[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 108 (Monday, June 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27166-27167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-13246]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

[Docket No. MMS-2009-OMM-0007]


MMS Information Collection Activity: 1010-0177, Global 
Positioning System for MODUs, Extension of a Collection; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-00177).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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. 
This information collection request concerns the paperwork requirements 
in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart A, ``General.'' The MMS is 
renewing OMB approved Emergency Request 1010-0177 because information 
needs to be collected for a longer period than allowed in the Emergency 
Request. After a major weather event, like a hurricane, lessees and 
operators need to keep reporting new information to MMS until all MODUs 
are determined to be safe.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 7, 2009.

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 and the NTL 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-2009-OMM-0007 to submit 
public comments and to view supporting and related materials available 
for this information collection. 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 1010-0177 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 250, Subpart A, General, GPS (Global Positioning 
System) for MODUs
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0177.
    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; 
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, the 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 Notice to Lessees 
(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.
    Regulations at 30 CFR 250 implement these statutory requirements. 
We use the information for MMS to assess the whereabouts of any 
facility becoming unmoored due to extreme weather situations; as well 
as, to follow the path of that facility to determine if other 
facilities/pipelines, etc., were damaged in any way. The offshore oil 
and gas industry will use the information to determine the safest and 
quickest way to either remove the obstacles or to fix and reuse them.
    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: On occasion.

[[Page 27167]]

    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and or gas operators/lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently 
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 84 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Hour burden
           NTL Requirement           -----------------------------------
                                             Non-Hour cost burdens
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Purchase and installation of          $5,000 per device.
 tracking/locator devices--one time
 purchase for each existing MODU.
Purchase and installation of          $5,000 per device.
 tracking/locator devices--(these
 are for future new MODUs or repair/
 replacement devices due to normal
 wear and tear).
Notify MMS with tracking/locator      15 minutes.
 data access (one-time burden for
 initial submission).
Notify MMS with tracking/locator      15 minutes.
 data access (these are future
 submissions after initial purchase
 and notification in subsequent
 years).
Notify Hurricane Response Team as     10 minutes.
 soon as you know a rig has moved
 off location.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified two non-hour paperwork cost burdens for this collection, see 
the burden table.
    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 paperwork 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, email 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: May 28, 2009.
William S. Hauser,
Acting Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-13246 Filed 6-5-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P