[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 236 (Thursday, December 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76750-76751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30964]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement

[Docket ID No. BOEM-2010-0061]


BOEMRE Information Collection Activity: 1010-0183, Information 
Requirements for Exploration Plans, Development and Production Plans, 
and Development Operations Coordination Documents on the OCS NTL, 
Renewal of a Collection; Submitted for Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement 
(BOEMRE), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0183).

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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 in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart b, Plans and 
Information, and related documents. The collection was originally 
approved by OMB under an emergency request. This notice also provides 
the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of 
these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by January 10, 2011.

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 (1010-0183). Please also submit a copy of your comments to 
BOEMRE by any of the means below.
     Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
entry titled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BOEM-2010-0061 then click 
search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view 
supporting and related materials available for this collection. BOEMRE 
will post all comments.
     E-mail [email protected]. Mail or hand-carry comments 
to: Department of the Interior; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 
Regulation and Enforcement; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 Elden 
Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference ICR 
1010-0183 in your comment 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 regulations and the NTL that 
require the subject collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart b, Plans and Information.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0183.
    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 manage the mineral resources of the OCS. Such rules and 
regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease, 
right-of-use and easement, and pipeline right-of-way. Operations on the 
OCS must

[[Page 76751]]

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 Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) 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 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 adequately addressed in our 
regulations. The latter is the case for the information collection 
required by the subject NTL.
    The subject of this ICR is an NTL based on the recommendations in 
the May 27, 2010, Report from the Secretary of the Interior to the 
President of the United States, Increased Safety Measures for Energy 
Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (Report). BOEMRE issued this 
NTL for lessees and operators to comply with the requirements and 
recommendations of the report as a result of the Deepwater Horizon 
accident and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The primary 
information collection requirements for OCS plans are 30 CFR 250, 
subpart B, approved under OMB Control Number 1010-0151. However, in 
connection with this subpart, BOEMRE believes that the paperwork burden 
in complying with the NTL is in addition to that currently approved for 
subpart B. We are renewing the collection for 3 years because the 
additional information required by the NTL needs to be collected for a 
longer period than allowed by the original emergency OMB request.
    Regulations implementing requirements for exploration, production, 
and development plans are under 30 CFR 250, subpart B. Responses are 
mandatory. No questions of a sensitive nature are asked. BOEMRE 
protects proprietary information according to the Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR 
2), 30 CFR 250.197, Data and information to be made available to the 
public for limited inspection, and 30 CFR 252, OCS Oil and Gas 
Information Program.
    The Deepwater Horizon event is one of national significance that 
included the deaths of 11 people and significantly harmed the marine 
ecosystem, wildlife, and property along the Gulf Coast. These events 
highlight the importance of ensuring safe operations on the OCS.
    BOEMRE will use this information, as well as other information and 
analyses, to comprehensively assess what changes may be needed to 
BOEMRE program-wide requirements. BOEMRE will review the data submitted 
to analyze future activities under Exploration Plans, Development and 
Production Plans, and Development Operations Coordination Documents.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal 
oil and gas lessees and operators.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: We expect to 
receive 517 responses from the lessees and operators. We estimate the 
total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden is 9,952 (rounded) 
annual burden hours (517 responses x 19.25 hours per response = 9,952 
annual burden hours).
    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 September 7, 
2010, we published a Federal Register notice (75 FR 54370) 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 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 
January 10, 2011.
    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.
    BOEMRE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz 
(703) 787-1025.

    Dated: November 18, 2010.
William S. Hauser, Acting Chief,
Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2010-30964 Filed 12-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P