[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67636-67637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9296]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0094, 1029-
0098 and 1029-0119

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

ACTION:  Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is 
announcing that the information collection requests for the titles 
described below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection 
requests describe the nature of the information collections and their 
expected burden and cost.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 22, 2006, to be 
assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of either 
information collection request, explanatory information and related 
form, contact John A. Trelease at (202) 208-2783. You may also contact 
Mr. Trelease at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implement provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), require that interested members 
of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on 
information collection and recordkeeping activities [see 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)]. OSM has submitted three requests to OMB to renew its 
approval for the collections of information found at 30 CFR Part 700, 
General; 30 CFR Part 769, Petition process for designation of Federal 
lands as unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining 
operations and for termination of previous designations, and the AML 
Contractor Information Form which is found in the Applicant/Violator 
System (AVS) handbook and is prepared by AML contractors to ensure 
compliance with 30 CFR 874.16. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of 
approval of these collections.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for these 
collections of information are 1029-0094 for Part 700, 1029-0098 for 
Part 769, and 1029-0119 for the AML Contractor Information Form.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on these collections of information was published 
on August 11, 2006 (71 FR 46240). No comments were received. This 
notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to 
comment on the following information collection activities:
    Title: 30 CFR Part 700, General.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0094.
    Summary: This Part establishes procedures and requirements for 
terminating jurisdiction of surface coal mining and reclamation 
operations, petitions for rulemaking, and citizen suits filed under the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: State and tribal regulatory 
authorities, private citizens and citizen groups, and surface coal 
mining companies.
    Total Annual Responses: 6.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 84.
    Title: 30 CFR Part 769, Petition process for designation of Federal 
lands as unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining 
operations and for termination of previous designations.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0098.
    Summary: This Part establishes the minimum procedures and standards 
for

[[Page 67637]]

designating Federal lands unsuitable for certain types of surface 
mining operations and for terminating designations pursuant to a 
petition. The information requested will aid the regulatory authority 
in the decision making process to approve a disapprove a request.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: People who may be adversely affected by 
surface mining of Federal lands.
    Total Annual Responses: 1.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,067.
    Title: AML Contractor Information Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0119.
    Summary: 30 CFR 874.16 requires that every successful bidder for an 
AML contract must be eligible under 30 CFR 773.15(b)(1) at the time of 
contract award to receive a permit or conditional permit to conduct 
surface coal mining operations. Further, the regulation requires the 
eligibility to be confirmed by OSM's automated Applicant/Violator 
System (AVS) and the contractor must be eligible under the regulations 
implementing Section 510(c) of the Surface Mining Act to receive 
permits to conduct mining operations. This form provides a tool for OSM 
and the States/Indian tribes to help them prevent persons with 
outstanding violations from conducting further mining or AML 
reclamation activities in the State.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once per contract.
    Description of Respondents: AML contract applicants and State and 
tribal regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 428.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 161.
    Send comments on the need for the collection of information for the 
performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the 
agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information collection; and ways to minimize the 
information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collection of the information, to the following address. 
Please refer to the appropriate OMB control number in all 
correspondence.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of 
Interior Desk Officer, by telefax at (202) 395-6566 or via e-mail to 
[email protected]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to 
John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
1951 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 210-SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or 
electronically to [email protected].

    Dated: October 11, 2006.
John R. Craynon,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 06-9296 Filed 11-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M