[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 237 (Friday, December 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71845-71847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27142]


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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 extension of an information collection (1010-0068).

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[[Page 71846]]

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 the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart M, 
Unitization.

DATES: Submit written comments by February 8, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods 
listed below. Please use the approved OMB Information Collection number 
1010-0068 as an identifier in your message.
     MMS's Public Connect on-line commenting system, https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. Follow the instructions on the Web site for 
submitting comments.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions on the Web site for submitting comments.
     E-mail MMS at [email protected]. Use the OMB number 
in the subject line.
     Fax: 703-787-1093. Identify with OMB number.
     Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the 
Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Rules Processing Team 
(RPT); 381 Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Rules Processing Team 
at (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon to obtain a 
copy, at no cost, of the regulation that requires the subject 
collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart M, Unitization.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0068.
    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.
    This notice concerns the reporting and recordkeeping elements of 30 
CFR 250, Subpart M, Unitization. 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 or are required to retain a benefit. 
MMS OCS Regions use the information to determine whether to approve a 
proposal to enter into an agreement to unitize operations under two or 
more leases or to approve modifications when circumstances change. The 
information is necessary to ensure that operations will result in 
preventing waste, conserving natural resources, and protecting 
correlative rights, including the Government's interests. We also use 
information submitted to determine competitiveness of a reservoir or to 
decide that compelling unitization will achieve these results.
    Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 5,396 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. There are no 
recordkeeping requirements under 30 CFR 250, Subpart M. 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.

                                                Burden Breakdown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart M                  Reporting requirement                    Hour burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1301....................................  General description of requirements.......  Burden included in
                                                                                       following sections.
1301(d), (f)(3), (g)(1), (g)(2)(ii).....  Request or order suspension of production   Burden covered in 1010-
                                           or operations.                              0114.
1302(b).................................  Request preliminary determination on        36.
                                           competitive reservoir.
1302(b).................................  Submit concurrence or objection on          36.
                                           competitiveness with supporting evidence.
1302(c), (d)............................  Submit joint plan of operations,            36.
                                           supplemental plans, or a separate plan if
                                           agreement cannot be reached.
1303....................................  Apply for voluntary unitization, including  144.
                                           submitting unit agreement, unit operating
                                           agreement, initial plan of operation, and
                                           supporting data; request for variance
                                           from model agreement.
1304(b).................................  Request compulsory unitization, including   144.
                                           submitting unit agreement, unit operating
                                           agreement, initial plan of operation, and
                                           supporting data; serving non-consenting
                                           lessees with documents.
1303; 1304..............................  Submit revisions or modifications to unit   6.
                                           agreement, unit operating agreement, plan
                                           of operation, change of unit operator,
                                           etc.
1303; 1304..............................  Submit initial, and revisions to,           48.
                                           participating area.
1304(d).................................  Request hearing on required unitization...  1.
1304(e).................................  Submit statement at hearing on compulsory   4.
                                           unitization.
1304(e).................................  Submit three copies of verbatim transcript  1.
                                           of hearing.
1304(f).................................  Appeal final order of compulsory            Burden covered under 1010-
                                           unitization.                                0121.
1300-1304...............................  General departure and alternative           2.
                                           compliance requests not specifically
                                           covered elsewhere in Subpart M
                                           regulations.
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[[Page 71847]]

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
Section 250.1304(d) provides an opportunity for parties notified of 
compulsory unitization to request a hearing. Section 250.1304(e) 
requires the party seeking the compulsory unitization to pay for the 
court reporter and three copies of the verbatim transcript of the 
hearing. It should be noted there have been no such hearings in the 
recent past, and none are expected in the near future. We estimate that 
the burden would be approximately $250.
    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.
    We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them 
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we 
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to 
OMB.
    Public Comment Policy: MMS's practice is to make comments, 
including names and 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 Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202) 
208-7744.

    Dated: December 3, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 04-27142 Filed 12-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P