[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 194 (Monday, October 7, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62495-62496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25435]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0043, 1029-
0111 and 1029-0112

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 that the information collection requests for the titles 
described below 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 for 30 CFR part 761, Areas designated by Act 
of Congress; 30 CFR part 772, Requirements for coal exploration; and 30 
CFR part 800, Bonding and insurance requirements for surface coal 
mining and reclamation operations under regulatory programs.

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 6, 2002, in order to be assured 
of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information 
collection requests, explanatory information and related forms, contact 
John A. Trelease at (202) 208-2783 or electronically to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 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 three 
requests to OMB to renew its approval of the collections of information 
contained in: 30 CFR part 761, Areas designated by Act of Congress; 30 
CFR part 772, Requirements for coal exploration; and 30 CFR part 800, 
Bonding and insurance requirements for surface coal mining and 
reclamation operations under regulatory programs. OSM is requesting a 
3-year term of approval for 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 numbers for these 
collections of information are 1029-0043 for 30 CFR 800, 1029-0111 for 
30 CFR part 761, and 1029-0112 for 30 CFR part 772.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments for these collections of information was published 
on June 25, 2002 (67 FR 42803). No comments were received. This notice 
provides the

[[Page 62496]]

public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on the following 
information collection activities:

    Title: Areas designated by Act of Congress, 30 CFR part 761.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0111
    Summary: OSM and State regulatory authorities use the information 
collected under 30 CFR part 761 to ensure that persons planning to 
conduct surface coal mining operations on the lands protected by 
section 522(e) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 
1977 have the right to do so under one of the exemptions or waivers 
provided by this section of the Act.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: Applicants for certain surface coal 
mine permits and State regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 262.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,864.

    Title: Requirements for Coal exploration, 30 CFR part 772.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0112.
    Summary: OSM and State regulatory authorities use the information 
collected under 30 CFR part 772 to maintain knowledge of coal 
exploration activities, evaluate the need for an exploration permit, 
and ensure that exploration activities comply with the environmental 
protection and reclamation requirements of 30 CFR parts 772 and 815 and 
section 512 of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1262).
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: Persons planning to conduct coal 
exploration and State regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 905.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,510.
    Title: Bond and Insurance requirements for surface coal mining and 
reclamation operations under regulatory programs, 30 CFR part 800.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0043.
    Summary: The regulations at 30 CFR part 800 primarily implement 
section 509 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, 
which requires that persons planning to conduct surface coal mining 
operations first post a performance bond to guarantee fulfillment of 
all reclamation obligations under the approved permit. The regulations 
also establish bond release requirements and procedures consistent with 
section 519 of the Act, liability insurance requirements pursuant to 
Section 507(f) of the Act, and procedures for bond forfeiture should 
the permittee default on reclamation obligations.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: On Occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining and reclamation 
permittees and State regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 14,167.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 166,114 hours.
    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 the appropriate OMB control numbers in all 
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].

    August 28, 2002.
Richard G. Bryson,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 02-25435 Filed 10-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M