[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 131 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33272-33273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16398]



[[Page 33272]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

[Docket No. MMS-2009-OMM-0001]


MMS Information Collection Activity: 1010-0137, Historical Well 
Data Cleanup (HWDC) Project, Extension of a Collection; Submitted for 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0137).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements for the Notice to Lessees (NTL) on the Historical Well 
Data Cleanup (HWDC) Project. This notice also provides the public a 
second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these 
regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by August 10, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments either by fax (202) 395-5806 or e-mail 
([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of 
the Interior (1010-0137). Please also submit a copy of your comments to 
MMS by any of the means 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-0001 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 1010-0137 in your subject line and include your 
name and return address.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Historical Well Data Cleanup (HWDC) Project.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0137.
    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 to prescribe rules and regulations to 
administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to 
all operations conducted under a lease.
    Section 1332(6) states that ``operations in the [O]uter Continental 
Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by well trained personnel 
using technology, precautions, and other techniques sufficient to 
prevent or minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, 
fires, spillages, physical obstructions 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.'' These 
responsibilities are among those delegated to the Minerals Management 
Service (MMS).
    To carry out these responsibilities, 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 
issue Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that provide 
clarification, explanation, and interpretation of our regulations. 
These NTLs are also used to convey purely informational material and to 
cover situations that might not be addressed in our regulations. The 
latter is the case for this information collection. Because of the 
unusual nature of this information collection, issuing an NTL is the 
appropriate means to collect the information.
    The subject of this information collection request is the 
``Historical Well Data Cleanup (HWDC) Project.'' It needs to be 
stressed that the information we are collecting is information that 
respondents are required to submit under regulations at 30 CFR 250 
subpart D. However, in the past we did not always enforce this 
regulatory requirement for certain wellbores for several reasons. We 
did not foresee the value of this information for all wellbores, nor 
did we anticipate that not having the information would later create 
problems for the agency and others. We also did not have a 
sophisticated electronic database that could handle the information. We 
now collect all of the required information on a current basis (under 
30 CFR 250, subpart D, OMB Control Number 1010-0141). Prior assurance 
to respondents that providing the information in connection with this 
project will not subject them to the penalties for not providing the 
information is still in place. We are requesting a renewal of this 
collection to allow operators more response time over a longer period 
to provide the missing or corrected data.
    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.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil, gas, and sulphur lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
hour burden for this information collection is a total of 11,250 hours. 
The respondents will submit information for a remaining estimated 4,500 
wells from an original 40,000 wells. Based on our own input, the 
concurrence of the contractor hired for this, and informal discussions 
with a few potential respondents, we estimate it will take respondents:

 
0.5 hours to locate and copy scout        .5 hours x 4,500 wells = 2,250
 tickets for each well..............
2 hours to retrieve and analyze each       2 hours x 4,500 wells = 9,000
 well file..........................
                                     -----------------------------------
    Total Hours:....................                              11,250
 


[[Page 33273]]

    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.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified no paperwork non-hour cost burdens associated with the 
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: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) 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.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on February 3, 
2009, we published a Federal Register notice (74 FR 5943) announcing 
that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided 
the required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  250.199 provides 
the OMB control number for the information collection requirements 
imposed by the 30 CFR 250 regulations. The regulation also informs the 
public that they may comment at any time on the collections of 
information and provides the address to which they should send 
comments. We have received one comment in response to these efforts; 
but it was not germane to the information collection request.
    If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send 
your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice. The OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the 
information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to 
ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public comments by 
August 10, 2009.
    Public Availability of Comments: 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: July 6, 2009.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-16398 Filed 7-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P