[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18258-18260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9139]


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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 (1010-0048).

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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 251, ``Geological and 
Geophysical (G&G) Explorations of the Outer Continental Shelf.'' This 
notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the 
paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by May 15, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1010-0048), 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 
1010-0048 in your subject line and mark your message for return 
receipt. Include your name and return address in your message text.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 18259]]

    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, annually, or 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 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 8,272 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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                         Annual
         Citation 30 CFR 251                 Reporting and           Hour     Average  number  annual    burden
                                       recordkeeping requirement    burden           responses           hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
251.4(a), (b); 251.5(a), (b), (d);     Apply for permits (form            6  148 Applications........        888
 251.6; Permit Forms.                   MMS-327) to conduct G&G
                                        exploration, including
                                        deep stratigraphic tests.
251.4(b); 251.5(c), (d); 251.6.......  File notices to conduct            6  2 Notices...............         12
                                        scientific research
                                        activities, including
                                        notice to MMS prior to
                                        beginning and after
                                        concluding activities.
251.6(b); 251.7(b)(5)(iii)...........  Notify MMS if specific             1  1 Notice................          1
                                        actions should occur;
                                        report archaeological
                                        resources. (No instances
                                        reported since 1982.)
--------------------------------------
251.7................................  Submit information on          Burden included under 30 CFR             0
                                        test drilling activities   250.201, 250.203 and Form MMS-123
                                        under a permit,                (1010-0049 and 1010-0044)
                                        including form MMS-123.
--------------------------------------
251.7(c).............................  Enter into agreement for           1  1 Agreement.............          1
                                        group participation in
                                        test 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         Burden included under 30 CFR part           0
                                        stratigraphic test.                 256 (1010-0006)
--------------------------------------
251.8(a).............................  Request reimbursement for          1  1 Request...............          1
                                        certain costs associated
                                        with MMS inspections.
                                        (No requests in many
                                        years. OCS Lands Act
                                        requires Government
                                        reimbursement.)
251.8(b), (c)........................  Submit modifications to,           8  150 x 4 Reports = 600...      4,800
                                        and status/final reports
                                        on, activities conducted
                                        under a permit.
251.9(c).............................  Notify MMS to relinquish       \1/2\  8 Notices...............          4
                                        a permit.
--------------------------------------
251.10(c)............................  File appeals.............    Burden included under 1010-0121            0
--------------------------------------

[[Page 18260]]

 
251.11; 251.12.......................  Notify MMS and submit G&G          4  50 Respondents x 2              400
                                        data/information                      Submissions = 100.
                                        collected 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         20  50 Respondents x 2            2,000
                                        certain costs associated              Submissions = 100.
                                        with reproducing data/
                                        information.
251.14(a)............................  Submit comments on MMS             1  1 Comment...............          1
                                        intent to disclose data/
                                        info. to the public.
251.14(c)(2).........................  Submit comments on MMS             1  1 Comment...............          1
                                        intent to disclose data/
                                        info. to an independent
                                        contractor/agent.
251.14(c)(4).........................  Contractor/agent submit            1  1 Commitment............          1
                                        written commitment not
                                        to sell, trade, license,
                                        or disclose data/info.
                                        without MMS consent.
251.1 to 251.14......................  General departure and              2  1 Request...............          2
                                        alternative compliance
                                        requests not
                                        specifically covered
                                        elsewhere in part 251
                                        regulations.
Permit Forms (Form MMS-327)..........  Request extension of               1  10 Extensions...........         10
                                        permit time period.
Permit Forms (Form MMS-327)..........  Retain G&G data/                   1  150 Recordkeepers.......        150
                                        information for 10 years
                                        and make available to
                                        MMS upon request.
                                      ----------------------------
    Total Hour Burden................  .........................  .........  1,125 Responses.........      8,272
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no paperwork ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with 
the collection of information.
    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 November 6, 
2002, we published a Federal Register notice (67 FR 67643) 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 number for the information collection requirements 
imposed by the 30 CFR part 251 regulations and forms. The regulation 
also informs the public that they may comment at any time on the 
collections of information and provides the address to which they 
should send comments. We have received no comments in response to these 
efforts.
    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 May 15, 2003.
    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: March 4, 2003.
E. P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-9139 Filed 4-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P