[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 45 (Friday, March 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11125-11126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5386]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[HE-952-9911-EK]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Control Number 
1004-0179

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is requesting the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect helium sales 
information from Federal agencies and helium suppliers. BLM uses the 
In-Kind Crude Helium Sales Contract and nonform information from the 
regulations at 43 CFR 3195 to collect this information. This 
information allows BLM to monitor reporting and recordkeeping of crude 
helium sales and purchases.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before May 6, 2003. BLM will not necessarily consider any comments 
received after the above date.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Bureau of Land Management, (WO-
630), Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 
22153.
    You may send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please 
include ``ATTN: 1004-0179'' and your name and return address in your 
Internet message.
    You may deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20036.
    All comments will be available for public review at the L Street 
address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday 
through Friday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may contact Connie H. Neeley, 
Crude Helium Sales Analyst, on (806) 324-2635 (Commercial or FTS). 
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service on 1-800-877-8330, 24 hours a 
day, seven days a week, to contact Ms. Neely.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires that we provide a 
60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a collection of 
information to solicit comments on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the agency, including whether the information 
will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of our estimates of the information collection 
burden, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions we 
use;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    The Helium Privatization Act of 1996 requires the Department of 
Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, and other Federal agencies to purchase major 
helium requirements from authorized contractors. These contractors must

[[Page 11126]]

purchase an equivalent amount of crude helium from the Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.
    The In-Kind Crude Helium Sales Contract requires that contract 
holders supply the following information to BLM:
    (A) Section 3.3 asks for reporting each quarter the deliveries made 
of refined helium. The section refers to Addendum B of the contract, 
which specifies providing the following:
    (1) Company name;
    (2) Address and contract number;
    (3) Name of the Federal agency to which helium sold;
    (4) Date of delivery;
    (5) Sale reference number;
    (6) Location of helium use;
    (7) Volume; and
    (8) Units of helium sold during the itemized sales for the 
quarterly report.
    BLM uses this information to track sales of refined helium and to 
determine the use of the helium.
    (B) Section 3.5 requires helium suppliers to notify BLM 14 days in 
advance of needing Federal helium in order to provide BLM sufficient 
time to deliver the helium.
    (C) Section 3.7 requires contractors to keep available for BLM 
inspection all pertinent documents and records. We use this information 
to audit the contractors and to determine whether or not helium sales 
were reported accurately.
    (D) Section 7.4 prohibits assigning the contract to another 
contractor without BLM's prior approval.
    BLM also requires the following nonform information at 43 CFR 3195:
    (A) Federal helium suppliers and buyers must report the total 
itemized quarterly deliveries of helium within 45 calendar days after 
the end of the previous quarter.
    (B) Federal helium suppliers must report the annual cumulative 
helium delivery report by November 15 of each year.
    (C) The name of the company from which you purchased helium.
    (D) The amount of helium you purchased and the date it was 
delivered.
    (E) The helium use location.
    Based on our experience administering the activities described 
above, we estimate the public reporting burden is one hour for the 
contract and two hours for the nonform quarterly helium sales reports 
at 43 CFR 3195. We estimate 76 respondents will submit a contract once 
and quarterly provide helium sales information. We estimate 380 
responses per year and a total annual burden of 684 hours as indicated 
in the table below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Hours per    Number of      Burden
           Requirement              responses    responses      hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In-kind crude helium sales                   1           76           76
 contract........................
Helium sales information.........            2          304          608
                                               --------------
      Total......................  ...........          380          684
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    We will summarize all responses to this notice and send them to OMB 
when we request approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: March 3, 2003.
Michael H. Schwartz,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-5386 Filed 3-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M