[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 220 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69023-69025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28862]


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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 of an information collection (1010-0057).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR part 250, subpart C, 
Pollution Prevention Control, and related documents. This notice also 
provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork 
burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by December 16, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0057), 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 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. If you wish to E-mail your comments to MMS, the 
address is: [email protected]. Reference Information Collection 
1010-0057 in your subject line. Include your name and return address, 
and mark your message for return receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team, 
telephone (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 250, Subpart C, Pollution Prevention and 
Control.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0057.
    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 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 which 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.
    Section 1332(6) states that ``operations in the [O]uter Continental 
Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by well-trained personnel 
using technology, precautions, and techniques sufficient to prevent or 
minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, 
spillages, physical obstruction to other users of the waters or subsoil 
and seabed, or other occurrences which may cause damage to the 
environment or to property, or endanger life or health.'' Section 
1334(a)(8) requires that regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
include provisions ``for compliance with the national ambient air 
quality standards pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et 
seq.), to the extent that activities authorized under this Act 
significantly affect the air quality of any State.'' Section 1843(b) 
calls for ``regulations requiring all materials, equipment, tools, 
containers, and all other items used on the Outer Continental Shelf to 
be properly color coded, stamped, or labeled, wherever practicable, 
with the owner's identification prior to actual use.''
    This notice concerns the reporting and recordkeeping elements of 30 
CFR part 250, subpart C, Pollution Prevention and Control, and related 
notices to lessees and operators that clarify and provide additional 
guidance on some aspects of the regulations. Responses are mandatory. 
No questions of a ``sensitive'' nature are asked. MMS will protect 
proprietary information according to 30 CFR 250.196 (Data and 
information to be made available to the public), 30 CFR part 252 (OCS 
Oil and Gas Information Program), and the Freedom of Information Act (5 
U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR 2).
    MMS OCS Regions collect information required under subpart C to 
ensure that there is no threat of serious, irreparable, or immediate 
damage to the marine environment, and to identify potential hazards to 
commercial fishing caused by OCS activities. We also use the 
information collected to ensure that operations are conducted according 
to all applicable regulations and permit conditions/requirements, 
comply with the approved emission levels to minimize air pollution of 
the OCS and adjacent onshore areas, and are

[[Page 69024]]

conducted in a safe and workmanlike manner. In addition, we require 
daily inspection of facilities to prevent pollution and to ensure that 
problems observed have been corrected.
    In the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR), we require lessees/
operators to periodically monitor and collect air emissions and 
meteorological data to satisfy Environmental Protection Agency and 
Clean Air Act requirements. The States and regional air quality groups 
use the information to perform regional air quality modeling in support 
of State Implementation Plans (SIPs). The GOMR plans regional modeling 
for emissions data in the year 2005. In preparation, affected 
respondents will be required to collect and report air pollutant 
emissions data for OCS activities in the GOMR for the year 2005. The 
year 2005 corresponds to a Clean Air Act requirement for States with 
non-attainment areas to prepare and/or update air pollutant emission 
inventories suitable for air quality modeling in support of the 
development of SIPs. Thus the year 2005 OCS emissions inventory will be 
contemporary with the emissions inventory the States are required to 
prepare. The onshore and OCS 2005 data will be used in regional air 
quality modeling and emissions control decision-making. Respondents 
will gather OCS 2005 data during the calendar year 2005 and report in 
2006.
    Frequency: On occasion, monthly, or annually; and daily for 
pollution inspection records.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees and 17 States.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual hour burden for this information collection is 159,913 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
estimated hour burdens. 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.

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                                 Reporting and recordkeeping                     Average annual   Annual burden
Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart C            requirement             Hour burden       responses          hours
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300(b)(1), (2)...............  Obtain approval to add          3..............  130 lessees....  390
                                petroleum-based substance to
                                drilling mud system or
                                approval for method of
                                disposal of drill cuttings,
                                sand, & other well solids,
                                including those containing
                                NORM.
300(c).......................  Mark items that could snag      \1/2\..........  130 lessees....  65
                                fishing devices.
300(d).......................  Report items lost overboard...  1..............  130 lessees....  130
303(a) thru (d), (i), (j);     Submit or revise Exploration      Burden covered under 1010-0049  0
 304(a),(f).                    Plans and Development and
                                Production Plans; submit
                                information required under 30
                                CFR part 250, subpart B.
303(k); 304(g)...............  If requested, submit            8..............  75% of 350       2,100 over 3
                                additional follow-up                             platforms =      years = 700
                                monitoring information for                       262.
                                year 2000 study of selected
                                sites in the BNWA area.
303(k); 304(a), (g)..........  If requested, submit            4..............  75% of 1,500     4,500 over 3
                                additional or follow-up                          platforms =      years = 1,500
                                monitoring information for                       1,125.
                                year 2000 study of selected
                                sites in the western/central
                                GOM area on ozone and
                                regional haze air quality.
303(k); 304(a), (g)..........  Monitor air quality emissions   2 hours per      1,850 platforms  44,400 over 3
                                and submit data to MMS or to    month x 12                        years = 14,800
                                a State (new 1-year study of    months = 24.
                                sites in the western/central
                                GOM area on ozone and
                                regional haze air quality;
                                data collection in 2005;
                                report submitted in 2006).
303(l); 304(h)...............  Collect and submit                  None planned in the next 3    0
                                meteorological data (not                     years
                                routinely collected).
304(a), (f)..................  Affected State may submit       4..............  5 requests.....  20
                                request to MMS for basic
                                emission data from existing
                                facilities to update State's
                                emission inventory.
304(e)(2)....................  Submit compliance schedule for  40.............  10 schedules...  400
                                application of best available
                                control technology.
304(e)(2)....................  Apply for suspension of           Burden covered under 1010-0114  0
                                operations.
304(f).......................  Submit information to           8..............  10 submissions.  80
                                demonstrate that exempt
                                facility is not significantly
                                affecting air quality of
                                onshore area of a State.
300-304......................  General departure and           2..............  130 requests...  260
                                alternative compliance
                                requests not specifically
                                covered elsewhere in subpart
                                C regulations.
                                                              ------------------
    Subtotal--Reporting......  ..............................  ...............  3,782..........  18,345
                                                              ------------------
300(d).......................  Record items lost overboard...  1..............  130 lessees....  130
301(a).......................  Inspect drilling/production     \1/4\ hour/day   1,550            141,438
                                facilities daily for            x 365 days =     facilities.
                                pollution; maintain             91.25.
                                inspection/repair records 2
                                years.
                                                              ------------------
    Subtotal--Recordkeeping..  ..............................  ...............  1,680..........  141,568
                                                              ==================
      Total hour burden......  ..............................  ...............  5,462..........  159,913
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[[Page 69025]]

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
anticipate no paperwork non-hour cost burdens during the next 3 years.
    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: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) 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.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on March 28, 2002, 
we published a Federal Register notice (67 FR 14964) announcing that we 
would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the 
required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  250.199 provides the 
OMB control numbers for the information collection requirements imposed 
by the 30 CFR part 250 regulations and forms. That regulation also 
informs the public at they may comment at any time on the collections 
of information and provides the address to which they should send 
comments. We received no comments in response to the notice or 
unsolicited comments from respondents covered under these regulations.
    If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send 
your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice. 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 December 16, 2002.
    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 the 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.

    Dated: October 10, 2002.
E. P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 02-28862 Filed 11-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P