[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 169 (Friday, August 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50395-50396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4280]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0030 and 1029-
0049

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
Department of Interior.

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 its intention to request approval for the collections of 
information for 30 CFR 764--State Processes for Designating Areas 
Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations; and 30 CFR 822--Special 
Permanent Program Performance Standards--Operations in Alluvial Valley 
Floors. These collection requests have been forwarded tot he Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information 
collection requests describe the nature of the information collections 
and the expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments 
should be submitted to OMB by October 1, 2007, in order to be assured 
of consideration.

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 3-mail to 
[email protected]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to 
John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
1951 Constitution Ave, NW., Room 202-SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or 
electronically to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of either 
information collection request contact John Trelease at (202) 208-2783, 
or electronically to [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 two requests to OMB to renew its approval 
of the collections of information contained in: 30 CFR 764--State 
Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining 
Operations; and 30 CFR 822--Special Permanent Program Performance 
Standards--Operations in Alluvial Valley Floors. OSM is requesting a 3-
year term of approval for each information collection activity.
    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 numbers for these 
collections are 1029-0030 for Part 764, and 1029-0049 for Part 822.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on these collections of information was published 
on April 27, 2007 (72 FR 19215). 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 764--State Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable 
for Surface Coal Mining Operations Areas designated by Act of Congress.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0030.
    Summary: This part implements the requirement of section 522 of the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), Pub. L. 95-
87, which provides authority for citizens to petition States to 
designate lands unsuitable for surface coal mining operations, or to 
terminate such designation. The regulatory authority

[[Page 50396]]

uses the information to identify, locate, compare and evaluate the area 
requested to be designated as unsuitable, or terminate the designation, 
for surface coal mending operations.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals, groups or businesses that 
petition the States, and the State regulatory authorities that must 
process the petitions.
    Total Annual Responses: 3.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,920.
    Total Annual Non-wage Costs: $150.

    Title: 30 CFR 822--Special Permanent Program Performance 
Standards--Operations in Alluvial Valley Floors.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0049.
    Summary: Sections 510(b)(5) and 515(b)(10)(F) of the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) protect alluvial valley 
floors from the adverse effects of surface coal mining operations west 
of the 100th meridian. Part 822 requires the permittee to install, 
maintain, and operate a monitoring system in order to provide specific 
protection for alluvial valley floors. This information is necessary to 
determine whether the unique hydrologic conditions of alluvial valley 
floors are protected according to the Act.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Description of Respondents: 21 coal mining operators who operate on 
a alluvial valley floors and the State regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 42.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,300.
    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 burdens on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collections of the information, to the addresses listed under 
ADDRESSES. Please refer to the appropriate OMB control number in all 
correspondence.

    Dated: August 28, 2007.
John R. Craynon,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 07-4280 Filed 8-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M