[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 185 (Friday, September 25, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49006-49008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23222]


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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; Submitted for 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of revision of an information collection (1010-0177).

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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 associated with 30 CFR 250, Subpart A, ``General,'' and 
related documents. This notice also provides the public a second 
opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory 
requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by October 26, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either 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 (1010-0177). Please also submit a copy of your comments to 
MMS by any of the means below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
entry titled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter docket ID MMS-2009-OMM-0007 
then click search. Under the tab ``View By Relevance'' you can submit 
public comments and view supporting and related materials available for 
this collection of information. 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 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 regulation and the Notice to 
Lessees and/or Operators (NTL) that requires the subject collection of 
information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart A, General-NTL-Gulf of Mexico OCS 
Region-GPS (Global Positioning System) for Mobile Offshore Drilling 
Units (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 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; to 
preserve and maintain free enterprise competition; and to ensure that 
the extent of oil and natural gas resources

[[Page 49007]]

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 
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 Notices 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 part 250 implement these statutory 
requirements. The MMS uses the information collected from these 
requirements to assess the whereabouts of any Mobile Offshore Drilling 
Unit (MODU) 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 uses 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 required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal 
oil and gas lessees and operators that drill using MODUs.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
annual hour burden for this information collection is a total of 9 
hours. The following chart details the individual components and 
estimated hour burdens. 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.

                                  NTL--Gulf of Mexico OCS Region--GPS for MODUs
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                                                                 Average No. of annual
                                             Hour burden               responses           Annual burden hours
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                                                                 Non-hour cost burdens
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1--Notify MMS with tracking/locator    15 mins................  30 devices.............  8 (rounded).
 data access; purchase and install
 tracking/locator devices (these are
 future MODUs submissions after
 initial purchase and notification in
 subsequent years).
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                                          30 devices per year for replacement and/or new x $5,000 = $150,000.
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2--Notify Hurricane Response Team as   10 mins................  6 notifications........  1
 soon as operator is aware a rig has
 moved off location.
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
    Total Burden.....................                           36 responses...........  9 hours.
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
                                                                         $ 150,000 non-hour cost burden.
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    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified one non-hour paperwork cost burden associated with the 
collection of information, 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: 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 June 8, 2009, we 
published a Federal Register notice (74 FR 27166) 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 numbers for the information collection requirements imposed 
by the 30 CFR part 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 no comments in response to these efforts.
    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 
October 26, 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

[[Page 49008]]

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: September 2, 2009.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-23222 Filed 9-24-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P