[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65084-65085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28780]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0119

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is 
announcing its intention to request renewed approval for the collection 
of information for the Abandoned Mine Land Contractor Information form, 
previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and 
assigned clearance number 1029-0119. This collection request has been 
forwarded to OMB for review and comment. The information collection 
request describes the nature of the information collection and the 
expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments 
should be submitted to OMB by December 18, 2003, in order to be assured 
of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information 
collection request, explanatory information and related forms, contact 
John A. Trelease at (202) 208-2783, or electronically to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which 
implement provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 
104-13), require that interested members of the public and affected 
agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and 
recordkeeping activities [see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)]. OSM has submitted a 
request to OMB to renew its approval for the collection of information 
for the Abandoned Mine Land Contractor Information form. OSM is 
requesting a 3-year term of approval for the information collection 
activity.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. This form was previously approved 
by OMB and assigned clearance number 1029-0119. This collection is 
found in the Applicant/Violator System (AVS) handbook and is prepared 
by AML contractors to ensure compliance with 30 CFR 874.16
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on the collection of information was published on 
June 16, 2003 (68 FR 35701). No comments were received. This notice 
provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on 
the following information collection activity:
    Title: AML Contractor Information Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0119.
    Summary: 30 CFR 874.16 requires that every successful bidder for an 
AML contract must be eligible under 30 CFR 773.15(b)(1) a the time of 
contract award to receive a permit or conditional permit to conduct 
surface coal mining operations. Further, the regulation requires the 
eligibility to be confirmed

[[Page 65085]]

by OSM's automated Applicant/Violator System (AVS) and the contractor 
must be eligible under the regulations implementing Section 510(c) of 
the Surface Mining Act to receive permits to conduct mining operations. 
This form provides a tool for OSM and the States/Indian tribes to help 
them prevent persons with outstanding violations from conducting 
further mining or AML reclamation activities in the State.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once per contract.
    Description of Respondents: AML contract applicants and State and 
tribal regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 360.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 456.
    Send comments on the need for the collections of information for 
the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the 
agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information collections; and ways to minimize the 
information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collections of the information, the following addresses.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Desk Officer for the Department of 
the Interior, OMB-OPIRA, by fax at (202) 395-6566 or via e-mail to 
[email protected]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to 
John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
1951 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 210-SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or 
electronically to [email protected].

    Dated: August 18, 2003.
Richard G. Bryson,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 03-28780 Filed 11-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M