[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54306-54308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20344]


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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 (1010-0058).

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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 I, 
Platforms and Structures.'' This notice also provides the public a 
second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these 
regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by October 8, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-6566 or e-
mail ([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of the Interior (1010-0058). 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 1010-0058 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: Cheryl Blundon, Rules Processing Team, 
(703) 787-1600. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon to obtain a copy, 
at no cost, of the regulations that require the subject collection of 
information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0058.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq., gives the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) the 
responsibility to preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources 
in the OCS 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; balance orderly energy resource development with protection 
of human, marine, and coastal environments; ensure the public a fair 
and equitable return on offshore resources in the OCS; and preserve and 
maintain free enterprise competition. Specifically, the OCS Lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1356) requires the issuance of ``* * * regulations which 
require that any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure-- 
* * * (2) which is used for activities pursuant to this subchapter, 
comply, * * * with such minimum standards of design, construction, 
alteration, and repair as the Secretary * * * establishes; * * *.'' The 
OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1332(6)) also states, ``operations in the 
[O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner * * * to 
prevent or minimize the likelihood of * * *

[[Page 54307]]

physical obstruction to other users of the water or subsoil and seabed, 
or other occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to 
property, or endanger life or health.'' These authorities and 
responsibilities are among those delegated to MMS under which we issue 
regulations to ensure that operations in the OCS will meet statutory 
requirements; provide for safety and protection of the environment; and 
result in diligent exploration, development, and production of OCS 
leases. This information collection request addresses the regulations 
at 30 CFR 250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures, and the associated 
supplementary notices to lessees and operators intended to provide 
clarification, description, or explanation of these regulations. It 
should be noted that the 60-day Federal Register notice (69 FR 30956), 
referenced an NTL and burden hours that will not be included in this 
renewal.
    The MMS OCS Regions use the information submitted under Subpart I 
to determine the structural integrity of all offshore structures and 
ensure that such integrity will be maintained throughout the useful 
life of these structures. We use the information to ascertain, on a 
case-by-case basis, that the platforms and structures are structurally 
sound and safe for their intended use to ensure safety of personnel and 
pollution prevention. More specifically, we use the information to:
     Review data concerning damage to a platform to assess the 
adequacy of proposed repairs.
     Review plans for platform construction (construction is 
divided into three phases--design, fabrication, and installation) to 
ensure the structural integrity of the platform.
     Review verification plans and reports for unique platforms 
to ensure that all nonstandard situations are given proper 
consideration during the design, fabrication, and installation phases 
of platform construction.
     Review platform design, fabrication, and installation 
records to ensure that the platform is constructed according to 
approved plans.
     Review inspection reports to ensure that platform 
integrity is maintained for the life of the platform.
    Responses are mandatory. No questions of a ``sensitive'' nature are 
asked. MMS will protect proprietary information according to the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing 
regulations (43 CFR 2), 30 CFR 250.196 (Data and information to be made 
available to the public) and 30 CFR Part 252 (OCS Oil and Gas 
Information Program).
    Frequency: The frequency varies by section, but is generally ``on 
occasion'' or annual.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 153 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
following chart details the components of the hour burden for the 
information collection requirements in Subpart I'an estimated total of 
34,164 burden hours. In estimating 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 or
 Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart I        recordkeeping           Hour burden     Average no. annual   Annual burden
                                       requirement                                 responses           hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
900(b), (g); 901; 902;           Submit application and   24................  331 applications..           7,944
 909(b)(4)(iii).                  plans for new platform
                                  or major modifications
                                  and notice to MMS.
900(e).........................  Request approval for     24................  15 requests.......             360
                                  major repairs of
                                  damage to platform and
                                  notice to MMS.
900(f).........................  Request approval for     24................  50 requests.......           1,200
                                  resue of conversion of
                                  use of existing fixed
                                  or mobile platforms.
901(e).........................  Notify MMS before        10................  30 notices........               5
                                  transporting platform   minutes...........
                                  to installation site.
903(a),(b).....................  Submit nominations for   16................  15 nominations....             240
                                  Certified Verification
                                  Agent (CVA).
903(a)(1)-(3)..................  Submit interim and       600...............  15 reports........           9,000
                                  final CVA reports.
912(a).........................  Request inspection       16................  50 requests.......             800
                                  interval that exceeds
                                  5 years.
912(b).........................  Submit annual report of  45................  153 lessees.......           6,885
                                  platforms inspected
                                  and summary of testing
                                  results.
900 thru 914...................  General departure and    8.................  10 requests.......              80
                                  alternative compliance
                                  requests not
                                  specifically covered
                                  elsewhere in Subpart I
                                  regulations.
--------------------------------
                                  Reporting Hour Burden   ..................  669...............          26,514
--------------------------------
909, 911, 912, 914.............  Recordkeeping            50................  153 lessees                  7,650
                                  Requirement: Maintain                        (record-keepers).
                                  records on as-built
                                  structural drawings,
                                  design assumptions and
                                  analyses, summary on
                                  nondestructive
                                  examination records,
                                  inspection results,
                                  etc., for the
                                  functional life of the
                                  platform.
                                --------------------------
    Total Hour Burden..........  .......................  ..................  822...............          34,164
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' 
Burden: We have identified no ``non-hour cost'' burdens.
    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

[[Page 54308]]

automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on June 1, 2004, we 
published a Federal Register notice (69 FR 30956) 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 displays the 
OMB control number for the information collection requirements imposed 
by the 30 CFR Part 250 regulations. 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, 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 October 8, 2004. 
The PRA provides that 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.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz, (202) 
208-7744.

    Dated: August 3, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 04-20344 Filed 9-7-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P