[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 175 (Monday, September 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 53480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14910]



[[Page 53480]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration


Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public 
Comment and Recommendations; Generic Solicitation for Training Grant 
Applications

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506 (c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
    Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (``MSHA'' or 
the ``Agency'') is soliciting comments concerning the request for a new 
information collection related to the establish of a program to award 
competitive grants for education and training, to be know as the 
Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 13, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and 
Health Administration, John Rowlett, Director, Management Services 
Division, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2134, Arlington, VA 22209-3939. 
Commenters are encouraged to send their comments on a computer disk, or 
via Internet E-mail to [email protected], along with an original 
printed copy. Mr. Rowlett can be reached at (202) 693-9827 (voice), or 
(202) 693-9801 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the employee listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 I. Background

    Section 14(a) of United States Public Law PL 109-236, the Mine 
Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (Miner Act) 
Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants authorizes the Secretary of Labor to 
establish a program to award competitive grants for education and 
training, to be known as Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants. To carry 
out the purposes of this section, The Mine Safety and Health 
Administration will conduct directly, or through competitive grants, 
education and training. These courses must ensure an adequate number of 
qualified personnel to fulfill the purposes of the Act, provide 
employers and miners with short-term training, inform them of the 
importance and proper use of safety and health equipment, and train 
employers and employees to recognize, avoid, and prevent unsafe and 
unhealthful working conditions in and around mines.
    After awarding a training grant, MSHA will use the work plan and 
budget information provided in the application to monitor the 
organization's progress in meeting training goals and objectives, as 
well as planned renewals at one-year intervals. An organization must 
submit separate applications for the initial award and for each renewal 
award.

 II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request can be 
obtained by contacting the employee listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice, or viewed on the Internet 
by accessing the MSHA home page (http://www.msha.gov) and then choosing 
``Statutory and Regulatory Information'' and ``Federal Register 
Documents.''

 III. Current Actions

    The Agency awards grants to public or private not-for-profit 
entities to provide part of the required training. To obtain such as 
grant, an organization must complete the training grant application. 
MSHA uses the information in this application to evaluate the 
organization's competence to provide the proposed training (including 
the qualifications of the personnel who manage and implement the 
training); the goals and objectives of the proposed training program; a 
workplan that describes in detail the tasks that the organization will 
implement to meet these goals and objectives; the appropriateness of 
the proposed costs; and compliance with Federal regulations governing 
nonprocurement debarment and suspension, maintaining a drug-free 
workplace, and lobbying activities. Also required is a program summary 
that Agency officials use to review and evaluate the highlights of the 
overall proposal.
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Generic Training Grant Applications.
    OMB Number: 1219-NEW.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Public or Private Not-for-profit Entities.
    Respondents: 100.
    Average Time Per Respondent: 25 hour.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,500 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated at Arlington, Virginia, this 31st day of August, 2006.
David Meyer,
Director, Office of Administration and Management.
 [FR Doc. E6-14910 Filed 9-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P