[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 28 (Monday, February 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7759-7761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2428]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

[Docket No. MMS-2007-OMM-0013]


MMS Information Collection Activity: 1010-0170--Coastal Impact 
Assistance Program (CIAP), Revision of a Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of a revision of an information collection (1010-0170).

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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 Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) State Plan 
Guidelines. 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).

DATES: Submit written comments by April 11, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods 
listed below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. Under 
the tab ``More Search Options,'' click Advanced Docket Search, then 
select ``Minerals Management Service'' from the agency drop-down menu, 
then click ``submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select MMS-2008-OMM-
0013 to submit public comments and to view supporting and related 
materials available for this rulemaking. 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. The 
MMS will post all comments.
     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 1010-0170'' in your comments.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP).
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0170.
    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 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. The MMS shall disburse $250 
million to eligible producing states and coastal political subdivisions 
(CPSs) through a grant program. The funds

[[Page 7760]]

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 CIAPs 
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 (CPSs) eligible for 
CIAP funding, a total of 67 local jurisdictions. All funds will be 
disbursed through a grant process.
    In September 2006, CIAP draft guidelines were written which were 
then amended in May 2007. As this program has evolved and developed, 
more information needs to be submitted by the government jurisdictions 
to meet all the requirements of the CIAP State Plan Guidelines as well 
as requirements on the procurement contracts. 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.
    This information collection request revises the original ICR to 
include the additional information needed to fulfill the requirements 
of the MMS CIAP grant program.
    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). No items of a sensitive 
nature are collected. Responses are required to obtain or retain 
benefits.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 6 
states and 67 CPSs.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
currently approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 
12,600 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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     CIAP reporting and/or recordkeeping requirement        Hour Burden
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Project narrative.......................................              42
Submit annual performance reports.......................               8
Submit bi-annual performance reports....................               8
Notify MMS in case of delays, adverse conditions, etc.,                4
 which impair ability to meet objectives of the award
 including statement of action take or contemplated or
 assistance required (included non-construction and
 construction grants)...................................
Request termination and supporting information.*........               6
Retain all records/documentation for 3 years............           ** 30
Retain records longer than 3 years if they relate to                   0
 claim, audit, litigation, etc. Exempt under 5 CFR
 1320.4(a)(2), (c)......................................
Telephone follow-up discussion on financial capabilities               8
Develop language and individual signage at CIAP sites--                8
 estimated 30 construction projects with temp signs
 initially--permanent signs 2-4 years.*.................
Submission of photographs/cds of projects for tracking                 4
 purposes.*.............................................
Voluntarily submit draft Coastal Impact Assistance Plan                1
 with appropriate supporting documentation..............
Submit final Coastal Impact Assistance Plan and all                    1
 supporting documentation (i.e., Governor's
 certification of public participation; Appendices C, D,
 and E).................................................
Request delay by states for submitting final plan, with                1
 relevant data..........................................
Request minor changes and/or amendments to a plan.......               8
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\*\ Initially determined that this will be minimal burden, for the first
  3 years, until more respondents are actively involved in a CIAP
  project.
\**\ Minutes.

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no ``non-hour cost'' burdens for this collection.
    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

[[Page 7761]]

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: February 4, 2008.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E8-2428 Filed 2-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P