[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 144 (Monday, July 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44360-44362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19071]


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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 (1010-0049).

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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 250, Subpart B, 
Exploration and Development and Production Plans.'' This notice also 
provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork 
burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 27, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-5806 or e-
mail ([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of the Interior (1010-0049). 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.

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, forms, and notices that require 
the subject collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart B, Exploration and Development and 
Production Plans.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0049.
    Bureau Form Numbers: Forms MMS-137, MMS-138, MMS-139, and MMS-141.
    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 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.
    Sections 11 and 25 of the amended OCS Lands Act require the holders 
of OCS oil and gas and sulphur leases to submit exploration plans (EPs) 
and development and production plans (DPPs) for approval before 
starting these activities. The implementing regulations and associated 
information collection requirements are contained in 30 CFR 250, 
subpart B, Exploration and Development and Production Plans. In 
addition, MMS has issued Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that 
provide supplementary guidance and procedures as applicable to each 
Region or nationally. These NTLs address the various surveys, reports, 
plans (including deepwater operations plans and conservation 
information), etc., that are necessary for MMS to approve exploration 
or development and production activities.
    With this submission, we are requesting renewal of the currently 
approved information collection requirements of subpart B, and related 
forms and NTLs, and are revising form MMS-137, OCS Plan Information 
Form. The revised form has been redesigned and includes additional 
information on schedule and description of proposed activities and 
associated anchors with no change to the burden.
    The MMS engineers, geologists, geophysicists, and environmental 
scientists use the information collected under subpart B, and related 
forms and NTLs, to analyze and evaluate the planned operations to 
ensure that they will not adversely affect the marine, coastal, or 
human environment and that they conserve the resources of the OCS. It 
would be impossible for the Regional Supervisor to make an informed 
decision on whether to approve the proposed plans, or whether 
modifications are necessary, without the analysis and evaluation of the 
required information. The affected States also review the information 
collected for consistency with approved Coastal Zone Management plans.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 150 
Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 300,905 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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Reporting and
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart B        recordkeeping           Hour burden       Average number     Annual burden
        and related NTLs               requirement                             annual responses        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
201............................  Notify MMS and others    10................  22 notices/                    220
                                  of preliminary                               information.
                                  activities and submit
                                  follow-up information.
202............................  Submit conservation      443...............  30 documents......          13,290
                                  information documents.
203............................  Submit initial           580...............  200 plans.........         116,000
                                  exploration plan,
                                  including surveys,
                                  reports, studies, GOM
                                  Region forms MMS-137,
                                  MMS-138, MMS-139,
                                  etc., including
                                  notification
                                  requirements.

[[Page 44361]]

 
203(i), (j), (k), (l), (n), (q)  Submit revised/modified  118...............  220...............          25,960
                                  exploration plan,
                                  including surveys,
                                  reports, studies,
                                  departures, etc.
203(o); 204(s).................  Conduct surveys or       2.................  2 each for 33                  132
                                  monitoring programs                          wells = 66.
                                  and submit results;
                                  form MMS-141.
203(p); 204(t).................  Submit Application for       Burden covered under 1010-0044                   0
                                  permit to Drill.
204............................  Submit initial           630...............  110 plans.........          69,300
                                  development and
                                  production plan (or
                                  DOCD used in western
                                  GOM), including
                                  surveys, reports,
                                  studies, GOM Region
                                  forms MMS-137, MMS-
                                  138, MMS-139, etc.,
                                  including notification
                                  requirements.
204............................  Submit deepwater         750...............  68 plans..........          51,000
                                  operations plans for
                                  projects in GOM water
                                  depths greater than
                                  1,000 feet and
                                  projects utilizing
                                  subsea production
                                  technology.
204(k).........................  Submit preliminary       2.................  0 plans...........               0
                                  plans for tracts in
                                  vicinity of a DPP that
                                  requires NEPA
                                  procedures.
204(l), (m), (n), (o), (q), (u)  Submit revised/modified  Gulf Region: 95...  250 revisions.....          23,750
                                  development and
                                  production plan (or
                                  DOCD), including
                                  surveys, reports,
                                  studies, departures,
                                  etc.
                                 (Pacific Region hours    Pacific Region:     1 revision........             600
                                  dramatically increased   600.
                                  due to political
                                  issues in California).
250.200-250.204................  General departure and    1.................  25................              25
                                  alternative compliance
                                  requests not
                                  specifically covered
                                  elsewhere in subpart B.
                                                                             ---------------------
    Reporting Subtotal.........  .......................  ..................  992 Responses.....         300,277
                                                                             =====================
Supplemental NTLs..............  Retain original copies   2.................  314...............             628
                                  of surveys, studies,
                                  reports, etc. (Note:
                                  Respondents would
                                  retain these as part
                                  of usual and customary
                                  business activities.
                                  The burden is to make
                                  them available to MMS
                                  if needed.).
                                                                             ---------------------
    Recordkeeping Subtotal.....  .......................  ..................  150 Record-keepers             628
                                                                             =====================
        Total Burden...........  .......................  ..................  1,306 Responses...         300,905
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no reporting and recordkeeping ``non-hour'' 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: 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 25, 2003, 
we published a Federal Register notice (68 FR 14423) 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 250, subpart B, 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 August 27, 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

[[Page 44362]]

organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their 
entirety.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: July 3, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-19071 Filed 7-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P