[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69449-69450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27648]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Claim Adjudication Process for Alleged 
Presence of Pneumoconiosis

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of 
Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Claim Adjudication Process for Alleged Presence 
of Pneumoconiosis'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 19, 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 from the 
RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201311-1240-001 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 by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
OWCP, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-6881 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier 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; 
or by email: [email protected].

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


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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In order to ensure full and meaningful 
public participation, this notice invites public comments to be 
submitted under the PRA about proposed updates to the Claim 
Adjudication Process for Alleged Presence of Pneumoconiosis information 
collection. Specifically, in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) 
published in the Federal Register on June 13, 2013 (78 FR 35575), the 
DOL proposed both updates to its existing analog film radiograph 
standards and new parallel standards for digital radiographs applicable 
to claims filed under the Black Lung Benefits Act, as amended, 30 
U.S.C. 901 et seq. If adopted in final, physicians obtaining x-rays of 
miners on digital radiography systems would submit the radiograph to 
the DOL in an electronic format. The DOL is incorporating this format 
change into the existing approved information collection. The DOL 
believes the NPRM would not impose a new information collection, change 
the actual data collected, or the estimated information collection 
(paperwork) burdens imposed on the public; however, the additional 
format option could be considered a change to the existing information 
collection, as currently approved under the PRA.
    This information collection is 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 this information collection 
under Control Number 1240-0023.
    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

[[Page 69450]]

this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should reference OMB Control Number 
1240-0023. 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-OWCP.
    Title of Collection: Claim Adjudication Process for Alleged 
Presence of Pneumoconiosis.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0023.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--Businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 24,000.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 24,000.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 5,840.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Dated: November 13, 2013.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-27648 Filed 11-18-13; 8:45 am]
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