[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33974-33975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15316]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

[Docket Number: DOT-OST-2017-0043]


Agency Information Collection Activity; Response to Comments on 
Notice of Request for Approval To Collect New Information: Oil and Gas 
Industry Safety Data Program

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology 
(OST-R), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), U.S. Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: 30-day Notice and Response to Comments.

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SUMMARY: On May 7, 2019, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) 
announced its intention in a Federal Register Notice (83 FR 20139) to 
request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the 
following information collection: Voluntary Oil and Gas Industry Safety 
Data Program. The Oil and Gas Industry Safety Data (ISO) program, is a 
component of BTS's SafeOCS data sharing framework, that provides a 
trusted, proactive means for the oil and gas industry to report 
sensitive and proprietary safety information, and to identify early 
warnings of safety problems and potential safety issues by uncovering 
hidden, at-risk conditions not previously exposed from analysis of 
reportable accidents and incidents. The ISD identifies a broader range 
of data categories to ensure safe performance and appropriate risk 
management, which adds a learning component to assist the oil and gas 
industry in achieving improved safety performance. At that time, BTS 
also encouraged interested parties to submit comments to docket number 
DOT-OST-2017-0043, allowing for a 60-day comment period. The comment 
period closed on July 7, 2018. BTS received two non-relevant comments 
from the anonymous public entities. The purpose of this Notice is to 
respond to the comments received on the May 7, 2018 announcement and 
allow 30 days for public comment to OMB on this collection from all 
interested individuals and organizations.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by August 17, 2018.

ADDRESSES: BTS seeks public comments on its proposed information 
collection. Comments should address whether the information will have 
practical utility; the accuracy of the estimated burden hours of the 
proposed information collection' ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology. Send comments to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street 
NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: BTS Desk Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Demetra V. Collia, Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of 
Statistical and Economic Analysis, RTS-31, E36-302, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001; Phone No. (202) 366-1610; Fax No. 
(202) 366-3383; email: [email protected]. Office hours are from 
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
    Data Confidentiality Provisions: The confidentiality of oil and gas 
industry safety data information submitted to BTS is protected under 
the BTS confidentiality statute (49 U.S.C. 6307) and the Confidential 
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) of 2002 
(Pub. L. 107-347, Title V.) In accordance with these confidentiality 
statutes, only statistical (aggregated) and non-identifying data will 
be made publicly available by BTS through its reports. BTS will not 
release to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), 
or to any other public or private entity, any information that might 
reveal the identity of individuals or organizations mentioned in 
failure notices or reports without explicit consent of the respondent 
and any other affected entities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. The Data Collection

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35; as 
amended) and 5 CFR part 1320 require each Federal agency to obtain OMB 
approval to initiate an information collection activity. BTS is seeking 
OMB approval for the following BTS information collection activity:
    Title: Oil and Gas Industry Safety Data (ISD) Program.
    OMB Control Number: TBD.
    Type of Review: Approval of data collection.
    Respondent: Oil and gas industry companies involved in the 
exploration and/or productions working in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).
    Number of Potential Responses: One hundred.
    Estimated Time per Response: 40 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Total Annual Burden: 400 hours.

II. Public Participation and Request for Public Comments

    On May 7, 2018, BTS published a Notice (83 FR 20139) encouraging 
interested parties to submit comments to docket number DOT-OST-2017-
0043 and allowing for a 60-day comment period. The comment period 
closed on July 6, 2018. There were two comments non-relevant to the 
topic of the Notice. To view comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov 
and insert the docket number, ``DOT-OST-2017-0043'' in the ``search'' 
box and click ``Search.'' Next click ``Open Docket Folder'' button and 
choose document listed to review. If you do not have access to the 
internet, you may view the docket by visiting the Docket Management 
Facility in Room W 12-140 on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 
1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Privacy Act

    All comments the BTS received were posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov. Anyone may search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or of the person signing the comment, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.) You 
may review DOT' s complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on January 17, 2008 (73 FR 3316), or you may visit 
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-785.pdf).

III. Discussion of Public Comments and BTS Responses

    BTS announced on May 7, 2018 in a Federal Register Notice (83 FR 
20139) its intention to request that OMB approve the new collection of: 
Oil and Gas Industry Safety Data Program. BTS received no relevant 
comment during the 60-day public comment period. The May 7th notice 
stated that the BTS was seeking approval to collect Industry Safety 
Data information.


[[Page 33975]]


    Dated: July 11, 2018.
Patricia Hu,
Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Research and Technology U.S. Department of 
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2018-15316 Filed 7-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P