[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67197-67198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26747]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Application for a Permit To Fire More Than 20 
Boreholes and/or for the Use of Nonpermissible Blasting Units, 
Explosives, and Shot-Firing Units; Posting Notices of Misfires

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety 
and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Application for a Permit to Fire More than 20 
Boreholes and/or for the Use of Nonpermissible Blasting Units, 
Explosives, and Shot-firing Units; Posting Notices of Misfires,'' to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for 
continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 9, 2013.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201304-1219-004 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free 
number) or sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and

[[Page 67198]]

Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-MSHA, Office of 
Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 
20503, Fax: 202-395-6881 (this is not a toll-free number), email: 
[email protected]. Commenters are encouraged, but not 
required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments to the U.S. 
Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Attn: Information Policy and Assessment Program, Room N1301, 200 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [email protected].

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to maintain PRA authority for 
the process by which a coal mine operator applies for a permit to fire 
more than 20 shots and to use nonpermissible explosives and/or shot-
firing units. An application contains the safeguards the mine operator 
will employ to protect miners while using requested blasting items. 
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act section 313, 30 U.S.C. 873, 
authorizes these applications. Regulations 30 CFR 75.1321 outlines the 
procedures by which a permit may be issued for the firing of more than 
20 boreholes and/or the use of nonpermissible shot-firing units in 
underground coal mines. Regulations 30 CFR 77.1909-1 outlines the 
procedures by which a coal mine operator may apply for a permit to use 
nonpermissible explosives and/or shot-firing units in the blasting of 
rock while sinking a shaft or slope in an underground coal mine. In 
addition, this ICR seeks to maintain PRA authorization for the 30 CFR 
75.1327 requirement that a qualified person post a warning to prohibit 
entry at each accessible entrance to the affected area when explosives 
have misfired.
    These information collections are subject to the PRA. A Federal 
agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, 
and the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for these information collections 
under Control Number 1219-0025.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal, and the current approval for this control number 
is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2013. The DOL seeks to extend 
PRA authorization for these information collections for three (3) more 
years, without any change to existing requirements. The DOL also notes 
that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB 
receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For 
additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related 
notice published in the Federal Register on July 3, 2013 (78 FR 40195).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1219-0025. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-MSHA.
    Title of Collection: Application for a Permit to Fire More than 20 
Boreholes and/or for the Use of Nonpermissible Blasting Units, 
Explosives, and Shot-firing Units; Posting Notices of Misfires.
    OMB Control Number: 1219-0025.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 67.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 88.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 74.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $348.

    Dated: November 4, 2013.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-26747 Filed 11-7-13; 8:45 am]
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