled ``30 CFR 250, Subpart B-Exploration and 
Development and Production Plans.'' We are also soliciting comments 
from the public on this ICR.

[[Page 45793]]


DATE: Submit written comments by August 24, 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 (1010-0049), 725 17th Street, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20503. Mail or hand carry 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 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 the 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 250, Subpart B, Exploration and Development and 
Production Plans
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0049.
    Bureau Form Numbers: MMS-137, MMS-138, MMS-139, and MMS-141.
    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.
    Sections 11 and 25 of the amended OCS Lands Act require the holders 
of OCS oil and gas and sulphur leases to submit exploration plans (EPs) 
and development and production plans (DPPs) for approval prior to 
commencing these activities. The implementing regulations and 
associated information collection requirements are contained in 30 CFR 
250, subpart B, Exploration and Development and Production Plans 
(subpart B). In addition, MMS has issued Notices to Lessees and 
Operators (NTLs) that provide supplementary guidance and procedures as 
applicable to each Region or nationally. These NTLs address the various 
surveys, reports, plans (including deep water operations plans and 
conservation information), etc., that are necessary for MMS to approve 
the exploration or development and production activities.
    The MMS engineers, geologists, geophysicists, and environmental 
scientists use the information collected under subpart B, and related 
NTLs, to analyze and evaluate the planned operations to ensure that 
they will not adversely affect the marine, coastal, or human 
environment and that they conserve the resources of the OCS. It would 
be impossible for the Regional Supervisor to make an informed decision 
on whether to approve the proposed plans, or whether modifications are 
necessary, without the analysis and evaluation of the required 
information. The affected States also review the information collected 
for consistency with approved Coastal Zone Management plans.
    We are resubmitting this collection of information to OMB to obtain 
official approval of several aspects of the plan submissions that have 
developed over time. In addition to the currently approved 
requirements, we are seeking OMB approval of the number of copies 
respondents submit; a new ``OCS Plan Information Form'' (form MMS-137) 
for use in the GOM Region; and two air emissions spreadsheets (forms 
MMS-138 and MMS-139) currently used in the GOM Region. Except for form 
MMS-137, these are not new requirements. We consider the burdens for 
these as part of the burden currently approved for developing and 
submitting EPs or DPPs (development operations coordination documents 
(DOCDs) in the western GOM).
    In addition, we are seeking OMB approval for a new form MMS-141, 
``ROV Survey Report.'' Sections 250.203(o) and 250.204(s) of our 
regulations provide the authority to require monitoring surveys and 
submit the results. MMS has not required such monitoring surveys be 
conducted for some time. Because many of the current exploration areas 
in the GOM Region are now characterized as ``relatively untested or 
remote,'' it will be necessary to obtain the information from these 
surveys. We have developed a suggested form on which respondents may 
record the information from the survey.
    We will protect information respondents submit that is considered 
proprietary under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its 
implementing regulations (43 CFR 2) and 30 CFR 250.196. No items of a 
sensitive nature are collected. Responses are mandatory.
    Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 
249,370 hours--refer to the following chart for a breakdown of this 
estimate.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Average       Annual
   Citation 30 CFR 250 Subpart B and          Reporting and           Annual number        burden       burden
             related NTLs               recordkeeping requirement                         (hours)       hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
201...................................  Notify MMS and others of   22 notices/                   10          220
                                         preliminary activities     information.
                                         and submit follow-up
                                         information.
202...................................  Submit conservation        30 documents.......          300          900
                                         information documents.
203...................................  Submit initial             260 plans..........    580 hours      150,800
                                         exploration plan,
                                         including surveys,
                                         reports, studies, GOM
                                         Region forms MMS-137,
                                         MMS-138, MMS-39, etc.,
                                         including notification
                                         requirements.
203(i), (j), (k), (l), (n), (q).......  Submit revised/modified    180 revisions......           80       14,400
                                         exploration plan,
                                         including surveys,
                                         reports, studies,
                                         departures, etc.
203(o); 204(s)........................  Conduct surveys or         3 each for 30 wells            2          180
                                         monitoring programs and    = 90.
                                         submit results; GOM
                                         Region form MMS-141.

[[Page 45794]]

 
203(p); 204(t)........................  Submit Application for      Burden covered under 1010-0044.            0
                                         Permit to Drill.
204...................................  Submit initial             95 plans...........          580       55,100
                                         development and
                                         production plan (or
                                         DOCD) used in western
                                         GOM, including surveys,
                                         reports, studies, GOM
                                         Region forms MMS-137,
                                         MMS-138, MMS-139, etc.,
                                         including notification
                                         requirements.
204...................................  Submit deepwater           17 plans...........          580        9,860
                                         operations plans for
                                         projects in GOM water
                                         depths greater than
                                         1,000 feet and projects
                                         utilizing subsea
                                         production technology.
204(k)................................  Submit preliminary plans   10 plans...........            2           20
                                         for tracts in vicinity
                                         of a DPP that requires
                                         NEPA procedures.
204 (l), (m), (n), (o), (q), (u)......  Submit revised/modified    215 revisions......           82       17,630
                                         development and
                                         production plan (or
                                         DOCD), including
                                         surveys, reports,
                                         studies, departures, etc.
                                                                  ----------------------------------------------
Reporting--Subtotal...................  .........................  886 Responses......  ...........      249,110
                                                                  ==============================================
Supplemental NTLs.....................  Retain original copies of  130................            2          260
                                         surveys, studies,
                                         reports, etc. (Note:
                                         Respondents would retain
                                         these as part of usual
                                         and customary business
                                         activities. The burden
                                         is to make them
                                         available to MMS if
                                         needed.).
                                                                  ----------------------------------------------
Recordkeeping--Subtotal...............  .........................  130 Recordkeepers..  ...........          260
                                                                  ==============================================
    Total burden......................  .........................    1,016 Responses/Recordkeepers       249,370
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' 
Burden: We have identified no non-hour cost burdens for this 
collection.
    Comments: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 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. 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 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.
    We published a Federal Register notice with the required 60-day 
comment period soliciting comments on this ICR on February 23, 2000 (65 
FR 8984). We received no comments in response to that notice. If you 
wish to comment in response to this notice, 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 August 24, 2000.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: June 15, 2000.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 00-18804 Filed 7-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P