[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 101 (Thursday, May 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 31038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12405]


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

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.

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

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 bonding and 
insurance requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation 
operations under regulatory programs has been submitted to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The 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 June 25, 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 
[email protected]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to 
John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
1951 Constitution Ave. NW., Room 203-SIB, Washington, DC 20240, by 
telefax to (202) 219-3276, or by email 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 
information collection request on the Internet 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 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 for the collection of information 
contained in 30 CFR Part 800--Bonding and insurance requirements for 
surface coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory 
programs. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for each 
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 this 
collection of information is 1029-0043 for 30 CFR 800.
    As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments for this collection of information was published on 
March 2, 2012, (77 FR 12879). We received one comment for this 
information collection request. The commenter expressed concern that 
bond amounts are not adequate to cover the cost of reclamation if the 
operator should forfeit their bond, requiring taxpayers to fund 
reclamation. However, section 509 of SMCRA and 30 CFR Part 800 require 
that bonds be in an amount adequate to complete the reclamation plan in 
the event of bond forfeiture. This notice provides the public with an 
additional 30 days in which to comment on the following information 
collection activity:
    Title: 30 CFR Part 800--Bond and insurance requirements for surface 
coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory programs.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0043.
    Summary: The regulations at 30 CFR Part 800 primarily implement 
Sec.  509 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, 
which requires that persons planning to conduct surface coal mining 
operations first post a performance bond to guarantee fulfillment of 
all reclamation obligations under the approved permit. The regulations 
also establish bond release requirements and procedures consistent with 
Sec.  519 of the Act, liability insurance requirements pursuant to 
Sec.  507(f) of the Act, and procedures for bond forfeiture should the 
permittee default on reclamation obligations.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining and reclamation 
applicants and State regulatory authorities.
    Total Annual Responses: 12,336.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 112,627 hours.
    Total Annual Cost Burden: $1,510,214.
    Send comments on the need for the collection 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 collection; and ways to minimize the 
information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated 
means of collections of the information, to the addresses listed in 
ADDRESSES. Please refer to the appropriate OMB control number 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: May 8, 2012.
Andrew F. DeVito,
Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 2012-12405 Filed 5-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M