[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8619-8620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3241]


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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 (1010-0150).

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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 Form MMS-144, ``Rig Movement Notification Report.'' 
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 on this information collection 
directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) either by e-mail 
([email protected]) or by fax (202) 395-6566, directly to the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk 
Officer for the Department of the Interior (1010-0150).
    Submit a copy of your comments to the Department of the Interior, 
MMS, via:
     MMS's Public Connect online commenting system, https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. Follow the instructions on the Web site for 
submitting comments.
     E-mail MMS at [email protected]. Use the Information 
Collection Number in the subject line.

[[Page 8620]]

     Fax: 703-787-1093. Identify with Information Collection 
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. Please 
reference ``Information Collection 1010-0150'' in your comments.

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 regulation and the form that requires the subject 
collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Form MMS-144, Rig Movement Notification Report.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0150.
    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 1332(6) 
of the Act requires that ``operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf 
should be conducted in a safe manner by well-trained personnel using 
technology, precautions, and techniques sufficient to prevent or 
minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, 
spillages, physical obstruction to other users of the waters or subsoil 
and seabed, or other occurrences which may cause damage to the 
environment or to property, or endanger life or health.''
    This ICR concerns the regulations in 30 CFR part 250 Subparts D, E, 
and F, specifically Sec. Sec.  403(c), 502, and 602, on the movement of 
drilling, completion, and workover rigs and related equipment on and 
off an offshore platform or from well to well on the same offshore 
platform. The requirement for operators to notify MMS of rig movements 
is only specifically stated in Sec.  250.403(c). Since MMS is mandated 
to perform timely inspections on rigs and platforms, we must have 
accurate information with regard to their location on the OCS. We use 
this information in scheduling inspections with regard to priority and 
cost effectiveness.
    However, because of the increased volume of activity in the Gulf of 
Mexico Region (GOMR), it is now standard MMS procedure to require this 
notification as a condition of approval for well workover, 
recompletion, or abandonment operations. Because of this we have 
included the rig movement notification with the other general 
information collection requirements of these regulations under OMB 
control numbers 1010-0141, 1010-0067, and 1010-0043 (30 CFR part 250, 
subparts D, E, and F, respectively). The MMS District Offices use the 
information reported to ascertain the precise arrival and departure of 
all rigs in OCS waters. The accurate location of these rigs is 
necessary to better facilitate the scheduling of inspections by MMS 
personnel.
    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: The frequency is on occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: We estimate 
respondents will average 6 minutes to fill out and complete Form MMS-
144. The total annual estimate is 180 burden hours.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no cost burdens associated for this collection.
    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 September 28, 
2004, we published a Federal Register notice (69 FR 57960) 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 form MMS-144. 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 Procedure: MMS's practice is to make comments, 
including names and addresses of respondents, available for public 
review. 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: December 8, 2004.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 05-3241 Filed 2-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P