[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67643-67645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28210]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0048).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are inviting comments on a collection of information that we will 
submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the 
paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 251, 
``Geological and Geophysical (G&G) Explorations of the Outer 
Continental Shelf.''

DATE: Submit written comments by January 6, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand carry comments to the Department of the 
Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Rules Processing 
Team, Mail Stop 4024, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. 
If you wish to e-mail comments, the address is: [email protected]. 
Reference ``Information Collection 1010-0048'' in your e-mail subject 
line and mark your message for return receipt. Include your name and 
return address in your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team, 
(703) 787-1600. You may also contact Alexis London to obtain a copy, at 
no cost, of the regulations that require the subject collection of 
information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 30 CFR Part 251, Geological and Geophysical (G&G) 
Explorations of the Outer Continental Shelf.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0048.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended 
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prescribe rules and 
regulations to administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and 
regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease. 
Operations on the OCS must preserve, protect, and develop oil and 
natural gas resources in a manner that is consistent with the need to 
make such resources available to meet the Nation's energy needs as 
rapidly as possible; to balance orderly energy resource development 
with protection of human, marine, and coastal environments; to ensure 
the public a fair and equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and 
to 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 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. The 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.
    Frequency: On occasion, annual; and as specified in permits.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 150 
Federal OCS permittees or notice filers.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 8,109 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. In calculating the 
burdens, we assumed that respondents perform certain requirements in 
the normal course of their activities. We consider these to be usual 
and customary and took that into account in estimating the burden.

[[Page 67644]]



                                                Burden Breakdown
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                                                                                                          Hour
             Citation 30 CFR 251                       Reporting and recordkeeping requirement           burden
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251.4(a), (b); 251.5(a), (b), (d); 251.6;     Apply for permits (form MMS-327) to conduct G&G                  6
 Permit Forms.                                 exploration, including deep stratigraphic tests.
251.4(b); 251.5(c), (d); 251.6..............  File notices to conduct scientific research activities,          6
                                               including notice to MMS prior to beginning and after
                                               concluding activities.
251.6(b) 251.7(b)(5)(iii)...................  Notify MMS if specific actions should occur; report              1
                                               archaeological resources. (No instances reported since
                                               1982.).
251.7.......................................  Submit information on test drilling activities under a    ........
                                               permit, including form MMS-123 burden included under 30
                                               CFR 250 information collection approvals.
251.7(c)....................................  Enter into agreement for group participation in test             1
                                               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 stratigraphic test--burden included   ........
                                               under 30 CFR part 256 (1010-0006).
251.8(a)....................................  Request reimbursement 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, and status/final reports on,            8
                                               activities conducted under a permit.
251.9(c)....................................  Notify MMS to relinquish a permit.......................       1/2
251.10(c)...................................  File appeals--burden included under 1010-0121...........  ........
251.11; 251.12..............................  Notify MMS and submit G&G data/information collected             4
                                               under a permit and/or processed by permittees or 3rd
                                               parties, including reports, logs or charts, results,
                                               analyses, descriptions, etc.
251.13......................................  Request reimbursement for certain costs associated with         20
                                               reproducing data/info.
251.14(a)...................................  Submit comments on MMS intent to disclose data/info. to          1
                                               the public.
251.14(c)(2)................................  Submit comments on MMS intent to disclose data/info. to          1
                                               an independent contractor/agent.
251.14(c)(4)................................  Contractor/agent submit written commitment not to sell,          1
                                               trade, license, or disclose data/info. without MMS
                                               consent.
Part 251....................................  General departure and alternative compliance requests            2
                                               not specifically covered elsewhere in part 251
                                               regulations.
Permit Forms................................  Request extension of permit time period.................         1
Permit Forms................................  Retain G&G data/information for 10 years and make                1
                                               available to MMS upon request.
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    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no cost burdens for this collection.
    Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 
Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated 
to respond.
    Comments: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section 
3506(c)(2)(A) 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.
    Agencies must also estimate the ``non-hour cost'' burdens to 
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of 
information. Therefore, if you have costs to generate, maintain, and 
disclose this information, you should comment and provide your total 
capital and startup cost components or annual operation, maintenance, 
and purchase of service components. You should describe the methods you 
use to estimate major cost factors, including system and technology 
acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount 
rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup 
costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase 
to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage 
facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services 
purchased: (i) Before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements 
not associated with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other 
than to provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv) 
as part of customary and usual business or private practices.
    We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them 
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we 
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to 
OMB.
    Public Comment Policy: 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.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.


[[Page 67645]]


    Dated: October 30, 2002.
John V. Mirabella,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 02-28210 Filed 11-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P