[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 224 (Thursday, November 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73746-73748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25510]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[OMB Control Number 1010-0082; Docket ID: BOEM-2017-0016]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Leasing of Minerals 
Other Than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur in the Outer Continental Shelf

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is proposing to renew an 
information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
January 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this ICR by mail to the BOEM 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Anna Atkinson, Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166; 
or by email to [email protected]. Please reference OMB Control 
Number 1010-0082 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Anna Atkinson by email, or by telephone at 703-
787-1025.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, BOEM provides the general public and other Federal 
agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps BOEM assess the 
impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the 
public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format.
    BOEM is soliciting comments on the proposed ICR described below. 
BOEM is especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper 
functions of BOEM; (2) what can BOEM do to ensure that this information 
is processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the burden estimate 
accurate; (4) how might BOEM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (5) how might BOEM minimize the 
burden of this collection on the respondents, including minimizing the 
burden through the use of information technology?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. BOEM will include or summarize each comment in our 
request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of 
this ICR. You should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. In order for 
BOEM to withhold from disclosure your personally identifiable 
information, you must identify any information contained in the 
submittal of your comments that, if released, would constitute a 
clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You must also 
briefly describe any possible harmful consequences of the disclosure of 
information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other harm. While you 
can ask us in your comment to withhold your personally identifiable 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    BOEM protects proprietary information in accordance with the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and the Department of the 
Interior's implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2).
    Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 581, Leasing of Minerals Other 
than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur in the Outer Continental Shelf.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (Act), as 
amended (43 U.S.C. 1334 and 43 U.S.C. 1337(k)), authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to administer the provisions 
relating to the leasing of the OCS, and to prescribe such rules and 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out such provisions. 
Additionally, the Act authorizes the Secretary to implement regulations 
to grant to qualified persons, offering the highest cash bonuses on the 
basis of competitive bidding, leases of any mineral other than oil, 
gas, and sulphur. This applies to any area of the OCS not then under 
lease for such mineral upon royalty, rental, and other terms and 
conditions that the Secretary may prescribe at the time of the lease 
offer. The Secretary is to administer the leasing provisions of the Act 
and prescribe the rules and regulations necessary to carry out those 
provisions.
    Regulations at 30 CFR part 581 implement these statutory 
requirements. There has been no leasing activity in the OCS for 
minerals other than oil, gas, or sulphur under these regulations for 
many years, and so BOEM has not generally collected information under 
this Part of its regulations; however, because these are regulatory 
requirements, the potential exists for information to be collected. 
Therefore, we are renewing OMB approval for this information 
collection.
    BOEM will use the information required by 30 CFR part 581 to 
determine if statutory requirements are met prior to the issuance of a 
lease. Specifically, BOEM will use the information to:
     Evaluate the area and minerals requested by the lessee to 
assess the viability of offering leases for sale;
     Request the state(s) to initiate the establishment of a 
joint task force to assess the proposed action;
     Ensure excessive overriding royalty interests are not 
created that would put economic constraints on all parties involved;
     Document that a leasehold or geographical subdivision has 
been surrendered by the record title holder; and
     Determine if activities on the proposed lease area(s) will 
have a significant impact on the environment.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0082.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: As there are no active respondents, we 
estimate the potential annual number of respondents to be one. 
Potential respondents are OCS lease requestors, state governments, and 
OCS lessees.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 10 responses.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 984 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to retain or obtain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-Hour Burden Cost: $29 non-hour cost 
burden.
    The following table details the individual components and 
respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. We assumed that 
respondents perform certain requirements in the normal course of their 
activities. We consider these to be usual and customary and took that 
into account in estimating the burden. BOEM is decreasing the total 
non-hour cost burden from $50 to $29 to reflect the current filing 
application fee amount.

[[Page 73747]]



                                                  Burden Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            Non-hour cost burden(s) *
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
     Citation 30 CFR 581        Reporting and/or recordkeeping                    Average number
                                        requirements *            Hour burden       of annual      Annual burden
                                                                                     reponses          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Subpart A--General
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6............................  Appeal decisions...............  Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.4(a)(2),               0
                                                                               (c)
                                                               ----------------------------------
9............................  Governor of affected States      16.............  1 request......              16
                                initiates negotiations on
                                jurisdictional controversy,
                                etc., and enters agreement
                                with BOEM.
                                                                                --------------------------------
    Subtotal.................  ...............................  ...............  1 Response.....              16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Subpart B--Leasing Procedures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11(a), (c)...................  Submit request for approval for  60.............  1 request......              60
                                mineral lease with required
                                information.
                                                               ----------------------------------
12...........................  Submit response to Call for       Not considered IC as defined in               0
                                Information and Interest on             5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4)
                                areas for leasing of minerals
                                (other than oil, gas, sulphur)
                                in accordance with approved
                                lease program, including
                                information from States/local
                                governments, industry, Federal
                                agencies.
                                                               ----------------------------------
13; 16.......................  States or local governments      200............  1 comment......             200
                                establish task force; submit
                                comments/recommendations on
                                planning, coordination,
                                consultation, and other issues
                                that may contribute to the
                                leasing process..
                                                               ----------------------------------
16...........................  Submit suggestions and relevant   Not considered IC as defined in               0
                                information in response to              5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4)
                                request for comments on the
                                proposed leasing notice,
                                including information from
                                States/local governments.
                                                               ----------------------------------
18; 20(e), (f); 26(a), (b)...  Submit bids (oral or sealed)     250............  1 response.....             250
                                and required information.
18(b)(3), (c); 20(e), (f)....  Tie bids--submit oral bids for   20.............  1 response.....              20
                                highest bidder.
20(a), (b), (c); 41(a).......  Establish a company file for     58.............  1 response.....              58
                                qualification, submit updated
                                information, submit
                                qualifications for lessee/
                                bidder and required
                                information.
                                                               ----------------------------------
21(a); 47(c).................  Request for reconsideration of      Not considered IC per 5 CFR                 0
                                bid rejection/cancellation.                1320.3(h)(9)
                                                               ----------------------------------
21(b), (e); 23; 26(e), (i);    Execute lease (includes          100............  1 lease........             100
 40(b); 41.                     submission of evidence of
                                authorized agent and request
                                for dating of leases);
                                maintain auditable records re
                                30 CFR Chapter II, Subchapter
                                A--[burden under ONRR
                                requirements].
                                                                                --------------------------------
    Subtotal.................  ...............................  ...............  6 Responses....             688
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Subpart C--Financial Considerations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31(b); 41....................  File application and required    160............  1 application..             160
                                information for assignment or
                                transfer for approval.
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
                                                                $29 required or non-required filing document fee
                                                                                    x 1 = $29
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
32(b), (c)...................  File application for waiver,     80.............  1 application..              80
                                suspension, or reduction and
                                required documentation.
                                                               ----------------------------------
33; 41(c)....................  Submit surety or personal bond.   Burden covered under 1010-0081                0
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal.................  ...............................  ...............  2 Responses....             240
                                                                                --------------------------------
                               ...............................  ...............      $29 Non-Hour Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Subpart E--Termination of Leases
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46...........................  File written request for         40.............  1 Response.....              40
                                relinquishment..
                               ...............................  ...............  10 Responses...             984
                                                                                --------------------------------
        * Total Burden.......  ...............................  ...............      $29 Non-Hour Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* In the future, BOEM may require electronic filing of certain submissions.

    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 authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).


[[Page 73748]]


Deanna Meyer-Pietruszka,
Chief, Office of Policy, Regulation, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2020-25510 Filed 11-18-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P