[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 35694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5553]



[[Page 35694]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[HE-952-9911-EK]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Control Number 
1004-0179

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requests the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect helium sales 
information from Federal agencies and helium suppliers. BLM uses the 
In-Kind Crude Helium Sales Contract and non-form information from 43 
CFR part 3195 to collect information. This information allows BLM to 
monitor reporting and recordkeeping of crude helium sales and 
purchases.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before August 21, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to: Bureau of Land Management, (WO-
630), Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 
22153.
    You may send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please include ``ATTN: 1004-0179'' and your name 
and return address in your Internet message.
    You may deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20036.
    All comments will be available for public review at the L Street 
address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday 
through Friday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may contact Connie H. Neely, Crude 
Helium Sales Analyst, on (806) 356-1027 (Commercial or FTS). Persons 
who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the 
Federal Information Relay Service on 1-800-877-8330, 24 hours a day, 
seven days a week, to contact Ms. Neely.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires that we provide a 
60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a collection of 
information to solicit comments on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the agency, including whether the information 
will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of our estimates of the information collection 
burden, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions we 
use;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    The Helium Privatization Act of 1996 requires the Department of 
Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, and other Federal agencies to purchase major 
helium requirements from authorized contractors. These contractors must 
purchase an equivalent amount of crude helium from the Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.
    The In-Kind Crude Helium Sales Contract requires that contract 
holders supply the following information to BLM:
    (A) Section 3.3. requests reporting each quarter the deliveries 
made of refined helium. The section referes to Addendum B of the 
contract, which specifies providing the following:
    (1) Company name;
    (2) Address and contract number;
    (3) Name of the Federal agency to which helium sold;
    (4) Date of delivery;
    (5) Sale reference number;
    (6) Location of helium use;
    (7) Volume; and
    (8) Units of helium sold during the itemized sales for the 
quarterly report.
BLM uses this information to track sales of refined helium and to 
determine the use of the helium.
    (B) Section 3.5 requires helium suppliers to notify BLM 14 days in 
advance of needing Federal helium in order to provide BLM sufficient 
time to deliver the helium.
    (C) Section 3.7 requires contractors to keep all pertinent 
documents and records available for BLM inspection. We use this 
information to audit the contractors and to determine whether or not 
helium sales were reported accurately.
    (D) Section 7.4 prohibits assigning the contract to another 
contractor without BLM's prior approval.
    BLM also requires the following non-form information at 43 CFR part 
3195:
    (A) Federal helium suppliers and buyers must report the total 
itemized quarterly deliveries of helium within 45 calendar days after 
the end of the previous quarter.
    (B) Federal helium suppliers must report the annual cumulative 
helium delivery report by November 15 of each year.
    (C) The name of the company from which you purchased helium.
    (D) The amount of helium you purchased and the date it was 
delivered.
    (E) The helium use location.
    Based on our experience administering the activities, we estimate 
the public reporting burden is one hour for the contract and two hours 
for the non-form quarterly helium sales reports. We estimate 8 
respondents will submit a contract once and quarterly provide helium 
sales information. We estimate 32 responses per year and a total annual 
burden of 96 hours.
    We will summarize all responses to this notice and send them to OMB 
when we request approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: June 9, 2006.
Ted R. Hudson,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-5553 Filed 6-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M