[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 202 (Thursday, October 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61796-61797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17514]


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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 a new information collection (1010-NEW).

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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) for a new approval of the paperwork 
requirements that address the narrative portion only of MMS's Coastal 
Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) which is a grant program.
    The Energy Policy Act of 2005 gave responsibility to MMS for CIAP 
by amending Section 31 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 
U.S.C. 1356a; Appendix A).
    This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to 
comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by November 20, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this information collection 
directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior via OMB e-mail: ([email protected]); or by fax (202) 395-6566; identify with (1010-
NEW).
    Submit a copy of your comments to the Department of the Interior, 
MMS, via:
     MMS's Public Connect on-line commenting system, https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. Follow the instructions on the Web site for 
submitting comments.
     E-mail MMS at [email protected]. Use Information 
Collection Number 1010-NEW, CIAP, in the subject line.
     Fax: 703-787-1093. Identify with Information Collection 
Number 1010-NEW, CIAP.
     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-NEW, CIAP'' 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 ICR and the authority that require the subject 
collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Coastal Impact Assistance Program.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-NEW.
    Abstract: With the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(EPAct), the Minerals Management Service (MMS) was given responsibility 
for the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) through the amendment 
of Section 31 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1356a 
Appendix A). The program was authorized for FY 2007, 2008, 2009, and 
2010.
    The CIAP recognizes that impacts from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
oil and gas activities fall disproportionately on the coastal states 
and localities nearest to where the activities occur, and where 
associated facilities are located. The CIAP legislation appropriates 
money for eligible states and coastal political subdivisions for 
coastal restoration/improvement projects. MMS shall disburse $250 
million for each FY 2007 through 2010

[[Page 61797]]

to eligible producing states and coastal political subdivisions (CPSs) 
through a grant program. The funds allocated to each state are based on 
the proportion of qualified OCS revenues offshore the individual state 
to total qualified OCS revenues from all states. In order to receive 
funds, the states submit CIAP narratives detailing how the funds will 
be expended. Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and 
Texas are the only eligible states under EPAct. Counties, parishes, or 
equivalent units of government within those states lying all or in part 
within the coastal zone, as defined by section 304(1) of the Coastal 
Zone Management Act (CZMA) 1972, as amended, are the coastal political 
subdivisions eligible for CIAP funding, a total of 67 local 
jurisdictions.
    To approve a plan, legislation requires that the Secretary of the 
Interior must be able to determine that the funds will be used in 
accordance with EPAct criteria and that projects will use the funds 
according to the EPAct. To confirm appropriate use of funds, MMS 
requires affirmation of grantees meeting Federal, state, and local laws 
and adequate project descriptions. To accomplish this, MMS is providing 
in its CIAP Environmental Assessment a suggested narrative format to be 
followed by each applicant for a CIAP grant. This narrative will assist 
MMS in its review of applications to determine that adequate and 
appropriate measures were taken to meet the laws that affect the 
proposed coastal projects. This narrative will be submitted 
electronically as part of the grant application. At that time, 
applicants will be obliged to fill out several OMB-approved standard 
forms as well. Most of the eligible states and CPSs, as experienced 
grant applicants, will be familiar with this narrative request.
    This information collection request (ICR) addresses the narrative 
portion only of the MMS CIAP grant program.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 73 
total respondents. This includes 6 states and 67 boroughs, parishes, 
etc.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 12,600 hours. 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. There are approximately six 
states and 67 parishes, boroughs, counties, etc. Submissions are 
generally on an occasion basis. The estimated annual ``hour'' burden 
for this information collection is a total of 12,600 hours. We expect 
each project narrative will take 42 hours to complete. We anticipate an 
average of 300 projects per year. Based on a cost factor of $50 per 
hour, we estimate the total annual cost to industry is $630,000 (42 hrs 
x 300 projects = 12,600 hrs x $50 per hour = $630,000).
    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 according to section 
3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), we published a 
Federal Register notice (71 FR 29666, May 23, 2006) outlining the 
collection of information and announcing that we would submit this ICR 
to OMB for approval. The notice provided the required 60-day comment 
period. We have received no comments in response to this effort.
    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 November 20, 2006.
    Public Comment Procedures: 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. There may be circumstances in which we 
would withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by 
the law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must 
state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. In addition, 
you must present a rationale for withholding this information. This 
rationale must demonstrate that disclosure ``would constitute an 
unwarranted invasion of privacy.'' Unsupported assertions will not meet 
this burden. In the absence of exceptional, documentable circumstances, 
this information will be released. 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: August 2, 2006.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
 [FR Doc. E6-17514 Filed 10-18-06; 8:45 am]
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