[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39334-39335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15497]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

[Docket ID: MMS-2008-OMM-0032]


MMS Information Collection Activity: 1010-0164 (Damage Caused by 
Hurricanes), Extension of a Collection; Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget Review; Agency Information Collection Activities: 
Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of an extension of an information collection (1010-
0164).

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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 for review and approval. The 
information collection request concerns the paperwork requirements in 
the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures, 
Notice to Lessees and Operators--Damage Caused by Hurricane(s). This 
request covers damage due to any hurricane(s) that may occur in the 
Gulf of Mexico over the next 3 years.

DATE: Submit written comments by September 8, 2008.

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 regulation and the Notice to 
Lessees and Operators that requires the subject collection of 
information.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either 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-0032 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 1010-0164 in your subject line and mark your 
message for return receipt. Include your name and return address in 
your message text.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures, Notice 
to Lessees and Operators (NTL)--Damage Caused by Hurricane(s).
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0164.
    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 which 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; 
preserve and maintain free enterprise competition; and ensure that the 
extent of oil and natural gas resources of the OCS is assessed at the 
earliest practicable time. Section 43 U.S.C. 1332(6) states that

``operations in the outer Continental Shelf should be conducted in a 
safe manner by well-trained personnel using technology, precautions, 
and techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of 
blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical 
obstruction to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or 
other occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to 
property, or endanger life or health.''

    To carry out these responsibilities, Minerals Management Service 
(MMS) issues regulations to ensure that operations in the OCS will meet 
statutory requirements; provide for safety and protect the environment; 
and result in diligent exploration, development, and production of OCS 
leases. In addition, we also issue NTLs that provide clarification, 
explanation, and interpretation of our regulations. These NTLs are used 
to convey purely informational material and to cover situations that 
might not be adequately addressed in our regulations. The latter is the 
case for the information collection required in the NTL. Because of the 
unusual nature of this information collection, issuing a temporary NTL 
is the appropriate means to collect the information.
    The subject of this information collection request (ICR) is an NTL 
titled, Damage Caused by Hurricane(s) to be issued to lessees and 
operators in the MMS Gulf of Mexico OCS (GOM) Region after a hurricane 
occurs. This ICR deal with damage to facilities due to any hurricane(s) 
that may occur in the GOM. Once this ICR is approved by OMB, MMS will 
reissue the NTL for each new future hurricane that impacts operations 
in the GOM with MMS inserting the appropriate hurricane name, 
longitudes, and dates of submittal, etc.
    Currently, there are over 4,000 facilities/structures in the GOM 
OCS. The MMS anticipates that potential major hurricanes may impact 40 
percent or more of the platforms in the GOM (1,600 facilities) during 
any one event. For example, in 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 
combined affected approximately 2,900 OCS facilities--only 10 
facilities were affected by both storms; they each followed different 
paths and had their own specific meteorological anomalies (deviation or 
departure from the normal phenomena of the atmosphere). It needs to be 
stressed that the information we collect under this NTL is information 
that a prudent lessee/operator would prepare in the event of a major 
hurricane. The primary authority for this submission is 30 CFR Part 
250, Subpart I, Platform and Structures, information collection

[[Page 39335]]

approved under the OMB Control Number 1010-0149. However, in connection 
with this subpart, MMS believes that the burden hour requirements in 
the proposed NTL are in addition to the currently approved paperwork 
burden under those requirements.
    With regard to the OCS Pipelines section of this NTL, MMS has the 
authority to collect the information requested under 30 CFR Part 250, 
Subpart J, Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of-Way. The OMB has already 
approved the collection of pipeline information under OMB Control 
Number 1010-0050.
    Emergency NTLs were issued relating to this same subject--
structural damage caused by hurricanes--in 2003 after Hurricane Lili, 
in 2004 after Hurricane Ivan, and in 2005 after Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita. Due to the nature of these incidents and their increasing 
occurrences, immediately after Hurricane Ivan, proposed rulemaking was 
started to require lessees to submit to MMS information about structure 
damage on the OCS due to natural phenomena, e.g., hurricanes, 
earthquakes. The final rule is currently in the surnaming process and 
OMB has issued Regulation Identifier Number 1010-AD18.
    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 mandatory.
    Frequency: Monthly; and as specified in the NTL.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently 
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 26,880 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Reporting requirement                     Hour burden
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Prepare and submit to MMS: (1) List of impacted OCS                   12
 structures, (2) timetable for inspections, and (3)
 inspection plan for each listed platform describing
 work to determine condition of structure...............
Submit amendments to list and inspection plans..........              12
Submit report to MMS describing detected damage that may             120
 adversely affect structural integrity, including
 assessment of ability to withstand anticipated
 environmental storm conditions, and any remediation
 plans..................................................
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    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 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: June 26, 2008.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
 [FR Doc. E8-15497 Filed 7-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P