[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73041-73043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24928]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

[Docket No. MMS-2007-OMM-0075]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

[[Page 73042]]


ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0068).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS 
is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. 
The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart M, 
``Unitization.''

DATE: Submit written comments by February 25, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any either of the following 
methods listed below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov, select 
``Minerals Management Service'' from the agency drop-down menu, then 
click ``submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select MMS-2007-OMM-0063 to 
submit public comments and to view supporting and related materials 
available. Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions 
for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket 
after the close of the comment period, is available through the site's 
``User Tips'' link. All comments submitted will be published and posted 
to the docket after the closing period.
     Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the 
Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 
Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference 
``Information Collection 1010-0068'' in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon 
to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the regulations that require the 
subject collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart M, Unitization.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0068.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended 
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prescribe rules and 
regulations to administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and 
regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease. 
Operations on the OCS must preserve, protect, and develop oil and 
natural gas resources in a manner that is consistent with the need to 
make such resources available to meet the Nation's energy needs as 
rapidly as possible; to balance orderly energy resource development 
with protection of human, marine, and coastal environments; to ensure 
the public a fair and equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and 
to preserve and maintain free enterprise competition.
    This notice concerns the reporting and recordkeeping elements of 30 
CFR Part 250, Subpart M, Unitization. We will protect information from 
respondents considered proprietary under the Freedom of Information Act 
(5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR Part 2) and 
under regulations at 30 CFR 250.197, ``Data and information to be made 
available to the public or for limited inspection.'' No items of a 
sensitive nature are collected. Responses are required to retain a 
benefit. The MMS OCS Regions use the information to determine whether 
to approve a proposal to enter into an agreement to unitize operations 
under two or more leases or to approve modifications when circumstances 
change. The information is necessary to ensure that operations will 
result in preventing waste, conserving natural resources, and 
protecting correlative rights, including the Government's interests. We 
also use information submitted to determine competitiveness of a 
reservoir or to decide that compelling unitization will achieve these 
results.
    Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 5,884 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. 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.

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 Citation 30 CFR part 250  subpart M            Reporting requirement               Hour burden; fee burden
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1301.................................  General description of requirements...  Burden included in the following
                                                                                sections.
1301(d), (f)(3), (g)(1), (g)(2), (ii)  Request suspension of production or     Burden covered in 1010-0114.
                                        operations.
1302(b)..............................  Request preliminary determination on    39
                                        competitive reservoir.
1302(b)..............................  Submit concurrence or objection on      39
                                        competitiveness with supporting
                                        evidence.
1302(c), (d).........................  Submit joint plan of operations,        39
                                        supplemental plans, or a separate
                                        plan if agreement cannot be reached.
1303.................................  Apply for voluntary unitization,        161
                                        including submitting unit agreement    $10,700 fee.
                                        or revision, unit operating
                                        agreement, initial plan of operation,
                                        and supporting data; request for
                                        variance from model agreement and
                                        other related requirements.
1304(b)..............................  Request compulsory unitization,         161
                                        including submitting unit agreement,
                                        unit operating agreement, initial
                                        plan of operation, and supporting
                                        data; serving non-consenting lessees
                                        with documents.
1303; 1304...........................  Submit revisions or modifications to    7 Hrs--GOM.
                                        unit agreement, unit operating         8 Hrs--POCS.
                                        agreement, plan of operation, change   $760 fee.
                                        of unit operator, etc.*.
1303; 1304...........................  Submit initial, and revisions to,       50
                                        participating area*.
1304(d)..............................  Request hearing on required             1
                                        unitization.
1304(e)..............................  Submit statement at hearing on          5
                                        compulsory unitization.
1304(e)..............................  Pay for and submit three copies of      1
                                        verbatim transcript of hearing.
1304(f)..............................  Appeal final order of compulsory        Exempt under 5 CFR 1320(a)(2),
                                        unitization.                            (c).

[[Page 73043]]

 
1300-1304............................  General departure and alternative       1
                                        compliance requests not specifically
                                        covered elsewhere in subpart M
                                        regulations.
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\*\ These requirements are specified in each Unit Agreement.

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified two ``non-hour cost'' burdens for this collection. 
Section 1303 requires fees for a voluntary unitization or unit 
expansion and a fee for a unitization revision. We have not identified 
any other ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this 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: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section 
3506(c)(2)(A) 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.
    Agencies must also estimate the ``non-hour cost'' burdens to 
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of 
information. Therefore, if you have costs to generate, maintain, and 
disclose this information, you should comment and provide your total 
capital and startup cost components or annual operation, maintenance, 
and purchase of service components. You should describe the methods you 
use to estimate major cost factors, including system and technology 
acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount 
rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup 
costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase 
to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage 
facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services 
purchased: (i) Before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements 
not associated with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other 
than to provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv) 
as part of customary and usual business or private practices.
    We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them 
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we 
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to 
OMB.
    Public Comment Procedures: Before including your address, phone 
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202) 
208-7744.

    Dated: December 11, 2007.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E7-24928 Filed 12-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P