[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 193 (Friday, October 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56288-56290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21894]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Natural Resources Revenue

[Docket No. ONRR-2011-0025; DS63644000 DRT000000.CH7000 223D1113RT, OMB 
Control Number 1012-0003]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Delegated and 
Cooperative Activities With States and Indian Tribes

AGENCY: Office of Natural Resources Revenue (``ONRR''), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(``PRA''), ONRR is proposing to renew an information collection. 
Currently, the information collection is authorized by the Office of 
Management and Budget (``OMB'') under OMB Control Number 1012-0003, 
which expires on December 31, 2021. Through this Information Collection 
Request (``ICR''), ONRR seeks renewed authority to collect information 
to review and approve a delegation proposal from a State that is 
seeking to perform royalty management functions and to prepare a 
cooperative agreement with a State or Indian Tribe seeking to perform 
royalty audits and investigations.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 8, 2021.

ADDRESSES: All comment submissions must (1) reference ``OMB Control 
Number 1012-0003'' in the subject line; (2) be sent to ONRR before the 
close of the comment period listed under DATES; and (3) be sent through 
one of the following two methods:
     Electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Please 
visit https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search Box, enter the Docket 
ID Number for this ICR renewal (``ONRR-2011-0025'') to locate the 
document and click the ``Comment Now!'' button. Follow the prompts to 
submit your comment prior to the close of the comment period.
     Email Submissions: Please email your comments to 
[email protected] with the OMB Control Number (``OMB 
Control Number 1012-0003'') listed in the subject line of your email. 
Email submissions must be postmarked on or before the close of the 
comment period.
    Docket: To access the docket to view ICR publications in the 
Federal Register, go to https://www.regulations.gov and search ``ONRR-
2011-0025''. The docket will display renewal notices recently published 
in the Federal Register, publications associated with prior renewals, 
and applicable public comments received for this ICR.
    OMB ICR Data: OMB also maintains information on ICR renewals and 
approvals. You may access this information at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRASearch. Under the ``OMB Control Number'' heading enter 
``1012-0003'' and click the ``Search'' button located at the bottom of 
the page. To view the ICR renewal or OMB approval status, click on the 
latest entry (based on

[[Page 56289]]

the most recent date). On the ``View ICR--OIRA Conclusion'' page, check 
the box next to ``All'' to display all available ICR information 
provided by OMB.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, please contact Mr. Peter Hanley, State and Tribal 
Royalty Audit Committee, ONRR, by telephone at (303) 231-3721 or by 
email to [email protected]. Individuals who are hearing or speech 
impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY 
assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq., and 5 CFR 1320.5, all information collections, as defined in 5 
CFR 1320.3, require approval by OMB. ONRR may not conduct or sponsor, 
and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    As part of ONRR's continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burdens, ONRR is inviting the public and other Federal 
agencies to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)(1). This helps ONRR to assess the impact of its information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It 
also helps the public understand ONRR's information collection 
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
    ONRR is especially interested in public comments addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of ONRR's estimate of the burden for this 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency 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 response.
    ONRR published a notice, with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information, in the Federal 
Register on April 16, 2021 (86 FR 20194). ONRR received one comment in 
response to its 60-Day Notice for this ICR. The commenter generally 
agreed with ONRR's collection of information under this ICR.
    Comments that you submit in response to this 30-Day Notice are a 
matter of public record. ONRR will include or summarize each comment in 
its request to OMB to approve this ICR. 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 ONRR in your comment to 
withhold your personal identifying information from public review, ONRR 
cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
    Abstract: (a) General Information: For the benefit of all 
Americans, ONRR collects, accounts for, and verifies natural resource 
and energy revenues due to States, American Indians, and the U.S. 
Treasury. See U.S. Department of the Interior Departmental Manual, 112 
DM 34.3 (Sept. 9, 2020). ONRR's various functions include working in 
partnership with Indian Tribes and States to conduct audits and 
reviews. Id. at 34.4(D). For this purpose, ONRR enters into cooperative 
agreements with States and Indian Tribes that seek to perform royalty 
audits pursuant to 30 U.S.C. 196 and 1732, and reviews and approves 
delegation proposals from States that seek to perform royalty 
management functions pursuant to 30 U.S.C. 196 and 1735.
    (b) Information Collections: This ICR covers the paperwork 
requirements under 30 CFR parts 1227, 1228, and 1229. This collection 
of information is necessary in order for ONRR to approve States and 
Indian Tribes to conduct audits and related investigations of Federal 
and Indian oil, gas, coal, other solid minerals, and geothermal royalty 
revenues from Federal and Tribal leased lands. ONRR uses the 
information collected to: (1) review and approve a delegation proposal 
from a State seeking to perform royalty management functions, and (2) 
prepare a cooperative agreement with a State or Indian Tribe seeking to 
perform royalty audits. The requirements of 30 CFR parts 1227, 1228, 
and 1229 are:
    (1) 30 CFR part 1227--Delegation to States. Part 1227 governs the 
delegation of certain Federal royalty management functions to a State 
under 30 U.S.C. 1735, for Federal oil and gas leases covering Federal 
lands within the State. This part also governs the delegation of audit 
and investigative functions to a State for Federal geothermal leases or 
solid mineral leases covering Federal lands within the State (30 U.S.C. 
196), or leases covering lands offshore of the State subject to section 
8(g) of the OCSLA (43 U.S.C. 1337(g)). To be considered for such 
delegation, a State must submit a written proposal to ONRR, which ONRR 
must approve. Following the delegation process, 30 CFR part 1227 
outlines State responsibilities, compensation, performance reviews, and 
the process for terminating a delegation.
    (2) 30 CFR part 1228--Cooperative Activities with States and Indian 
Tribes. FOGRMA (30 U.S.C. 1732) authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior (``Secretary'') to enter into a cooperative agreement with a 
State or Indian Tribe to share oil and gas royalty management 
information, and to carry out inspection, audit, investigation, and 
enforcement activities on Federal and Indian lands. Federal 
regulations, at 30 CFR part 1228, implement this provision and set 
forth the requirements and procedures for entering into a cooperative 
agreement, the terms of such agreement, and subsequent responsibilities 
that must be carried out under the cooperative agreement. To enter into 
a cooperative agreement, a State or Indian Tribe must submit a written 
proposal to ONRR. The proposal must outline the activities that the 
State or Indian Tribe will undertake and must present evidence that the 
State or Indian Tribe can meet the standards of the Secretary to 
conduct these activities. The State or Indian Tribe also must submit an 
annual work plan and budget, as well as quarterly reimbursement 
vouchers.
    (3) 30 CFR part 1229--Delegation to States. Part 1229 governs 
delegations to a State to conduct audits and related investigations for 
Federal lands within the State, and for Indian lands for which the 
State has received permission from the respective Indian Tribe or 
allottees to carry out audit activities delegated to the State under 30 
U.S.C. 1735. 30 CFR 1229.4. Under Part 1229, the State must receive the 
Secretary's delegation of authority and submit annual audit work plans 
detailing its audits and related investigations, annual budgets, and 
quarterly reimbursement vouchers. The State also must maintain records.
    Title of Collection: 30 CFR parts 1227, 1228, and 1229, Delegated 
and Cooperative Activities with States and Indian Tribes.
    OMB Control Number: 1012-0003.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: States and Indian Tribes.

[[Page 56290]]

    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 9 States and 6 Indian 
respondents.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 210.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 75.50 hrs.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 16,697 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Based on the functions performed, 
responses are monthly, quarterly, annually, on occasion, and varied.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-Hour Burden Cost: ONRR identified no 
``non-hour cost'' burden associated with this collection of 
information.
    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 PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.).

Kimbra G. Davis,
Director, Office of Natural Resources Revenue.
[FR Doc. 2021-21894 Filed 10-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4335-30-P