[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 201 (Friday, October 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59816-59818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26326]



[[Page 59816]]

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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 (1010-0091).

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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 254, ``Oil-Spill 
Response Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast 
Line.'' This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to 
comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by November 17, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-6566 or 
email ([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of the Interior (1010-0091). 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 1010-0091 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, 
(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:
    Title: 30 CFR part 254, Oil-Spill Response Requirements for 
Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast Line.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0091.
    Abstract: The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended by 
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), requires that a spill-response 
plan be submitted for offshore facilities prior to February 18, 1993. 
The OPA specifies that after that date, an offshore facility may not 
handle, store, or transport oil unless a plan has been submitted. This 
authority and responsibility have been delegated to the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS). Regulations at 30 CFR part 254 establish 
requirements for spill-response plans for oil-handling facilities 
seaward of the coast line, including associated pipelines.
    MMS uses the information collected under 30 CFR part 254 to 
determine compliance with OPA by owners/operators. Specifically, MMS 
needs the information to:
    [sbull] Determine effectiveness of the spill-response capability of 
owners/operators;
    [sbull] Review plans prepared under the regulations of a State and 
submitted to MMS to satisfy the requirements of this rule to ensure 
that they meet minimum requirements of OPA;
    [sbull] Verify that personnel involved in oil-spill response are 
properly trained and familiar with the requirements of the spill-
response plans and to witness spill-response exercises;
    [sbull] Assess the sufficiency and availability of contractor 
equipment and materials;
    [sbull] Verify that sufficient quantities of equipment are 
available and in working order;
    [sbull] Oversee spill-response efforts and maintain official 
records of pollution events; and
    [sbull] Assess the efforts of owners/operators to prevent oil 
spills or prevent substantial threats of such discharges.
    No proprietary, confidential, or sensitive information is 
collected. However, we will protect any 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. Responses are mandatory 
or required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency: On occasion and annual.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 197 
owners or operators of facilities located in both State and Federal 
waters seaward of the coast line.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 38,322 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 254             Reporting requirement      Hour        Average No. annual       burden
                                                                   burden           responses            hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
254.1(a) thru (d); 254.2(a); 254.3     Submit spill response           120  25 new plans.............      3,000
 thru 254.5; 254.7; 254.20 thru         plan for OCS facilities
 254.29;                                and related documents.
254.44(b)............................  ........................  .........  .........................  .........
254.1(e).............................  Request MMS jurisdiction        0.5  2 requests...............          1
                                        over facility landward
                                        of coast line (no
                                        recent request
                                        received).
254.2(b).............................  Submit certification of          15  1 certification..........         15
                                        capability to respond
                                        to worst case discharge
                                        or substantial threat
                                        of such.
254.2(c); 254.30.....................  Submit revised spill             36  174 revised plans........      6,264
                                        response plan for OCS
                                        facilities at least
                                        every 2 years.
254.2(c).............................  Request deadline                  4  10.......................         40
                                        extension for
                                        submission of revised
                                        plan.
254.8................................  Appeal MMS orders or         Burden covered under 30 CFR 290            0
                                        decisions.                           (1010-0121).
254.42(f)............................  Inform MMS of the date            1  158 notifications........        158
                                        of any exercise
                                        (triennial).
254.46(a)............................  Notify NRC of all oil      Burden would be included in the NRC          0
                                        spills from owner/                    inventory.
                                        operator facility.

[[Page 59817]]

 
254.46(b)............................  Notify MMS of oil spills          2  60 notifications &               120
                                        of one barrel or more                reports.
                                        from owner/operator
                                        facility; submit
                                        followup report.
254.46(c)............................  Notify MMS & responsible          2  24 notifications.........         48
                                        party of oil spills
                                        from operations at
                                        another facility.
254.50; 254.51.......................  Submit response plan for         42  10 plans.................        420
                                        facility in State
                                        waters by modifying
                                        existing OCS plan.
254.50; 254.52.......................  Submit response plan for        100  9 plans..................        900
                                        facility in State
                                        waters following format
                                        for OCS plan.
254.50; 254.53.......................  Submit response plan for         89  18 plans.................      1,602
                                        facility in State
                                        waters developed under
                                        State reqmts.
254.54...............................  Submit description of             5  36 submissions...........        180
                                        oil-spill prevention
                                        procedures.
--------------------------------------
    Subtotal--Reporting..............  ........................  .........  527......................
======================================
254.40...............................  Make records of all OSRO-         5  20.......................        100
                                        provided services,
                                        equipment, personnel
                                        available to MMS.
======================================
254.41...............................  Conduct annual training;         50  180 owners/operators.....      9,000
                                        retain training records
                                        for 2 years.
254.42(a) thru (e)...................  Conduct triennial              1101  31 exercises.............     14,410
                                        response plan exercise;
                                        retain exercise records
                                        for 3 years.
254.43...............................  Inspect response                3.5  42 inspections x 12            1,764
                                        equipment monthly;                   months = 504.
                                        retain inspection &
                                        maintenance records for
                                        2 years.
254.1 thru 254.54....................  General departure or             50  6........................        300
                                        alternative compliance
                                        requests not
                                        specifically covered
                                        elsewhere in part 254.
--------------------------------------
    Subtotal--Recordkeeping..........  ........................  .........  841 Recordkeepers (RKs)..
======================================
      Total Hour Burden..............  ........................  .........  1,368 Responses/RKs......     38,322
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no 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 April 24, 2003, 
we published a Federal Register notice (68 FR 20168) announcing that we 
would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the 
required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  254.9 displays the 
OMB control number, specifies that the public may comment at anytime on 
the collection of information required in the 30 CFR part 254 
regulations, and provides the address to which they should send 
comments. We have received no comments in response to those 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 November 17, 2003.
    Public Comment Policy: MMS 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 
their home address be withheld from the record, which will be honored 
to the extent allowable by the law. If you wish your name and/or 
address to be withheld, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comment. However, anonymous comments will not be 
considered. MMS 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: Denise Johnson, (202) 
208-3976.


[[Page 59818]]


    Dated: July 22, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-26326 Filed 10-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P