[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 65 (Thursday, April 3, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18263-18264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6905]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Proposed Agency Information Collection

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a 
proposed collection of information that DOE is developing for 
submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 
the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be 
received on or before June 2, 2008. If you anticipate difficulty in 
submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in 
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to JoAnna Sellen, Office of 
International Regimes and Agreements (NA-243), National Nuclear 
Security Administration, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 
20585 or by fax at 202-586-1348, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to the person listed in ADDRESSES.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This package contains: (1) OMB No. {enter 
``New{time} ; (2) Information Collection Request Title: U.S. 
Declaration under the Protocol Additional to the U.S.-IAEA Safeguards 
Agreement (``Additional Protocol''), and Collection of Information by 
the Department of Energy; (3) Type of Review: New; (4) Purpose: Develop 
Information for Inclusion by the Department of Energy in the United 
States Declaration to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 
under the Additional Protocol to the U.S.-IAEA International Safeguards 
Agreement.
    This proposed collection of information is pursuant to implementing 
the provisions of the Protocol Additional to the Agreement Between the 
United States of America and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards 
in the United States of America (the ``Additional Protocol'' or 
``AP''). The Additional Protocol is a supplement to the existing U.S.-
IAEA Safeguards Agreement, which entered into force in 1980; once the 
U.S. AP enters into force, it will become part of the Safeguards 
Agreement. The United States signed the U.S. AP in 1998, President Bush 
submitted it to the Senate on May 9, 2002 for the Senate's advice and 
consent to ratification, and the Senate approved a resolution providing 
such advice and consent on March 31, 2004. Legislation to implement the 
U.S. AP was enacted on December 18, 2006. Entry into force of the U.S. 
AP will take place when the President deposits the instrument of 
ratification with the IAEA.
    The Department of Energy is the Lead Agency for implementing the 
Additional Protocol at locations owned, operated, or leased by or for 
DOE, including Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-licensed or 
certified activities on DOE installations, and, in coordination with 
the Department of Defense, non-military locations on installations that 
store or process naval reactor fuel (collectively known as ``DOE 
Locations''). This collection of information affects only those persons 
performing activities at DOE Locations that would be declarable to the 
IAEA under the U.S. AP. The NRC is the Lead Agency for locations that 
are subject to the regulatory authority of the NRC, pursuant to the 
NRC's regulatory jurisdiction under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), with the exception of those NRC-
licensed or certified activities at DOE Locations. The Department of 
Commerce (DOC) is the Lead Agency for all other locations in the United 
States, except U. S. Government locations and those locations for which 
the NRC is the Lead Agency. All persons, including DOE contractors 
performing declarable activities at locations other than those for 
which DOE is the Lead Agency,

[[Page 18264]]

would submit their declarations for these activities at non-DOE 
Locations to either the NRC or DOC, as appropriate.
    The Department of Energy proposes to collect information that is 
required for submission under the U.S. AP. Collecting this information 
from those entities that are actually performing declarable activities 
at DOE Locations provides the most effective and efficient way for DOE 
to identify such declarable activities and the locations associated 
with such activities, and to assemble accurate and timely information 
on such activities.
    All reporting requirements that are applicable to respondents 
making their declarations through DOE can be found in Article 2.a of 
the U.S. AP. These activities are considered to be funded, specifically 
authorized or controlled by, or carried out on behalf of, the United 
States, by virtue of the fact that the Department of Energy, as an 
agency of the U.S. Government, controls all activities, regardless of 
performer, that occur at its installations.
    (5) Respondents: Respondents will primarily include DOE Management 
and Operations (M&O) contractors operating DOE installations and 
facilities. DOE estimates that 10-15 respondents will submit 
declarations under the U.S. AP; however, the number will fluctuate on 
an annual basis. Because any person performing a declarable activity at 
a location for which DOE is the Lead Agency must report that activity 
through DOE, and because the identity of such persons might change from 
year to year as declarable activities are initiated or terminated, DOE 
cannot estimate with certainty the total number of respondents subject 
to this collection of information. Likewise, it cannot estimate with 
certainty the number of small businesses, if any, that would be 
affected by this collection.
    (6) Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The burden in person-hours of 
responding to the proposed collection of information will depend on the 
number of declarable activities at the respondent's location. This 
effort might range from as low as 40 hours, for a location with one or 
two declarable activities, to as many as 400 hours, for a location with 
30-40 declarable activities. This effort includes annual effort 
expended in maintaining and training on using the software provided by 
DOE to assemble and report the information as well as making the 
declaration.

    Statutory Authority: Public Law 109-401 (December 18, 2006).

    Issued in Washington, DC on March 27, 2008.
Adam M. Scheinman,
Assistant Deputy Administrator for Nonproliferation and International 
Security.
 [FR Doc. E8-6905 Filed 4-2-08; 8:45 am]
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