[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 2757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-844]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement


Notice of Proposed Information Collection

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is 
announcing that the information collection request for the requirements 
for coal exploration has been submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This information collection 
request describes the nature of the information collection and the 
expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments 
should be submitted to OMB by February 21, 2012, in order to be assured 
of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of the 
Interior Desk Officer, by telefax at (202) 395-5806 or via email to 
OfRA [email protected]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to 
the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW., Room 203-SIB, 
Washington, DC 20240, or electronically to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To receive a copy of the information 
collection request contact John Trelease at (202) 208-2783, or 
electronically at [email protected]. You may also review this 
collection by going to http://www.reginfo.gov. (Information Collection 
Review, Currently Under Review, Agency is Department of the Interior, 
DOI-OSMRE).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which 
implement provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 
104-13), require that interested members of the public and affected 
agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and 
recordkeeping activities [see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)]. OSM has submitted a 
request to OMB to renew its approval of the collection of information 
contained in 30 CFR part 772--Requirements for Coal Exploration. OSM is 
requesting a 3-year term of approval for this information collection 
activity.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for 30 CFR 
part 772 is 1029-0112.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments for this collection of information was published on 
October 19, 2011 (76 FR 64973). No comments were received. This notice 
provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on 
the following information collection activity:
    Title: 30 CFR Part 772--Requirements for Coal Exploration.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0112.
    Summary: OSM and state regulatory authorities use the information 
collected under 30 CFR part 772 to gather information on coal 
exploration activities, evaluate the need for an exploration permit, 
and ensure that exploration activities comply with the environmental 
protection and reclamation requirements of 30 CFR part 772 and section 
512 of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1262).
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: 1,312 operators planning to conduct 
coal exploration and 24 state regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 2,511.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 9,107.
    Total Annual Non-Wage Burden Costs: $2,074.
    Send comments on the need for the collections of information for 
the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the 
agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information collections; and ways to minimize the 
information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collections of the information, to the offices listed in 
ADDRESSES. Please refer to OMB control number 1029-0112 in all 
correspondence.
    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.

    Dated: January 10, 2012.
John A. Trelease,
Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 2012-844 Filed 1-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M