[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74647-74648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31627]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of new information collection.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS 
is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. 
The information collection request (ICR) concerns four new forms to 
collect information required under 30 CFR 256, ``Leasing of Sulphur or 
Oil and Gas in the Outer Continental Shelf.'' The below forms will be 
used by all MMS Regional Offices:
    [sbull] MMS-149, Assignment of Interest in Federal Pipeline Right-
of-Way.
    [sbull] MMS-150, Assignment of Record Title Interest in Federal OCS 
Oil & Gas Lease.
    [sbull] MMS-151, Assignment of Operating Rights Interest in Federal 
OCS Oil & Gas Lease.
    [sbull] MMS-152, Relinquishment of Federal OCS Oil & Gas Lease.

DATES: Submit written comments by February 23, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand carry 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 comments, the address is: [email protected]. 
Reference ``Information Collection 1010-NEW--Assignment Forms'' in your 
e-mail subject line and mark your message for return receipt. Include 
your name and return address in your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Rules Processing Team 
at (703) 787-1600 to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the forms or 
regulations that require the subject collection of information. You may 
also print a copy of these forms from the MMS Web site: http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/lsesale/proposed_forms.html under the heading 
``Leasing.'' For more information on the forms themselves, contact 
Steven K. Waddell, Supervisor, Adjudication Unit, (504) 736-1710.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Assignment of Pipeline Right-of-Way, Record Title, Operating 
Rights Forms and Relinquishment of Oil and Gas Lease Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-NEW.
    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. Also, the Energy 
Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) prohibits certain lease 
bidding arrangements (42 U.S.C. 6213(c)).
    These authorities and responsibilities are among those delegated to 
the Minerals Management Service (MMS), under which MMS issues 
regulations governing oil and gas and sulphur operations in the OCS. 
This request concerns forms used to collect assignment, transfer, 
extension, and termination of lease information required under 30 CFR 
256, ``Leasing of Sulphur or Oil and Gas in the Outer Continental 
Shelf.'' The Federal Government has been receiving and approving 
transfers of ownership interest in leases since the inception of the 
OCS Lands Act, as amended. Currently, owners of Federal offshore leases 
submit their own forms of Assignment and Relinquishment documents for 
approval by MMS. Occasionally, the information is

[[Page 74648]]

incorrect and the intent of the parties is not clear as to the 
conveyance of ownership interest in the lease or pipeline right-of-way, 
causing MMS to return the assignment unapproved. These forms have been 
created to provide a standardized document that will be accepted in all 
MMS Regional offices; they can be easily prepared by industry and 
quickly approved by MMS.
    To implement the Government Paperwork Elimination Act and to 
further streamline data collection, MMS is developing systems to 
provide electronic options for lessees and operators to use in 
submitting information and requesting approvals. These forms are part 
of that effort to allow electronic options for lessees and operators to 
use in submitting information and requesting approvals. In 
standardizing the input of this information, MMS is providing a means 
for rapid preparation by industry and reduced analytical time by MMS 
staff, therefore approving the transfers quicker.
    MMS uses this information to track ownership of all offshore leases 
as to record title, operating rights, and ownership of pipelines, and 
whether or not the lease has been relinquished and available for the 
next lease sale. MMS uses the information to update the corporate 
database, which is in turn used to determine what leases are available 
for a lease sale. The information in this database is provided to the 
public via the internet. Without the information, MMS would not be able 
to track the ownership of leases and therefore not be able to identify 
responsible parties for the liabilities of the lease, which could total 
millions of dollars.
    Following the publication of this notice, MMS will hold a public 
forum on the proposed forms at the Gulf of Mexico Regional Office, 1201 
Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana. For further 
information, contact Steven K. Waddell, Supervisor, Adjudication Unit, 
(504) 736-1710.
    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 250.196, ``Data and information to be made available to the 
public.'' No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are 
mandatory.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 200 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees/operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The burden 
for collecting the information and filing the applications for 
assignment, transfer, extension, or relinquishment of leases is already 
approved by OMB under 1010-0006 (expiration date of March 31, 2004) for 
30 CFR 256. This submission requests approval for only the additional 
burden of filling out the new forms. We estimate that each proposed 
form will require approximately 30 minutes for respondents to complete. 
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.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no ``non-hour cost'' burdens for this new collection. 
Application filing fees are already approved by OMB under OMB Control 
Number 1010-0006 for 30 CFR 256.
    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: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section 
3506(c)(2)(A) 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.
    Agencies must also estimate the ``non-hour cost'' burdens to 
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of 
information. Therefore, if you have costs to generate, maintain, and 
disclose this information, you should comment and provide your total 
capital and startup cost components or annual operation, maintenance, 
and purchase of service components. You should describe the methods you 
use to estimate major cost factors, including system and technology 
acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount 
rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup 
costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase 
to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage 
facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services 
purchased: (i) Before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements 
not associated with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other 
than to provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv) 
as part of customary and usual business or private practices.
    MMS will summarize written responses to this notice and address 
them in the submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, 
MMS will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in the submission 
to OMB.
    Public Comment Policy: MMS's practice is to make comments, 
including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public 
review during regular business hours. If you wish your name and/or 
address to be withheld, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comment. MMS will honor this request to the extent 
allowable by law; however, anonymous comments will not be considered. 
All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.
    MMS Federal Register Liaison Officer: Denise Johnson (202) 208-
3976.

    Dated: December 16, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-31627 Filed 12-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P