[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8617-8619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3240]


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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 (1010-0149).

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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 rulemaking for regulations under 30 CFR 250, 
subparts J, H, and I, Fixed and Floating 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 March 24, 2005.

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 (1010-0149). 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. Interested parties may submit a copy of 
their comments online to MMS, the address is: https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. From the Public Connect ``Welcome'' screen, you 
will be able to either search for Information Collection 1010-0149 or 
select it from the ``Projects Open for Comment'' menu.

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, subparts J, H, and I, Fixed and Floating 
Platforms and Structures.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0149.
    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.
    Section 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 
* * *.'' Section 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 * * * 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 the MMS 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.
    On December 27, 2001, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) (66 FR 
66851), provided the initial 60-day review and comment process. This 
notice is a renewal of the information requirements for the rulemaking 
and for what we expect to be in our final rulemaking.
    The industry standards incorporated into our regulations through 
this rulemaking:
     Result in a complete rewrite and re-titling of our current 
regulations at 30 CFR part 250, subpart I, Platforms and Structures. 
The currently approved information collection for this subpart (1010-
0058) will be superseded by this collection when final regulations take 
effect.
     Revise regulations at 30 CFR part 250, subpart H, Oil and 
Gas Production Safety Systems (1010-0059); and subpart J, Pipelines and 
Pipeline Rights-of-Way (1010-0050). When final regulations take effect, 
we will add the new requirements and hour burdens to the respective 
information collections currently approved for these subparts.
     Make changes to definitions, documents incorporated by 
reference, and other minor revisions to regulations at 30 CFR part 250, 
subpart A, General (1010-0114); and subpart B, Exploration and 
Development and Production Plans (1010-0049). However, the proposed 
changes do not add any new information collection requirements, nor 
affect those currently approved.
    MMS will use the information collected and records maintained under 
subpart I to determine the structural integrity of all offshore 
platforms and floating production facilities and to ensure that such 
integrity will be maintained throughout the useful life of these 
structures. The information is necessary to determine that fixed and 
floating platforms and structures are sound and safe for their intended 
purpose and for the safety of personnel and pollution prevention. MMS 
will use the information collected under subparts H and J to ensure 
proper construction of production safety systems and pipelines.
    Although the revised regulations would specifically cover floating

[[Page 8618]]

production facilities as well as platforms, this is not a new category 
of information collection. MMS has always permitted these facilities on 
a case-by-case basis. Incorporating the new documents provides industry 
with specific standards by which we will hold them accountable in the 
design, fabrication, and installation of platforms and floating 
production facilities offshore. Making mandatory these now voluntary 
standards would dictate that respondents comply with the requirements 
in the incorporated documents. This includes certified verification 
agent (CVA) review for some areas that current regulations do not 
require, but the voluntary standards recommend. The revised regulations 
will increase the number of CVA nominations and reports associated with 
the facilities and require hazards analysis documentation for new 
floating production facilities.
    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, annual; and results of situations 
encountered.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 136 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 48,500 hours. During the interim period between proposed and 
final rules, OMB approved the renewal of the information collection 
burden in the current subpart I regulations (1010-0058). After 
consultations with respondents, we revised the estimates of the hour 
burdens and the annual number of responses. We have incorporated those 
updated burden adjustments in this renewal. Therefore we are requesting 
an ``adjustment'' increase of 11,306 hours for 1010-0159. The following 
chart details the current 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.

                                                Burden Breakdown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Reporting or
    Proposed rule section(s)          recordkeeping         Hour burden per    Annual number of    Annual burden
                                       requirement          response/record        responses           hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           New Subpart H Requirements
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
800(b).........................  Submit CVA               50 hours..........  60 submissions....           3,000
                                  documentation under
                                  API RP 2RD..
803(b)(2)(iii).................  Submit CVA               50 hours..........  6 submissions.....             300
                                  documentation under
                                  API RP 17J..
--------------------------------
                                                    Subpart I
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
900(a); 901(b); 902; 903; 905;   Submit application to    30 hours..........  331 applications..           9,930
 906; 907.                        install new platform
                                  or floating production
                                  facility or
                                  significant changes to
                                  approved applications,
                                  including use of
                                  alternative codes,
                                  rules, or standards;
                                  and Platform
                                  Verification Program
                                  plan for design,
                                  fabrication and
                                  installation of new,
                                  fixed, bottom-founded,
                                  pile-supported, or
                                  concrete-gravity
                                  platforms and new
                                  floating platforms.
                                  Consult as required
                                  with MMS and/or USCG.
                                  Re/Submit application
                                  for major
                                  modification(s) to any
                                  platform..
900(a)(4)......................  Notify MMS within 24     16 hours..........  9 notices/requests             144
                                  hours of damage and
                                  emergency repairs and
                                  request approval of
                                  repairs..
900(a)(5)......................  Submit application for   24 hours..........  30 applications...             720
                                  conversion of the use
                                  of an existing mobile
                                  offshore drilling
                                  unit..
901(a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(8)......  Submit CVA               100 hours.........  6 submissions.....             600
                                  documentation under
                                  API RP 2RD, API RP
                                  2SK, and API RP 2SM..
901(a)(10).....................  Submit hazards analysis  600 hours.........  6 submissions.....           3,600
                                  documentation under
                                  API RP 14J..
904(c); 908....................  Submit nomination and    16 hours..........  21 nominations....             336
                                  qualification
                                  statement for CVA..
910(c), (d)....................  Submit interim and       200 hours.........  31 reports........           6,200
                                  final CVA reports and
                                  recommendations on
                                  design phase..
911(d), (e), (f)...............  Submit interim and       100 hours.........  6 submissions.....             600
                                  final CVA reports and
                                  recommendations on
                                  fabrication phase,
                                  including notice of
                                  fabrication procedure
                                  changes or design
                                  specification
                                  modifications.
912(c), (d), (e)...............  Submit interim and       60 hours..........  6 submissions.....             360
                                  final CVA reports and
                                  recommendations on
                                  installation phase..
914; 918.......................  Record original and      100 hours.........  136 lessees.......          13,600
                                  relevant material test
                                  results of all primary
                                  structural materials;
                                  retain records during
                                  all stages of
                                  construction. Compile,
                                  retain, and make
                                  available to MMS for
                                  the functional life of
                                  platform, the as-built
                                  drawings, design
                                  assumptions/analyses,
                                  summary of
                                  nondestructive
                                  examination records,
                                  and inspection results.

[[Page 8619]]

 
916............................  Develop in-service       GOM Region 45       130 lessees.......           5,850
                                  inspection plan and      hours.             6 operators.......             480
                                  submit annual           POCS Region 80
                                  (November 1 of each      hours.
                                  year) report on
                                  inspection of
                                  platforms or floating
                                  production facilities,
                                  including summary of
                                  testing results.
900 thru 918...................  General departure and    8 hours...........  10 requests.......              80
                                  alternative compliance
                                  requests not
                                  specifically covered
                                  elsewhere in Subpart I
                                  regulations.
--------------------------------
                                           New Subpart J Requirements
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1002(b)(4); 1007(a)(4).........  Submit CVA               150 hours.........  12 submissions....           1,800
                                  documentation under
                                  API RP 17J.
1002(b)(5).....................  Submit CVA               75 hours..........  12 submissions....             900
                                  documentation under
                                  API RP 2RD.
                                                                             ---------------------
    Total Hour Burden..........                                               818...............          48,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no paperwork ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with 
the collection of information.
    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 August 10, 2004, 
we published a Federal Register notice (69 FR 48518) 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 provides the 
OMB control number for the information collection requirements imposed 
by the 30 CFR 250 regulations and forms. 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, 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 March 24, 2005.
    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 the request to the extent 
allowable by the 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: November 1, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 05-3240 Filed 2-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P