[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53261-53262]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4613]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[Docket No. WO-310-1310-PB-24 1A]


Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Control Number 
1004-0196

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) plans to request the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect 
information from operators and operating rights owners who apply for 
designation of National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) unit 
agreements. We collect nonform information to determine whether to 
grant approval to operate under a unit plan for NPRA Federal lands. We 
require operators to retain and provide information to determine 
whether proposed unit agreements meet the requirements for unitized 
exploration and development of oil and gas resources of the NPRA.

DATES: You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or 
before November 19, 2007. BLM will not necessarily consider any 
comments received after the above date.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments to the OMB, Interior Department Desk 
Officer (1004-0196), at OMB-OIRA via e-mail [email protected] or 
via facsimile at (202) 395-6566. Also please send a copy of your 
comments to BLM via Internet and include your name, address, and ATTN: 
1004-0196 in your Internet message to [email protected] or 
via mail to: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land 
Management, Mail Stop 401LS, 1849 C Street, NW., ATTN:

[[Page 53262]]

Bureau Information Collection Clearance Officer (WO-630), Washington, 
DC 20240.
    You may deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
    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 Barbara Gamble, 
Division of Fluid Minerals, on (202) 452-0338 (Commercial or FTS). 
Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) on 1-800-877-8339, 24 
hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the 
above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business 
hours.

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 information collection burden 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 Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, as amended (42 
U.S.C. 6501 et seq.), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), and the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and 43 CFR 
subparts, 3133, 3135, 3137, and 3138 require affected oil and gas 
operators and operating rights owners to maintain records and provide 
information to apply for suspensions of royalty; apply for suspensions 
of operations, form and maintain until agreements; and to enter into 
subsurface storage agreements, respectively. All recordkeeping burdens 
hours are associated with the nonform information requested.
    The reporting burden of each provision for the information 
collection, including recordkeeping, depends on which information is 
required. The respondents are oil and gas operators and operating 
rights owners. The frequency of response varies from one-time only to 
occasional to routine, depending on activities conducted. We estimated 
35 responses per year and 492 total annual burden hours. We base this 
estimate on our experience managing the program. The table below 
summarizes our estimates.

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                                                               Hours per       Number of
  Information collection  (43 CFR)        Requirement          response       respondents    Total burden hours
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3133.4.............................  Royalty reduction....              16               1                    16
3135.3.............................  Suspension of                       8               1                     8
                                      operations.
3135.6.............................  Notification of                     4               1                     4
                                      operations.
3137.23............................  Unit designation.....              80               3                   240
3137.25............................  Notification of unit                4               3                    12
                                      approval.
3137.52............................  Certification for                   4               1                     4
                                      modification.
3137.60............................  Acceptable Bonding...               8               3                    24
3137.61............................  Change of unit                      4               2                     8
                                      operator.
3137.70............................  Certification of unit               4               3                    12
                                      obligation.
3137.71............................  Certification of                    4               3                    12
                                      continuing
                                      development.
3137.84............................  Productivity for a PA              12               2                    24
3137.87............................  Unleased tracts......               6               1                     6
3137.88............................  Notification of                     4               1                     4
                                      productivity.
3137.91............................  Notification of                     4               1                     4
                                      productivity for non-
                                      unit well.
3137.92............................  Production                          4               1                     4
                                      information.
3137.112...........................  Lease extension......               6               1                     6
3137.113...........................  Inability to conduct                4               2                     8
                                      operations
                                      activities.
3137.130...........................  Unit termination.....               4               2                     8
3137.135...........................  Impact mitigation....               4               3                    12
3138.11............................  Storage agreement....              80               1                    80
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    Totals.........................  .....................             184              35                   492
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    The BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include 
them in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter 
of public record.

    Dated: September 13, 2007.
Shirlean Beshir,
Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 07-4613 Filed 9-17-07; 8:45 am]
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